October 10, 2023
Mount Edwards | 13,850 feet
Route: via Waldorf Mine
3.4 miles; 2184 feet elevation gain
Total time: 3 hours 12 minutes
This is my second time climbing this peak but I love repeating hikes in different seasons, and this one is an amazing fall mountain. We were about a week late on peak colors but if you hit it at peak you will see stunning aspens the whole drive to the mine, beautiful alpine fall colors and hopefully a dusting of snow on the surrounding peaks!
The road to Waldorf Mine does require 4WD and high clearance. Most of road isn't very technical but there are a few sections with large rocks that require some line picking and clearance. There is not a trail for any of this hike but you are above the tree line the entire time and can see your objective. You essentially head straight up the gully from the road to the summit, with a lot of elevation gain in a short distance. It is a mixture of grassy tundra and scree. On the date of our hike it was summer conditions with no snow on the route.
The views from the summit are absolutely incredible, probably some of my favorite front range views. Grays and Torreys look absolutely stunning as does the Peru Creek Valley below. Bonus: we didn't see anyone on this hike, just a few groups off roading. This is a great hike to make longer and add more peaks. It is very easy to add McClellan, Argentine, Wilcox and even Squaretop.
Hike Details:
Trailhead: 4WD & High-Clearance required.
Camping: dispersed camping Leavenworth Creek Road.
Fees & Reservations: none.
Bathrooms: none.
Trash: no garbage at the trailhead.
Dog-friendly: this route is dog friendly.
Recent Conditions: see 14ers.com peak conditions.
Forecast: mountain-forecast.com (nearest peak).
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