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Hiking Mount Bross – Colorado’s 22nd Highest Peak

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Article Categories: Hiking
Article Tags: CO 14er | Colorado | Day Hikes

Mount Bross sits at 14,172 feet tall, and is one of the fourteeners part of what is known as the Decalibron. A hike featuring four (three official) 14,000 foot peaks, Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross. This is one of the easier 14ers in terms of distance and elevation gain.

***IMPORTANT NOTE***

– The summit of Mount Bross is closed to the public. Read about this here: https://www.14ers.org/peaks/mosquito-range/mount-bross/. Starting Friday July 27th, 2023 the summit of Mount Democrat and Mount Lincoln were both reopened to the public.

Difficulty – Intermediate
Distance –3.2 miles round trip (5 km)
Height – 14,172 feet (4,319.6 m)
Elevation gain – 2,462 feet (750.4 m)
Duration – 4 to 6 hours (book time)
Seasons – Year-round (caution and experience needed in winter – see below)
Trailhead Location – End of Stevens Gulch Road – 12,030 feet (directions below)

 

Trail Map

Mount Bross Trail Map

 

Trails

 

West Slopes | 3.2 Miles Round Trip | 2,462 Feet Elevation Gain

The most direct path up to Mount Bross begins at the right side of the Kite Lake Trailhead. The first .4 miles are relatively flat, and feature stunning views of all of the surrounding mountains. Hikers will ascend to a scree field at the side of the steep slopes of Mount Bross. This point of the hike is a bit more dangerous, as falling and sliding rocks are a possibility, especially with hikers in front. It is steep, and the footing isn’t great. Winter or icy conditions need extreme caution. There is also quite a bit of avalanche risk here.

Other options to Bross would be the entire Decalibron, hiking or hiking with Mount Cameron and Mount Lincoln. You can read about these options by clicking these links.

The summit of Mount Bross is currently closed to public due to private property concerns.

 

KITE LAKE TO MOUNT BROSS & MOUNT LINCOLN: 7 MILES ROUND TRIP | 2,550 FEET ELEVATION GAIN

This route begins at the same starting location as the above route, and hikers will head up towards Mount Bross first. This trail begins relatively flat before hitting the rock/scree fields below Mount Bross. Quickly, this route gets very steep with lots of loose rock and gravel. Extra caution should be taken on this path due to the trail conditions and loose rock. Once hikers ascend to above the steep grade, the hike over to Mount Lincoln is relatively simple and considered class 1. Hikers are urged to stay on trail due to the dangers of old mines, as well as private property concerns. The summit of Mount Bross is currently considered closed due to private property reasons.

 

S Gully | 5 Miles Round Trip | 2,462 Feet Elevation Gain

Hikers beginning at Kite Lake Trailhead will ascend the gully on the northwest side of the mountain. This is an Ice Ace and Crampon route for spring season. Only highly experienced individuals for this.

 

East Slopes Road | 5 Miles Round Trip | 2,900 Feet Elevation Gain

Hikers begin taking the old mining roads on the east side of Mount Bross. Parking at Mineral Park Mine.

 

Hiking in Winter

Mount Bross is often hiked in winter. Extreme caution should be taken when doing any winter route. The entire Decalibron is done in winter, but accidents do happen. Avalanche risk is here. We recommend looking at full winter routes for these mountains before proceeding.

 

Camping Information

There are 5 tent sites available at the Kite Lake Campground. It also features toilets, parking at  trailhead, and picnic tables. No water is available. The camping fee is $12. Information on camping can be found here. Kite lake is frequently fished.

 

 

Directions & Parking

The parking area has a $3 self service pay station. It fills up very quickly due to popularity. You will see cars lined up down the road to hike here.

Current Weather Conditions

Here is a detailed forecast for the next 4 days:

Alma, CO

Overnight
Mostly clear, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -14. West wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Thursday
Patchy blowing snow after 9am. Partly sunny, with a high near 24. Wind chill values as low as -12. West wind 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.

Thursday Night
Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. Wind chill values as low as -4. West southwest wind 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around one inch possible.

Friday
Snow before noon, then snow and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as -2. West wind 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday Night
Snow likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 14. West southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Saturday
A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. Southwest wind 20 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Saturday Night
Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around one inch possible.

 

Additional Pictures

Mount Lincoln from Mount Bross

Mount Lincoln from Mount Bross

Pano Views Heading Down Mount Bross

Pano Views Heading Down Mount Bross

Summit Views on Mount Bross

Summit Views on Mount Bross

Trail on Scree Field Heading Down Mount Bross

Trail on Scree Field Heading Down Mount Bross

Views from Kite Lake

Views from Kite Lake

Waterfall at Base of Mount Bross

Waterfall at Base of Mount Bross

Abandoned Truck on Mount Bross

Abandoned Truck on Mount Bross

Max DesMarais

Max DesMarais

Max DesMarais is the founder of hikingandfishing.com. He has a passion for the outdoors and making outdoor education and adventure more accessible. Max is a published author for various outdoor adventure, travel, and marketing websites. He is an experienced hiker, backpacker, fly fisherman, trail runner, and spends his free time in the outdoors. These adventures allow him to test gear, learn new skills, and experience new places so that he can educate others. Max grew up hiking all around New Hampshire and New England. He became obsessed with the New Hampshire mountains, and the NH 48, where he guided hikes and trail runs in the White Mountains. Since moving out west, Max has continued his frequent adventures in the mountains, always testing gear, learning skills, gaining experience, and building his endurance for outdoor sports. You can read more about his experience here: hikingandfishing/about

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