are no official trails after the four-wheel-drive road ends, but navigation is straightforward.Overview
For those who love pure hiking, it’s tough to beat this route for sheer scenery, welcoming terrain, and the chance to grab two lesser-visited thirteeners. It’s also an excellent dog adventure. It’s not a huge stretch to tack on Mount Eva (0.8 mile from Parry Peak) as an out-and-back. Hikers are somewhat rare here—most of the visitors to this area are four-wheel-drive enthusiasts who come to enjoy the fishing and knock back a few cold ones.
Ridge walking between Mount Bancroft and Parry Peak
Mile/Route
0.0 From the parking area, head south (away from Loch Lomond) and hike along the steep four-wheel-drive road. This initial push is a good warm-up and won’t last long.
0.3 The four-wheel-drive road will switchback west and head up toward Bancroft’s broad south slopes. Stay on it for now.
0.6 It’s possible to gain the ridge here if you stick to the four-wheel-drive road up to a saddle, though the rocky part of the lower ridge is somewhat annoying to walk. Leave the four-wheel-drive road before ascending to the saddle, opting for the better route in the basin. There are faint trails in the basin, along with a trail north to Lake Caroline (a side trip of about 0.2 mile each way from the basin). Navigation will be easy despite no formal trail, as the south slopes will be on your left.
1.2 After walking northwest in the open basin, you’ll approach the easiest slope to gain the south ridge at around 12,120 feet. It’s about 400 vertical feet to get on the “ridge” (more of a rounded slope) that leads to Bancroft’s summit.
1.4 Gain the ridge and carry on northwest to the top.
1.9 The summit! Depending on how much wandering you did in the basin, you will top out on Bancroft between 1.8 and 2.0 miles. Turn around now for a quick half-day outing (sometimes that’s all we have time for). To continue to Parry, it’s 0.8 mile along an easy ridge connecting the two.
2.7 After dipping down to 12,980 feet in the Bancroft–Parry saddle, a spirited push brings you to Parry’s summit. All told at this point, 2,400 feet of elevation gain has occurred. You’ll tack on another 300 on the return up and over Bancroft. Or continue to Eva, 0.8 mile from Parry. Going to Eva as an out-and-back is 7.1 miles with a burly 3,500+ feet of total elevation gain.
5.3 Return the way you came, over Bancroft. It can save a little time if you stay on the south slope ridgeline on the descent, connecting with the four-wheel-drive road in the low saddle at 11,900 feet. Finish mileage may vary depending on the off-trail path you choose, but expect between 5.3 and 5.5 miles round-trip.
2. James Peak (13,294’)–Mount Bancroft (13,250’) Loop
| Round-Trip Distance | 5.6 miles |
| Class | 2 |
| Difficulty | 6/10 |
| Hiking Time | 5–7 hours |
| Total Elevation Gain | 3,000’ |
| Terrain | Well-traveled trails up to James Peak, then ridge walk over to Mount Bancroft and east, off-trail slopes to finish the loop. |
| Best Time to Climb | June–September |
Overview
Getting up to James Peak is straightforward—there is a trail directly from Loch Lomond all the way up. Despite the low mileage, this is a tough day due to the elevation gain. If you’re up for more though, you can add on Kingston Peak (likely before summiting James) though James–Bancroft is more than enough for most people. Even an out-and-back up James Peak alone is a fine day.
The tastefully named James Peak is a tribute to Edwin James, a botanist from Vermont who climbed in Colorado in the mid-1800s. Besides claiming the first (white man) summit of James Peak, he also was the first (white man) to climb Pike’s Peak (which was known as James Peak for a time).
Mile/Route
0.0 Follow the dam path along the southeast shore of Loch Lomond. A hiking trail will appear at the end of the wide path, heading north and then west up James Peak’s east slopes. The trail gets more pronounced the higher it goes.
A quick dip in Lake Caroline with the famous rappel notch on Mount Bancroft’s East Ridge Route in the background
1.2 At this point, you’ll be on the flats preceding the climb up to James at 12,200 feet. If you want to add in Kingston Peak, now’s the time to do it. It’s 1.2 miles to Kingston, but the way there is virtually flat. Toward the end, there are 235 feet of elevation gain. It adds 2.4 miles to the day if you choose this option. If not (which is the normal thing to do), carry on along the trail to James Peak.
1.5 The standard route up James Peak merges with the Loch Lomond route and continues to the top.
2.4 The summit of James Peak. Head south along the James–Bancroft ridge, hitting the saddle (12,480’) at mile 3.1. There are no trails, but the traverse is straightforward. If the ridge feels exposed, the slopes on the east side are less steep.
3.7 The summit of Bancroft. To complete the loop, follow Bancroft’s south slopes into the Lake Caroline Basin, then onward along the four-wheel-drive road to Loch Lomond.
5.6 Finish
Notes
Adding in Parry Peak adds 1.6 miles to the day but is a nice option if you’re still feeling strong when you reach Bancroft. Make certain you don’t accidentally wander onto Bancroft’s Class 5 east ridge on the descent.
II. Fall River Reservoir Trailhead (10,750’)
It’s a bumpy ride to Fall River Reservoir but worth every jolt. Hike around the calm, cool waters of the reservoir, and then follow a cascade of wildflower-festooned waterfalls to one of the best-kept alpine secrets in the Front Range: the Fall River Basin. This wide-open alpine meadow is pure Colorado beauty. Several excellent summits await, with potential loops north or south. Don’t miss the ruins of an old communication tower near the summit of Mount Eva.
PEAKS
• Parry Peak: 13,391’
• Mount Bancroft: 13,250’
• Mount Eva: 13,130’
• James Peak: 13,294’
• Witter Peak: 12,884’
