Mount Massive

Mount Massive

I solo climbed Massive a few years after it's slightly taller neighbor Elbert. The trail is longer than Elbert's which made it more time consuming. You get to Massive on Count Road 300 just South of Leadville. After finally reaching the trail head on Half Moon Rd. (1/2 mile past half moon campsites), you follow the Colorado Trail up a generally gentle grade for about an hour. The Mt Massive Trail turns left at a well marked "T". After a pretty steep hike to tree-line, you hike to the base of the summit on a surprisingly gently sloped meadow. The climb to the summit is fairly straightforward with few switchbacks. The trail takes you to a saddle where you can look over the western side of Massive. From the saddle you turn right to climb to the summit. After being on a well marked trail the entire time, this last push to the summit is on a lot of exposed rock where you need to find your own way.

There are much fewer people on Massive than Elbert or Whitney; this is too bad considering that it is just a few feet shorter than #1 and #2 in the continental US. I bet if the trail could be extended to the summit, there would be a lot more people climbing this massive mountain.

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