Devils Thumb Pass

Description

Elevation: - 11,747'
Location - West of Eldora in Colorado on the Continental Divide.

Trip Report(s)

Devils Thumb Lake and pass (so named due to a rock spire by the lake) are one of many places in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area that I have gone to multiple times. Its beauty and proximity to Boulder make for an easy choice when you can't think of anything else to do. I have no real trip reports, but one of the hikes I made to the pass with John stands out because it pretty much set a record for me for distance traveled and elevation gained. On July 15, 2000 (my 40th birthday!) we did the six miles between the Hessie trailhead at 9,000' and the pass at 11,747' in an hour. Six miles of decently steep uphill (2,700' elevation gain) hiking in an hour is an accomplishment! When we were talking about it at the pass, the conversation was along the lines of "That was some pace you set there, John." "Me? I was just trying to keep up with you!" So it must have just been one of those little male competition things happening subconsciously on both sides! :-) Photos follow.

Photos

Shots from the hike to the pass with John on July 15, 2000.

Devils Thumb

Devils Thumb from the lake. One of my rare attempts to actually "compose" a picture.
(Photo by Jim Lehmer)

John

John on the pass, with the Williams Fork mountains behind him to the west.
(Photo by Jim Lehmer)

Jim

Me on the pass.
(Photo by John Stoddard)

Following are two panoramas from Devils Thumb Pass. The first is looking east, the second west. Scroll to the right to see all of them.

East panorama

This is the view from the pass looking east. Devils Thumb Lake (11,140') is the lake just to the right of the snow fields. Jasper Lake is the lake in the trees further down valley. The valley is what we hiked up, starting a long way down and around the bend to the right in the distance. Skyscraper Peak (12,383') is on the right.
(Photo by Jim Lehmer)

West panorama

This is the view from the pass looking west. The Williams Fork range is in the distance, with the ski areas around Winter Park clearly visible on the left. Middle Park is in the middle. Pt. 12,660 is on the right.
(Photo by Jim Lehmer)

Home