Montrose County Highpoint Trip Report
Date: August 31, 2004
Author: Roy Wallen
The book Hiking Colorado's Summits should be used as a reference when climbing this county highpoint.
The access though Buckhorn Lakes Park can be done with a passenger car but a truck or SUV is
recommended; 4WD not required.
From the intersection of US 550 and Buckhorn Road, just south of the Montrose-Ouray County line,
turn northeast onto Buckhorn Road and drive 1.1 miles to a right turn, continuing on Buckhorn Road.
Proceed another 9.8 miles to a sign for Buckhorn Lakes Park. Continue 0.9 mile,
descending to the lakes and picnic areas, then up to a rough gravel road on the right (south).
Turn right here and proceed to a posted gate
which leads to a radio tower. All but the very adventurous should park here. Just before this gate is a road
to the right (south) which is very rough but probably passable by 4WD.
Walk this road, FT223, passing a jeep road on the left
(southeast) which descends to a meadow.
You will see Sawtooth Rocks to the east across this meadow.
Proceed to a second left and take this second jeep road,
leaving FT 223, to the southeast as it meanders through woods.
Continue on this main track until it ends.
At the end, bushwhack east through (mostly) open woods,
where you may also find a use trail.
After a short bushwhack, you will emerge on another jeep road.
Take this to the left (northeast) and follow it as it
winds toward the gap in Sawtooth Rocks.
As this road ends, it becomes an ATV trail that continues to
wind through the gap more or less to the east.
There are times when it's tempting to break into the woods to the south to ascend Cimarron Ridge.
If you resist the temptation and continue on the ATV trail, you will eventually come to a well-worn trail to the
right (south), which we found marked by two pieces of surveyor's ribbon. Take this trail south and uphill
for a short distance where a trail junction continues right and uphill to the ridge.
Ascend this trail, following the occasional surveyor's ribbon
until you reach the ridge, with several good views of Sawtooth Rocks
along the way. Don't be deceived that the crest of the ridge is Mount Storm King, as we were, but continue
to a relatively level area of open woods. If you continue to the open area along the west edge of the ridge,
you can look back to the southeast and see the television tower on Castle Rock.
Continue through the open woods to a slight uphill stretch just before the summit area, which is relatively flat.
We found a reference mark on the southern end of the flat summit (South Castle Peak) but no benchmark.
The cairn appears to be the highest point.
Return the way you came, taking care to note junctions and landmarks. The trickiest part was finding the
place to bushwhack between the two jeep roads. It is in an area where several large mounds of
conglomerate rock are along the side of the road. There is also a small cairn on the side of the road.