Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge Trail Guide
Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge is an alternative route to the popular 14er located just outside of Minturn, Colorado. Unlike the standard route, the Halo Ridge of Holy Cross hikes by four beautiful high alpine lakes and unique Notch Mountain shelter creating a loop hike. Along the way to the summit, this hike tackles one 13er, one unofficial 13er and centennial Holy Cross Ridge.
Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge
Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)
Distance: 14.5 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 10,289ft
Highest Point: 14,005ft
Total Elevation Gain: 5,300ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 8-9 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Difficulty System Explained
Class: Class 2+ What does this mean?
Season: Late June- Early November – Expect snow outside of this period
Weather: Check the Weather Forecast
Directions to Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge
Trailhead: Half Moon
Getting Here: From I-70 (coming from northeast or northwest), take exit 171 and follow US 24 into the small town of Minturn. Once in Minturn, continue south through the town (about 5 miles from I-70) and take a right on Tigiwon Road (707). Once on Tigiwon Road (707), drive about 8.1 miles on the well maintained (but narrow) dirt road to the trailhead. Tigiwon Road is generally in good condition and I made it up with my Subaru Legacy no problem. Multiple trails start from the parking area, so be sure to start from the end of the parking lot (south from restroom). You can enter Half Moon Campground into your favorite navigational device to help get you to the trailhead.
Fees: There is no fee to hike Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge.
Parking: Free parking is available with a non-plumbing bathroom. The parking lot can only fit about 30 or so cars but typically does not fill up, even on busy weekends.
Summary
Camping: A few spots are available along 707 on the way to the trailhead. The spots are not massive, but there are about 10 or so available. There are also about 10-12 spots 3 miles into the hike at designated areas. These spots are pretty beautiful. They are located in the valley that sits to the north of Mount of the Holy Cross and an active stream runs right by many of them. If neither of those areas work, there is Halfmoon Campground located nearby the trail was well.
Dogs: Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge is dog friendly for the most part. There are several spots of loose trail conditions that are class 2. Since this hike is in a wilderness area, dogs should be leashed the entire hike. Although I would bring Juno on this hike, it is not for all dogs. I would recommend mountain experience and seasoned paws because the rock is pretty sharp along the way.
Make it a Loop: The Halo Ridge of Mount of the Holy Cross is a loop hike. that goes down the standard route of the mountain.
Trail X Factors: Four Peaks One Hike
If you hike the standard route of Mount of the Holy Cross, you summit one obvious peak. However, if you take Halo Ridge you hike up Mount of the Holy Cross, Holy Cross Ridge, Point 13,248 and 13,373ft. Holy Cross Ridge is also a centennial so you get to hike two Colorado top 100 high points in one hike.
Hike Tip(s): If you plan on hiking Halo Ridge, be sure to have a perfect weather day or at least a good enough window so you can hike. Once you leave treeline, you will spend several hours above 12-13k with almost no shelter from the elements. If you want to make this hike even more unique, bring a sleeping bag/pad and sleep in the notch shelter which sits at 13,000ft. It is a really cool spot and is first come, first serve.
Best Views: I really loved the alpine lake views on this hike. You have FANTASTIC alpine lakes that sit underneath Mount of the Holy Cross, Bowl of the Tears was my favorite. To the south, you can see the Tuhare Lakes and Lake Constantine which also blew me away. The summit views from Holy Cross Ridge are really nice. On a clear day you can see most of the Elks including Maroon Bells, Pyramid Peak, Capitol and Snowmass. Even on the hike out on the standard route of Mount of the Holy Cross, you have beautiful views of the surrounding valley.
Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge Route
Gear Needed
- 14er Day Hike Packing List
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Booths (Women’s)
- Backpack
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Camera and Lens
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
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My Trip to Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge September 2020
The smoke was finally shifting from the awful wildfires in Colorado and California so I decided to re-hike another14er, on a new route. I had not hiked Mount of the Holy Cross for 3ish years and the last time I took the standard route. This time I headed up Halo Ridge and had a beautiful day on the mountain. The ridge took much longer than expected but was full of fun scrambling, beautiful views and no other hikers until the summit of Mount of the Holy Cross.
If I had to compare the two routes, I much prefer the Halo Ridge but also would recommend descending the standard route for the sake of saving time. Check out pictures from my hike below and then watch my full trail guide of this awesome 14er hike.
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2 thoughts on “Mount of the Holy Cross via Halo Ridge Trail Guide”
Awesome guide – I’m aiming to stay at the cabin this summer and make this a memorable hike. Thanks for all the guides!