Casco Peak From Above
Casco Peak Snowboard Guide

Casco Peak Snowboard Guide

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Casco Peak is a 13er and Colorado Centennial (highest 100 Peaks in the State) with its summit sitting at 13,915ft. Located in the Sawatch Range behind Mt Elbert, this mountain sees only a fraction of the traffic that Colorado’s highest peak does. Casco Peak offers fine Spring skiing or snowboarding with a variety of lines to choose from. Typically, you can ski right off the summit down to about 11,000ft or so. This guide focuses on the snowboard or ski of this summit which is a moderate backcountry ski line.

The Approach to Casco Peak

Casco Peak Quick Facts

Casco Peak Snowboard: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)

Virtual Trail Guide: Casco Peak Snowboard

Distance: 8-9 Miles RT

Elevation Start: 10,200ft or so

High Point: 13,915 

Total Elevation Gain: 3,500ft 

Estimated Time to Complete: 6-8 Hours

Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?

Class: Class 2– What does this mean?

Avalanche Risk: Casco Peak presents an avalanche risk, even in spring months. Due to the complicated nature of the terrain, please understand the conditions and risks before heading out. 

Snow Climb Grade: Grade II, D6 – 35-40 degrees – What does this mean?

Season: January – May

Weather: Check the Weather Forecast 

Crowds: Low

The Steep booter on the way to Casco Peak's summit

Directions to Casco Peak

Trailhead: Forest Road 110J (Just before North Halfmoon Creek)

Getting Here: From Leadville, navigate to Halfmoon Road and follow it until you pass the Mt Massive TH and continue on for another few miles until you reach the split with FR110J, cross the creek and park here.

Parking: Casco Peak has very minimal parking. As this is a remote 13er with no official trailhead and no official parking area, you will be limited to pulling to the side of the Forest Road where you can. Do not block other vehicles. There are no restrooms at this site. 

Permits/Fee: There is no fee to hike Casco Peak.

On the ridge of Casco Peak

Summary

Dogs: While I would never recommend a dog on a couloir (and still do not). The terrain on Casco is mellow enough that if you have a dog with lots of experience in the backcountry (skiing) I would consider bringing them. 

Camping: Casco Peak has plenty of camping options: along Halfmoon Road, at nearby campsites or finding one of a million different car camping / dispersed camping spots. Especially in the Spring months, finding a camping spot will not be a tough feat. 

Make it a Loop: Casco Peak is an out and back line but you can easily add on neighboring French Peak or Bull Hill if you want to extend your day.

Hike Tip(s): When exiting riding or skiing Casco’s face, be sure to follow your GPX file closely. It can be really easy to get off trail and end up in a posthole hell. However, if you are able to follow your approach – you can likely skate or ski fairly far down the approach road (depending on coverage). I ended up getting on and off the snowboard about 4 times before finally transitioning back to boots. 

Trail X Factors: Crossing Halfmoon Creek

It’s not often that an entire hike’s “x factor” is before the trail even starts but that is the case with Casco Peak, especially in the Spring. If you can cross Halfmoon Creek, you will have a much better experience overall. However, if you need to ford the creek, you will likely be starting and ending the day with wet feet as there are no great options for bridges in the area. 

Best Views: The entire hike up to Casco Peak is really beautiful. From the start following the South Halfmoon Creek drainage to the summit, views are stunning. From the summit, my favorite views were North, South and West.

The Summit of Casco Peak

Gear Needed

Casco Peak Snowboard Route

Download GPX