Chair Mountain in Raggeds Wilderness

Anchoring the northern aspects of the great Raggeds Wilderness and Raggeds Massif, Chair Mountain (12,721-ft) overlooks some of Colorado’s most picturesque mountain terrain. Undoubtedly, Chair Mountain is the McClure Pass showpiece and everything else is just details. Within Colorado’s Raggeds Wilderness, it’s the details that compose the Wilderness, and the land encompassing Chair Mountain is typical Raggeds blueprint, showing loads of detail…meaning; there’s a lot to look at here. Common sights include 5,000-ft of steep mountainous relief, crystal clear rivers negotiating box canyons, and miles of beautifully treed landscape punctuated with high skinny ridges of fractured rock sweeping from point to point. It’s this kind of lofty, eye popping scenery that makes Colorado’s Raggeds Wilderness so special.

This well named mountain resides just a few miles south of McClure Pass (8,755-ft,) one of Colorado’s most scenic byways. Thick aspen forests carpet the higher western and eastern ramparts of the pass, while the lower hillsides are dotted with beautiful brush oak. In late September, both combine to create the perfect mix of outrageous yellows and oranges. With mid morning light or low evening light, the colors will saturate and provide a fairytale setting you won’t forget.

Autumn gold, and a little bit of lingering green, paints the aspen forests below Chair Mountain, as viewed from the south side of McClure Pass. © Todd Caudle Photo

When a climber sees a mountain, sometimes he gets an impulse to climb it. When I saw Chair Mountain for the first time at the north McClure Pass, I felt the same. The mountain has unexplainable awesome mysteriousness, as if it is a sacred sanctuary of some sort.
Here's a Colorado climber who must have felt the same feeling as I had. Climbing a remote peak with no known trail surrounded by private properties is not an easy task. He was persistent and lucky enough to climb the summit of it. Here's his story. (WM)

Longing for Chair Mountain

Jon Bradford

On a personal note, I rank Chair Mountain as one of the most beautiful mountains in all of Colorado. Over a decade, I gradually developed a spiritual and purposeful relationship with the mountain. On a number of occasions, I remember driving to a favorite pull-off on Hwy133 just to watch the sun rise on the northeast face of Chair. In fall, I would plan climbs so I can drive the McClure Pass en route to destinations like Kebler Pass, Paonia, Crawford, and other small towns that line the beautiful West Elks. If you get a chance to climb Chair Mountain, don’t pass it up. You will not be disappointed, the climbing is exciting and the summit view is heavenly elegant.

For me, the quest for the Chair included a painful amount planning and researching. A malicious cocktail of strict private property and ridiculously rugged terrain can make the approach to Chair Mountain a logistical nightmare. Access is limited to those who seek the property owners that own land encompassing the Chair massif. For this reason, Chair’s summit doesn’t host many visitors. Word has it that one must be granted permission from the Genter Mine or Prospect Ranch to cross their land and climb the mountain. From what I understand, attaining permission is not easy, especially for soloists. Usually a few groups (CMC or Outward Bound) of climbers yearly receive the golden ticket. Also, approaching Chair Mountain from the west may not be a great idea, due to a long and brutally unforgiving bushwhack up into Buck Creek Basin. A descent into Buck Creek would be a better option than an ascent.

We climbed Chair Mountain from McClure Pass. It certainly pays off having family that’s lived in Carbondale for the last 15 years. Last year my brother introduced me to a kayaker friend who happens to own a cabin up on McClure Pass. He was gracious enough to allow me access, plus he sketched out a detailed map, showing the approach via a collection of meandering dirt roads. In respect of the land owner, I will not be submitting an approach to Chair Mountain via McClure Pass. However, the above information should be enough to guide one in the correct direction to attain that permission. Warning, I wouldn’t attempt to climb Chair mountain from McClure Pass without permission from the land owners. I counted 2 gated outposts laced with warning signs with one huge sign specifically mentioning “Access to Chair Mountain strictly prohibited.” Beyond those outposts were another 3 or 4 warning signs. It was “warning” overkill.

Getting There

From Carbondale, drive 20 miles south on hwy133 and look for the signed Marble turnoff. Turn left and pass the Bogan Flat Campground at 21.5 miles and continue another mile to the Genter Mine. Prospect Ranch is another quarter mile past the mine on the right.

From the summit of McClure Pass, turn south onto FR 898 and go south for 2.8 miles to a locked gate. There are excellent primitive camping possibilities here

The huge concave northeast face of Chair Mountain from the East Ridge Route. Jim, Gareth, and Meghan, descend carefully enjoying a great view of the Rapid Creek Drainage.

Jim, Gareth, and Meghan enjoy a fun traverse from the south summit to the "true" north summit of Chair Mountain.

Chair Mountain (12,721-ft) soars above everything.

Chair Mountain and Ragged Peak, October 3rd, 2006.

Chair Mountain, obviously in winter, seen from the north side of McClure Pass.

The East Ridge of Chair Mountain from about mid-may up the route to the summit.

Gareth and Meghan ascend steep, slabby rock on the East Ridge Route of Chair Mountain. Rapid Creek drainage below.

The secret Crystal River Falls. I included this photo because so many people are interested in waterfalls and noboday knows about this one...and it may be the highest in the entire Elk Range. Its location remains a semi-secret. Its very close to Chair Mountain.

Most of the above pictures and comments by Jon Bradford

Most of the Photo and Text from the