Route Parameters & Difficulty

A short and easy Class 3 rock scramble below Paiute Pass. Climbing equipment is never recommended for the Pfiffner Traverse, although spikes and an ice axe may be useful early in the season for lingering snowfields.

A short and easy Class 3 rock scramble below Paiute Pass. Climbing equipment is never recommended for the Pfiffner Traverse, although spikes and an ice axe may be useful early in the season for lingering snowfields.

The basic idea with all high routes is to:

  • Follow a topographic feature like a watershed divide as closely as possible, and
  • Avoid technical terrain so that it can be completed as a backpacking trip.

In the case of the Pfiffner Traverse, the topographic feature is the Continental Divide, which in northern Colorado forms the watershed boundaries of the Mississippi and Colorado Rivers. Its most difficult sections involve:

  • Class 3 scrambles, which require the use of hands of feet (but no ropes) and which would not have major or fatal consequences in the event of a fall; and,
  • Through mid-July after a normal winter, moderately angled snowfields (up to almost 40 degrees, which is double black diamond-grade steepness) for which an ice axe and crampons are recommended.

Only several spots pose this level of technical difficulty, for a total of a few hundred yards. Personally, I would be more concerned about stumbling on talus or during a bushwhack, or being caught on an exposed ridge by inclement weather. Moreover, alternate routes exist to bypass these sections.

Beyond these two parameters, a few other factors must be considered when establishing a high route. One is where it should start and finish. The mountains that make up the Colorado Front Range run nearly 200 miles north-to-south, but the section between Berthoud and Milner Passes is consistently the most wild and scenic, with the northern half being a National Park and the southern half managed as two Wilderness Areas. To the north and south, the wilderness experience is interrupted more often and the topography becomes less conducive to high route-style travel.

The other important consideration is “route flow.” It should always follow a natural line of travel, not necessarily the highest non-technical route. It should not shy from physical rigor, but it should never feel contrived or stupidly hard. And it should be dynamic and varied, to best showcase the wonders of the area and to avoid monotony.

Climbing towards the Continental Divide from Haynach Lakes, late-June.

Climbing towards the Continental Divide from Haynach Lakes, late-June.

4 Comments

  1. Aditya Karumanchi on March 9, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    Since this route traverses through the highest elevations of the Rockies, I guess it’ll be inaccessible in early May?

    • Andrew Skurka on March 10, 2017 at 9:35 am

      In all but the driest years, yes. In early-May there are sections along the Continental Divide that are snow-free, because they are windswept, but generally speaking it’d be more of a spring skiing trip than a hiking trip.

  2. Derick Allain on March 16, 2023 at 5:01 am

    So, living in the Boston area at a staggering elevation of 45′, id like to get your advice on preparing to do some high elevation hiking. My 16 year old son and I are starting to put together a plan for mid to late July to do the 1st 100 miles of the CT, or the Pfiffner traverse. We have a ton of experience in the Whites, so physical activity shouldn’t be an issue. Its just the elevation id like to prepare for. Thank you

    • Andrew Skurka on March 16, 2023 at 11:29 am

      If you don’t have prior experience at altitude, you’ll want to be conservative the first time that you’re here. I’d recommend at least:

      1. First night on the Front Range, like in Denver or Boulder
      2. Second night at 8k or 9k, like in Frisco, Estes Park, or Grand Lake
      3. Start hiking the next morning

      Also, be familiar with the signs and symptoms of AMS, and be conservative with your mileage/vertical goals especially early in the trip.

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