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Hayden Spire (12,480’) is the highest tower on a complicated buttress that projects northeast into
Hayden Gorge from the west ridge of Sprague Mountain. Its summit is named in the McHenrys Peak
Quadrangle, USGS, 1957, but its climbing history is older than the survey. Stan Patnaud climbed
the spire in 1964 to find that he was the fifth party to reach the summit since 1923 (Fricke, 1971).
Five summits can be seen from the east side of Lonesome Lake. The eastern aspect of these towers
is up to 700 feet high. A more remote and difficult to reach climbing objective is not easily found in
Rocky Mountain National Park.
Approach 1: The easiest way to reach Hayden Spire is from the Bear Lake Trailhead (9,450’,
p368), which offers the most travel on built trails, no bushwhacking, and the least elevation gain
(and loss). It is about 8.7 miles from the Bear Lake Trailhead to the summit of Sprague Mountain.
Hike the Flattop Mountain Trail to its junction with the North Inlet and Tonahutu Trails at 4.7 miles.
Go right and follow the Tonahutu Creek Trail about 2.2 miles, then leave the trail and contour north
to Sprague Pass (11,708’, c. 7.6 miles from Bear Lake). Hike northwest (uphill) along the Continental
Divide onto the southeast slope of Sprague Mountain. Sprague Glacier and several alpine tarns
can be seen down to the right from the crest of the ridge. There are three possibilities from here:
1.) To reach Lonesome Lake and the east face routes, contour right (northeast) before reaching the
summit and pass through a col in the East Ridge (12,540’). Scramble north down a long gully to
Lonesome Lake (11,680’).
2.) To connect with Hayden Spire via the Southwest Ridge, hike to a somewhat level area above
Sprague Glacier (12,360’), then contour around the southwest slope to a northward bend in the
west ridge of Sprague Mountain. The Southwest Ridge is obvious from here.
3.) To reach Hayden Lake, follow Option 2 to the beginning of the Southwest Ridge of Hayden Spire.
Descend a steep, loose scree gully to the northwest, pass through an area of large boulders, and
arrive at Hayden Lake (11,120’).
Approach 2: Drive Trail Ridge Road and park at the Ute Crossing Trailhead (11,420’) or the Forest
Canyon Overlook (11,716’). Descend steep, rugged terrain to the Big Thompson River in the
bottom of Forest Canyon. A map is very useful for this approach. Keep your objective in view as you
descend as you cannot see anything from the jungle of Forest Canyon. Pick up Hayden Creek (at
9,400’) and bushwhack upstream into Hayden Gorge. If you are headed for Lonesome Lake, break
left just above the confluence with its outlet (11,360’), and follow the stream to Lonesome Lake. The
Hayden Spire massif is obvious once above tree line (c. 11,000’).
Approach 3: Hayden Spire may also be reached by following the Continental Divide from the Poudre
Lake Trailhead at Milner Pass (10,758’, p423). Hike the Mount Ida Trail (see under West Side,
p423) 4.9 miles to the summit of Mount Ida (12,889’). Descend the southeast ridge, and then follow
the Continental Divide over four more summits to the west ridge of Sprague Mountain. Distance
from Milner Pass is about eight miles.
Approach 4: Perhaps the least likely approach, though free of bushwhacking, is from the Green
Mountain Trailhead (8,800’, p423). It is about 9.0 miles from the Green Mountain Trailhead to the
summit of Sprague Mountain. Hike the Green Mountain Trail 1.7 miles to a junction, then follow
the Tonahutu Creek Trail about 5.4 miles to tree line (11,040’). Leave the trail and scramble north
up a steep slope to the Continental Divide on the southeast slope of Sprague Mountain (12,360’).
Choose an option from Approach 1.