The views of the Sawtooth Range are probably the primary attraction of climbing Buck Mountain.īuck Mountain actually has two peaks that are each considered individual peaks by Colorado standards. Despites its relatively low elevation, snowbanks on Buck Mountain last throughout the summer in almost all years.īuck Mountain itself is perhaps less spectacular than the most impressive peaks in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, but if offers the best views of the Sawtooth Range, which is one of the most rugged mountain areas in all of Colorado. This seems logical and would put mountains such as Black Mountain, Buck Mountains, and Farwell Mountain in the Sierra Madre.Īlthough the peaks in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness are lower than they are in some other parts of Colorado, the Mount Zirkel Wilderness receives more snow on average than any other part of Colorado (nearly 500 inches of snow a year according to SNOTEL data), thus lower mountains have a much more alpine appearance than they would for similar elevation mountains in other parts of Colorado. Joseph Kramarsic's book, which included much of the history on the mountains, says the boundary between the Park Range and Sierra Madre is the North Fork Elk River and the Encampment River. The 1:100,000 scale map isn't clear either way. Most maps, including the USGS 1:24,000 scale map label Buck Mountain as being in the Sierra Madre, while the USGS 1:250,000 scale map labels it in the Park Range.

It must be mentioned, however that there is some confusion as to which range Buck Mountain belongs to. On our ascent of Buck Mountain South, I placed a register on the summit.īuck Mountain South is the highest mountain in the Sierra Madre, a relatively unknown range in Wyoming and Colorado. Only a few of the peaks get much attention (namely Mount Zirkel, Mount Ethel, Lost Ranger Peak, and Big Agnes), but even then the popular peaks are much less crowded than many of the other places in Colorado. OverviewIf you like solitude and spectacular views, chances are you will like the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, located in the northern Park Range and Sierra Madre of Colorado.

Poly bridge alpine meadows