Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse
The Loveland Pass to Abasin traverse is a class 3 scramble that starts at the popular Front Range mountain pass and ends at the local’s favorite spot during the winter months, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. The traverse is not very frequently traveled but is fairly straightforward in terms of route finding and is a solid class 3 scramble that is also close to Denver. The best part about this hike is the minimal approach but some logistics are required as it starts and ends in a different place unless you want to hike back up Rt 6.
Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse
Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)
Distance: 11 Miles RT (8 Miles to the base of Abasin)
Elevation Start: 11,992ft
High Point: 13,427ft
Total Elevation Gain: 3,755ft – subtract some elevation if not hiking up to Loveland Pass
Estimated Time to Complete: 5-7 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult What does this mean?
Class: Class 3 (Easy to find Class 4 in a few spots, but not necessary) – What does this mean?
Season: June – October (You could do this year round, but expect snow in winter months + bring skis for the descent down Abasin)
Directions to Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse
Trailhead: Loveland Pass
Getting Here: From I70: Take exit 216 to exit I70 and follow signs for Loveland Pass. Continue about 4 miles to reach the summit and the handful of parking areas.
From Dillon/Silverthorn: From downtown Dillon or Silverthorne, navigate towards Loveland Pass on US Rt 6. Continue past Keystone Resort and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area to reach the top of the pass.
Parking: The best spot to park would be on the top of Loveland Pass if you wanted to do this with one car. There is parking for 10-20 cars on the top of the pass with additional parking pull offs on the south side. If leaving a car down at Abasin, your best bet is the “Last Chance” parking lot or even a large pull off on the first curve on Rt 6 as it works up towards Loveland Pass. Parking at Loveland Pass is not allowed overnight.
Fee: None
Summary
Dogs: I would not recommend bringing a dog on this route, the rock quality is too sharp and loose.
Camping: Camping options here are not great at all, but you could try to snag a spot to the west of Arapahoe Basin off Rt 6. This is dispersed camping and may not be legal in all areas. There are some pulloffs along Rt 6 you could try to sleep in your car at, but I wouldn’t love this option either for me personally. You are not able to leave a car on the top of Loveland pass overnight.
Hike Xfactor(s): Sticking Directly to the Ridge
Like many ridge scrambles, sticking to the ridge directly vs skirting some sections can drastically change your experience. The same can be said about the Loveland Pass to Abasin traverse. For about 90% of the ridge, it’s very easy to scramble directly on top of it, however there are a few sections that are easier to downclimb, usually on the north (right) side. For this route, I would recommend staying on top of the ridge as much as you possibly can to avoid poor rock quality and extra (unnecessary) elevation gain/loss. Once you are closer to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, be sure to stay directly to the ridge or on the south (left) side if you can. The north (right) side is extremely loose and contains lots of cliff outs.
Hike Tip(s): Be sure to plan for a clear day when attempting the Loveland Pass to Abasin traverse, there is no cover from any sort of bad weather and this entire hike is above 12,000ft until the very end. If you are leaving one car at the top of Loveland Pass, your best bet to get back up is to hitch a ride from a car heading up the pass. It might take some time, but there is usually enough traffic that someone will eventually stop. Use the pull offs to your advantage to make it easier for cars to stop.
Best Views: Since this hike starts above treeline and is above it the entire time, views are very good for the duration of this trail.
Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse Hike Route
*Ignore the speed on this one since I did get a ride partially up Loveland Pass at the end
Gear Needed
- 14er Day Hike Packing List
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack (Winter)
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Helmet
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
- Optional: Drone
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
My Trip to Loveland Pass to Abasin Traverse: September 2022
Jackie, Aria and I spent an awesome Labor Day weekend down in Gunnison exploring some new areas and hiking to an awesome alpine lake. However, I had taken an extra day off and decided to sleep in a bit and check off another scramble that had been on my list FOREVER, the Loveland Pass to Abasin traverse.
I arrived at the top of Loveland Pass around 9AM, snagged a spot and started the brutal hike up to the ridgeline. I had hiked both Grizzly Peak D and Mt Sniktau previously but it had been a long time since I had made the trek up this ridge and boy is it STEEP! I made quick work over to Cupid and then eventually topped out on Grizzly D. 1,000 feet of elevation gain right off the bat, talk about no warmup for this one.
The ridgeline over to Abasin looked so gnarly, but I knew from the little beta I was able to find, looks can be deceiving. I made the hike down the ridge of Grizzly D to the loose, rocky looking ridgeline. Here the scrambling began and it was very straightforward. Rock quality was okay and besides one move that I could have climbed but decided it was too dangerous solo and without a helmet, I stuck directly to the ridgeline. There were a few spots that cliffed out but easy workarounds to the right (north) got the job done. By the time I reached the end of the first few sections and seemed to be getting into the flow of the ridge, it ended suddenly on a red sandy looking spot.
Apparently along the way I had summited Black Mountain but even now I am confused as to what was Black Mountain vs Lenawee Mountain. Regardless, I continued hiking and was now above the famous East Wall of Abasin, a place I have spent some fun times on during the winter and spring months. As I was working along the ups and down of this section, I encountered some mountain goats, my favorite animals to see in the wild. Its always so cool to see them, I hope I never get jaded to running into them in these beautiful high alpine environments.
I finally reached what I now know is South Lenawee mountain and enjoyed something so rare for me, an actual lunch! Looking back at what I just scrambled over, I was proud of myself for getting out and doing something new vs something I felt that others wanted me to hike. After my snack, I made my way down the service road back to Rt 6 and started the long hike back up to the top of Loveland Pass. Luckily, after about 2.5 miles, I finally was able to get someone to stop and give me a ride back up. Thank you again to that couple if you ever read this!
Overall, the Loveland Pass to Abasin traverse is not going to land in any classic scramble lists but it was still a fun day in the mountains. If you want to avoid the crowds in a ridgeline traverse that is somewhat close to Denver, look no further than this one – just bring a helmet and maybe an extra car.
