James Peak via St. Mary’s Glacier

This difficult route (generally considered the standard route) begins at St. Mary’s glacier, where there is a small fee to park. From the trailhead parking for St. Mary’s Lake and Glacier, head up the well-worn trail/old roadbed to the lake. From the lake, a trail leads through willows to what’s left of the former “glacier.” You can choose from a few options here.

One would be to head up the gully that still holds a remnant of the glacier, kick-stepping your way up on the snow. Here’s a chance to practice with your ice axe. Farther up the gully, the snow ends and there will be trails on the side of the gully, the most pronounced on the south side, which you can follow up onto the broad eastern flank of James Peak.

Stay on trail and cross a 4WD track, walk a little more west and pick up the Continental Divide Trail that leads all the way to the summit of James Peak.