Hike a 13er: Williams Mountain South C
Williams Mountain South C
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ELEVATION | 13,033 ft
DIFFICULTY | Moderate
DISTANCE | 6.3 miles out-and-back
ELEVATION GAIN | 2,500 ft
ACCESS | Lower Lost Man Trailhead. Drive 14 miles east from Aspen on Highway 82; park at the Lost Man Trailhead on the left.
Williams Mountain South C, despite its ponderous name, is the most accessible of the peaks that make up the Williams Mountains sub-range. (Note: This is one of two Williams Mountain ranges in Colorado. The other is located near Silverthorne.) From the trailhead, take the Lost Man Loop Trail for a hot minute, but quickly divert west to the Midway Pass Trail 0.2 miles in.
Follow a relentless series of switchbacks as the trail gains altitude and pushes above treeline. At roughly 2.4 miles, the wide-open south slopes beckon to the summit of Williams Mountain South C. Leave the trail, and follow the Class 2 terrain 0.6 miles to this impressive summit. The rest of the Williams Range summits continue to the north along rolling ridgelines. For this adventure, however, return the way you came.
