TO Peak from the west, from Blue Lakes trailhead

17 Jul 2002 - by Kathee Thomure

If anyone needs to climb TO, but, has done Dallas Pk already there is a great alternative. We climbed it a couple weeks ago from the west via Blue Lakes trailhead. It was about 12 miles and roughly 4300 ft. gain. It was a real easy climb from that side plus great scenery and wildflowers. You have trail walking up to Blue Lake and then bushwack up from there. The crux is about a 550 ft. scree and talus gully to gain the ridge. Then, it's a walkup from there to the summit. It took us about 5 minutes to descend that 550 ft on the return(great boot skiing). It was a whole lot easier than from the Dallas side.

TO is ... one of the 200 highest in the state. Here's the route: Follow the trail to Blue Lakes. From there, head due west and bushwack through the trees. Above treeline, keep heading due west towards Pt. 13410. When you reach 12700 start heading southwest towards TO. You will pass 2 small tarns. Keep heading southwest towards a gully between TO and Pt. 13741. This gully is about 1/4 mile east of the summit. It looks steep from down in the valley, but, as you get closer to it you realize how easy it really is. Climb up the loose talus and scree to the top of the gully(13400 ft.) and then head west to the summit. What a great climb.


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