Cooper Peak
Plus Greg Mace Peak
Date: 07/2/2024
Partner: Katy Felix
Trailhead: Pearl Pass Road (0.3 miles below the road fork)
Summits: Cooper, Greg Mace
Distance: 7.5m
Elevation Gain: 3200ft
Duration: 6hrs
On the way to the trailhead, Airforce Academy student, Katy, waived me down to help retrieve keys from inside her locked car. With no cell reception, we made a deal that I would give her a ride to town after my hike. Instead of waiting at her car, Katy joined me for the hike. From Cooper's summit we were able to call AAA and have them meet us at her car after the hike.
On the way to Cooper we ran into friend and peak maniac Joseph Thompson.
This figure eight of a route exceeded expectations. The Pearl Pass basin is gorgeous and Cooper's east ridge has some easy and fun scrambly sections. After summiting Cooper we climbed Greg Mace Peak for and avoided walking the wet and muddy road back to the truck.
![Cooper peak 01]()
7.5m - 3200ft - 6hrs
![Cooper peak 02]()
Katy crossing Castle Creek near Tagert Hut
![Cooper peak 03]()
A view across to Castle Peak's classic east face
![Cooper peak 04]()
Hiking the wet and snowy road to Pearl Pass
![Cooper peak 05]()
Pearl Mountain views
![Cooper peak 06]()
Cooper Peak... our primary objective for the day. We climbed R2L from Pearl Pass
![Cooper peak 07]()
![Cooper peak 08]()
Not too far from the pass
![Cooper peak 09]()
Looking up to Cooper from just below the pass
![Cooper peak 10]()
Pearl Pass and the start of Cooper's easy west ridge
![Cooper peak 11]()
Cooper's west ridge
![Cooper peak 12]()
From the summit we continue across Cooper's east ridge to a descent gully
![Cooper peak 13]()
Eastern views to Star Peak
![Cooper peak 14]()
Still plenty of snow for early July on the ridge connecting Cooper with Star
![Cooper peak 15]()
Looking back (west) to Pearl Mountain
![Cooper peak 16]()
Katy down climbs some easy 3
![Cooper peak 17]()
![Cooper peak 18]()
![Cooper peak 19]()
Northestern views towards Castle from Cooper's east ridge
![Cooper peak 20]()
Our descent gully off of Cooper's east ridge
![Cooper peak 21]()
Some glissading fun was had
![Cooper peak 22]()
Looking north to the next objective... Greg Mace Peak
![Cooper peak 23]()
The start of Greg Mace's west ridge
![Cooper peak 24]()
Greg Mace's summit is impressive
![Cooper peak 25]()
Some scrambly terrain just before the summit block
![Cooper peak 26]()
![Cooper peak 27]()
We wrapped around the on the north side and climbed the loose east ridge to the summit
![Cooper peak 28]()
![Cooper peak 29]()
Looking across the west ridge towards Pearl (L) and Oyster (R)
![Cooper peak 30]()
Southern views towards Star (L) and Cooper(R)
![Cooper peak 31]()
Castle making a nice back drop to our descent gully. The gully was soft due to heavy rains the day before
![Cooper peak 32]()
More glissading before hitting the road































