West Lake & Elk Alley via Copper Mountain Road is a 3.8-mile out-and-back near Wheeler Junction, CO. The route reaches West Lake. It climbs 644 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi9,695 – 10,371 ft · steepest grade: 15%4.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Tenmile Recpath 39.50322, -106.14333
Nearest town Wheeler Junction, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
West Lake & Elk Alley via Copper Mountain Road
3.8 mi · ▲ 644 ft · 1 hr 35 min
Elevation 9,697–10,371 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Tenmile Recpath · 39.50322, -106.14333
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 70°F / low 44° · precip 8% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 7:33 PM
Transit-accessible: Copper Entrance stop 117 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Tenmile Recpath, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Sky Chutes Lane, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Copper Shuttle, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Haul Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass West Lake.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Tail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto East Fork, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Red Tail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Tail, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Lower Fawn-Tastic, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading W.
- 450 ftReach West Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Elk Alley, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Lower Fawn-Tastic, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Red Tail, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Tail, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto East Fork, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Red Tail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Haul Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Copper Shuttle, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Sky Chutes Lane, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Tenmile Recpath, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
64% dirt31% paved5% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 70°F44°
Precip8%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity24%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 6:37 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:33 PM
Sat
72°48°
Sun
72°49°
Mon
65°49°
37%
Tue
72°46°
26%
Wed
74°48°
42%
Thu
74°50°
38%
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Copper Entrance stop 117 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Tenmile Recpath Trailhead
- Colorado Trail (Segment 8) & Haul Road 1.9 mi · ▲ 122 ft
- Tenmile Recpath 2.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway Loop 3.1 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway Loop 3.1 mi · ▲ 294 ft
- Colorado Trail (Segment 8) 4.3 mi · ▲ 525 ft
- Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway 5.5 mi · ▲ 1,545 ft
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