Chicago Lakes to Summit Lake Cliff
Climb 9/18/07 & 10/01/2010
This hike was 6.36 miles.  It goes from Echo Lake to the Chicago Lakes and then up a cliff
to Summit Lake.  The cliff is a vertical climb of 1126 feet but extremely steep,  The entire
hike is a 2,257 vertical feet rise.  At Summit Lake we hitch hiked a ride back to Echo Lake.
The hike in the valley to get to
the cliff was very scenic with Fall
colors.
Upper Chicago Lake from the
cliff looking west.
On the cliff surrounded by
scenery.
The last 50 feet of the cliff hike with
Mt. Evans in the background.
The trail to the Chicago Lakes.
The trail on the start of the cliff.  A
mistake anywhere on the cliff
would be very costly.
The trail on the cliff looking
ahead to the south.
Our destination, Summit Lake, at
12,872 feet in altitude.  Mt. Evans
is in the background.
Panoramic of the valley at about
the four mile point.  The lake is
Lower Chicago Lake.
From Upper Chicago Lake
looking north to Lower
Chicago Lake.
The cliff we will climb with
the trail marked.
At Summit Lake our destination.
From the Trailhead looking north
at the two Chicago Lakes.  
Bottom photo taken on 8/25/2017
Echo Lake, the trailhead of the
Summit Lake Cliff hike.  All photos
from 09/18/2007 unless otherwise
dated.
Panoramic at the end of the hike looking
back at the Chicago Lakes valley.  7/2/2017
The first view of the valley we
must hike 5 miles to get to
Chicago Lakes.
Soon we cross the
Chicago Creek.
The cliffs to the east as we
proceed up the valley.
The first view of Lower Chicago
Lake.
A little further and we come to
the Idaho Springs Reservoir.
The cliff to the west of Upper  
Chicago Lake.
Upper  Chicago Lake looking
south.
The last 100 feet of the
cliff hike.
The Chicago Lakes Trailhead at
Summit Lake. 7/2/2017
Our destination, Summit Lake, at
12,872 feet in altitude.  Mt. Evans
is in the background.  Photo
taken on 08/25/2017.
Summit Lake on 7/2/2017
had allot of snow.
Panoramic of the Chicago Lakes valley from
the Mt. Evans Summit Trail.  8/25/2017