Ellingwood Point South Face

The route begins at the Lake Como trailhead (8,000') and ends at the 14,057' summit of Ellingwood Point. Hike up the Lake Como/Blanca Peak road — a rough, well-known 4WD track — to Lake Como at 11,750'. Follow the road around the lake and through forest to treeline near 12,000', continuing to where the road ends near Blue Lakes at 12,200'. A trail picks up from there; stay left of a waterfall and switchback about 300 vertical feet up a headwall. Above it, pass two small lakes near 12,600' and 12,650', round a corner to Crater Lake (12,800'), and continue to the base of a second headwall near 13,000'. Climb the headwall's ledges, staying right, then traverse beneath cliffs to its right side. Near 13,300', angle left toward its top. The route's key junction comes just above 13,400': the main Blanca trail continues right, while Ellingwood's fainter, cairned line splits left near a cairn. Mark this spot carefully — it's easy to miss on the descent, and a mining hole visible ahead below the ridge is a useful landmark for the turn. From the junction, follow trail segments and cairns across Ellingwood's south face, passing below the difficulties of the Ellingwood-Blanca connecting ridge. Near 13,500', the terrain eases; continue onto the south face, then turn right and climb toward a notch in the ridge, following cairns as it becomes more obvious. At the notch (13,800'), turn left and follow the ridge crest over a false summit, drop into a second notch, and climb to the true summit. Retrace the same route to descend, returning to the 13,800' notch and back down to the Blanca trail junction near 13,400'.