14ers.com • Trailhead Info and Status (Pearl Pass Road (south) Trailhead)

Pearl Pass Road (south) Trailhead

Location

Elk Mountains
38.8514° N, -106.9523° W

Road Difficulty

4 (0=Paved, 6=Very Difficult 4WD)
Access for Middle Brush Creek Trail, aka Cumberland Trail #579.

Driving Directions

From CO highway 135, turn east at the road with a large sign for "The Club at Crested Butte". This is ~2 miles south of the stop sign at the south end of the town of Crested Butte, and ~11 miles north of the village of Almont. It is the next turnoff north after Cement Creek Road (CR 740). It is Gunnison County and USFS road 738. You follow 738 at all times, and there is a 738 marker at the start of the road itself, although not along CO 135. From CO 135, travel straight through the residential development (some online maps are wrong here). The pavement ends after about 1.25 miles. At 2.5 miles from CO 135 stay straight/right at a fork. At 6 miles from 135 is a parking area where the road becomes rougher and where 2wd cars should park. From this point it is some 7 miles to the Middle Brush Creek TH and some 10 miles to Pearl Pass. This parking area is at (38.8962, -106.8892). From the 2wd parking, descend 1/2 mile to the crossing of West Brush Creek. Some 2 miles after this point, cross Brush Creek. Bear left at a fork just above this second crossing.

Winter Access

Unknown

Status Updates
2020-07-11 Posted By: d_baker Info: Road to Cumberland Basin, approach for Castleabra, is roughly a 1.5-2hr drive on consistently rough road . Stock 4runner-able. 4x4 and clearance necessary. I hit bottom a couple of times, and have new willow scratches on sides. Long stretches of the road would suck to meet another vehicle due to narrowness and not many options to pull over. Great way to do Castleabra and 550’ though!
2019-10-20 Posted By: Flyingfish Info: Approximately 4 inches of snow on the road but was passable in a stock jeep Cherokee. However, there is a tree fallen across the road approx. 3 miles past the turnoff for 7738.2A aka West Brush Road. Lots of hunters out so the tree may have been cleared since this morning.
2017-05-28 Posted By: Chicago Transplant Info: Gate locked near a bridge over the creek at just below 9000 feet, this is just south of where "Brush Creek Cow Camp" is labeled on the map. No opening date posted, call Gunnison Ranger District for updates, 970-641-0471.
2014-08-23 Posted By: TravelingMatt Info: The Pearl Pass Road and Middle Brush Creek TH provide the most expedient access for near-centennial 13er Castleabra. I made it some 3.5 miles in from the 2wd parking, nearly 10 miles in from CO 135, in a Toyota Rav4. At this point is a meadow on the east (left when ascending) side of the road where decent car or tent camping can be found. Beyond was a small creek crossing with obstacles I didn’t want to risk trying. The second creek crossing (Brush Creek) is considerably deeper than than the first (West Brush Creek). Also, parts of this road become slick and muddy very quickly in wet weather, especially the area above the Brush Creek (second) crossing.