Finding the Trailhead
Directions to Trailhead: From Fairplay on the northwest edge of South Park, drive north from US 285 for eight miles on CO 9 to the small town of Alma. Alma is also reached by driving south from I-70 through Breckenridge and over Hoosier Pass. In Alma, turn west on Buckskin Creek Road (Park County 8) and follow it seven miles to Kite Lake. The last mile of the road can be very rough but can usually be negotiated in a two-wheel-drive vehicle. If the road is too rough for your taste, there are pullouts along the way where you can park and hike to Kite Lake.
Climbing Mount Democrat
Route Description: The trailhead to climb Mount Democrat is at 12,000 feet at Kite Lake in a broad cirque southeast of the mountain. A good easy-to-follow trail ascends Democrat’s southeast slope to a saddle between Democrat to the west and 14,238-foot Mount Cameron, an unranked Fourteener, to the east. It then climbs the east ridge to a final gentle grade to the summit.
Begin by hiking north on the trail up a long gradual slope to steeper slopes on the lower east face of Mount Democrat. Follow the trail which switchbacks up the steep slopes to the obvious saddle between Democrat and Cameron at about 13,400 feet.
Turn west at the saddle and continue on the trail up the broad east ridge of Mount Democrat, crossing scree slopes and jumbled boulders. At 13,900 feet you reach a false summit at the top of the ridge. Cross a wide plateau and scramble up a final rocky pyramid to the true summit.
Descend by the same route back to your vehicle at Kite Lake unless you plan to climb the other two Fourteeners in the group. Allow 3 to 4 hours to reach Democrat’s summit and another two or so hours to descend back to Kite Lake.
