Fairview Peak A (13,214′) | CO Rank: 472/637
Sawatch Range | Gunnison National Forest | Pitkin, CO
10/18/20 | 5.5 miles | 1,575′ gain | Class 1
After a big day on Stewart Peak the day before, we decided to sleep in and see if my migraine would go away with a little extra sleep. Thankfully by morning I was feeling much better, and while we now didn’t have time to do our planned hike, Allie did find a shorter route on our way home, Fairview Peak.
We drove the long dirt roads as far as we could in the Jeep Patriot, parking just below the caution sign. Only one obstacle prevented us from driving further, but it was going to be an easy hike so we didn’t mind.
We hiked along the road all the way to its end, just below Fairview’s summit. The weather had called for 40+ mph winds but so far we were lucking out with barely a breeze.
The road led right past the Fairview Mine, which we found worth a stop.
We continued on the road past the Fairview Mine. Eventually we reached the 4wd parking area about 600′ below the summit.
From here, the road turned into an eroded trail which headed straight up the mountain. A cairn marked a better trail around 12,600′ and we cut off and followed this instead.
The trail switchbacked across the steep talus, keeping us at a moderate incline.
Soon we could see the summit and the highlight of the trip.
The last section wasn’t very steep and we made great time, excited to get to the fire lookout.
Fairview Peak Fire Lookout is the highest fire lookout in North America at 13,214′. It was built in 1912, and looked similar to the reconstructed version existing today. The fire watchman had a 360-degree view in the cupola, and could use the installed telegraph line to report fires to the town of Pitkin, 10 miles below. It’s believed the tower was manned until 1916. The start of the World War was most likely the reason the lookout was abandoned.
In the 1960s, the Forest Service converted the lookout into a radio repeater station, removing the cupola and installing grounding wires. This didn’t last long either, as the lightning proved to be too much. In 2008, the Forest Service began restoring the lookout. They spent 6 years fixing the masonry and roof, then rebuilt the cupola in 2015. There are plans for future work as well, and we did find some abandoned supplies inside.
The door was open so we ate our lunch inside, out of the now quite present wind. A rickety step stool system was set up so we very carefully (and one by one) climbed into the cupola to see what the fire watchman once saw.
We spent a long time enjoying the summit and the fire lookout. Fairview was a great way to end a summer of 13ers and will likely remain one of my favorites. When we were ready to head down, we retraced our steps down the trail and then the road, all the way back to the car. Once again, we didn’t see a single other person on trail. It’s always a little extra special to have a mountain to ourselves. We finished the long drive out and back to Denver, reminiscing about a busy summer and wondering what 2021 has in store.
Chelsea
Colorado Chelsea 
Looks like a great hike.
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It was one to remember!
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Excellent report on a fascinating hike. Thanks!
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Thank you so much!
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This looks like an awesome hike! We are hoping to get some Colorado hiking in this summer!
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Oh I so hope you’re able to get out here! Fairview Peak would be a great one but it’s really far from everything. If you’re going through Gunnison though, it’d be worth the detour!
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That has to be the nicest fire lookout I’ve ever seen! And great view from it too 🙂 Maggie
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I haven’t been to too many fire lookouts, but it’s definitely one of the coolest ones I’ve seen! The views were incredible.
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The views from the cupola are gorgeous!
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It was so beautiful up there!
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Great stuff!
Puts my little UK hikes in the shade!
Do you carry much water with you on these long and I’m guessing often hot hikes?
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I carry about 3 liters of water but rarely go through that much unless it’s super hot or I’m on trail all day. At these elevations, it doesn’t get very hot, though between the dry air, blaring sun, and altitude, it’s easy to get dehydrated. It’s always better to bring it and not need it! I also carry way more snacks than I could ever eat just in case 🙂
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I used to drink a ton when I started hiking but less so as the years have gone by. Out of practice what with Lockdown though and got one or two longer hikes planned. Always take plenty of snacks… made that mistake once, long ago!
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Wow!!!! Amazing trek and great reporting. ❤
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Thank you Debie! I really loved this one.
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Wow! Between those views and that cute fire tower this hike looks amazing!
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It is definitely one to remember!
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That definitely is the coolest fire look-out I’ve ever seen! I bet it was nice and cozy and warm when needed. And I can see why they suggested you park where you did….yikes! Another wonderful hike with spectacular views all around.
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It was an amazing hike! If we had a vehicle with higher clearance, I think we could have made it all the way up, but it just wasn’t worth the risk in our small Jeep. Either way, it was only a 5.5 mile hike and well worth the extra walking!
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I remember you telling me about this one and it’s on my list hopefully for this summer! It looks so neat!
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Yes! This is definitely one you need to do.
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Sounds like a great day of adventure in the mountains. There are so many Thirteeners that I need to prioritize the ones I want to climb. The fire watch house is an added attraction for sure. Adventure on and happy trails! – TJ Burr, ColoMountaineer
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Thanks for reading TJ! I’m not sure what you look for when selecting a 13er, but Fairview has a lot to offer 🙂
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Love the fire lookout! I’m pretty sure I would not have driven that either! Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Lori! It’s an easy enough walk without driving to the upper parking lot. I’m really glad we didn’t try to drive it!
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