Clinton Peak is the high point of a horseshoe of summits wrapped around the Wheeler Lake basin above the Middle Fork of the South Platte, about two miles east of Fremont Pass. From the top you look straight down on the sprawling Climax molybdenum mine to the west, a stark contrast with the quiet lake basin on the other side. Many hikers climb it along with its lower neighbors, McNamee and Traver.
The South Slope route begins at Montgomery Reservoir off the Hoosier Pass road. Private property surrounds the reservoir, so park only at the trailhead. A rough 4WD road climbs Platte Gulch for more than 3 miles to Wheeler Lake, and stock vehicles should not try it, so plan on walking unless you have a capable rig. Above the lake there is no trail. A small path climbs a gully right of some cliffs into the upper basin, then a steep talus slope, loose in spots, leads to the summit ridge near 13,800 feet. Expect about 9 miles round trip and 2,950 feet of gain at Class 2, with considerable rockfall and route-finding challenges. The Clinton, McNamee and Traver combination adds the two neighbors for about 10 miles and 3,300 feet, still Class 2.
When snow covers the slope, an axe and crampons are the right tools. The high basin is open and exposed, so keep an eye on building clouds and plan to be down by early afternoon.
