Ellingwood Point (14,057 ft) sits on the Sierra Blanca Massif in the southern Sangre de Cristo Range, half a mile northeast of Blanca Peak. Named for Colorado climbing pioneer Albert Ellingwood, it is one of four fourteeners clustered on this massif, alongside Blanca, Little Bear, and Mount Lindsey. The rock here is Precambrian in origin, older and more solid than the sedimentary strata found through much of the Sangres, forming the compact ridges and faces that define the peak's character.
Most parties approach via Lake Como Road, a punishing 5-mile, 4WD track that climbs from the trailhead at roughly 7,950 ft to Lake Como at 11,750 ft. From the lake, the Southwest Ridge route heads past the Blue Lakes to the base of a waterfall, then turns entirely off-trail for a sustained Class 3 scramble to the summit, with no cairns to follow. The South Face route offers an alternative via cairned terrain angling toward a prominent notch. Both routes demand solid route-finding and comfort on loose talus. Round-trip distance from Lake Como runs roughly 4 to 5 miles with around 2,300 ft of gain.
The summit rewards with sweeping views across the San Luis Valley, the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park, and the other Blanca massif peaks rising in close proximity. Afternoon thunderstorms develop quickly; early starts are essential, particularly in summer.
