Lackawanna Peak rises over the North Fork of Lake Creek below the eastern switchbacks of Independence Pass, a Centennial that was long listed as unnamed Peak 13,823. Colorado 82 does most of the approach work, which makes it a summer outing, available from the pass opening in late May until the road closes in fall, with tundra ridges and wide Sawatch views as the payoff.
There is no maintained trail to the top. The northwest ridge route leaves the North Fork Lake Creek trailhead just below the last switchback, crosses Lake Creek, and follows an old road and fading path past cabin ruins. The turnoff near 11,400 feet is easy to miss, and the trail blurs out under forest ledges before treeline around 12,000 feet. Next comes roughly 1,000 feet of steep, loose talus to the ridge crest, then a pleasant walk south over an unnamed ridge point and a few smaller bumps to the summit. Figure about 7.75 miles and 3,600 feet of gain at Class 2, with a similar tundra line coming in a little shorter.
In spring and early summer, the southwest gully offers a direct snow climb of 4 miles and 3,450 feet from a pulloff above the La Plata Peak trailhead, steepening to about 37 degrees. It needs consolidated snow, an axe and crampons, and it turns into a scree slog once it melts out. Midwinter brings real avalanche danger to the gully.
