North Apostle is the northern member of the Three Apostles, the trio with Ice Mountain and West Apostle that rises about six miles south of the ghost town of Winfield in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. It is the gentle one of the group, a Class 2 Centennial with a front-row look at Ice Mountain's steep faces, and it pairs naturally with the harder Class 3 climb next door.
The southwest ridge route starts from the Clear Creek/Winfield trailhead (4WD helps reach the upper parking) and follows an old roadbed and forest toward the basin, past a meadow with a rock glacier and a small tarn near 12,100 feet. Above, boulder hopping and loose talus lead to the Ice Mountain-North Apostle saddle, and small sandy gullies wind through the rock for the final 500 feet. Figure about 8 miles and 3,320 feet of gain. A combination route from the Lake Ann trailhead reaches the same saddle by a fading trail, a willow bushwhack, and difficult Class 2 outcrops near 13,000 feet; adding North Apostle to Ice brings that day to about 9.5 miles.
Route-finding in the upper basin and loose rock are the main challenges. Early season snow calls for an ice axe, while late summer leaves plenty of talus. North Apostle's own steep faces drop away on three sides, far more serious than the ridge underfoot, and the summit gives a good look at the connecting ridge to Ice Mountain.
