Quandary Falls

Distance: 2.6 miles RT
Elevation: 11,100 to 11,700 ft
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Critters: Marmots


Quandary Falls. Playing with the exposure did not help much with all the snow and sun glare.

The Quandary Falls trail is a mess. There are trees down everywhere and there are still drifts of snow covering the trail or melting into bogs. Near the falls themselves was clear evidence of a recent avalanche. Whole pines have been uprooted and others laid over like dominoes. The ground was either rocks or tree roots twisted into a less than benign version of an enchanted forest. Don’t attempt this short but scenic trail unless you don’t mind bushwhacking and getting yourself wet. We chose this trail because I was in Breckenridge for a conference and it is close by and doable after work. The timing of the conference is always a bit early for high-altitude trails but it is hard to resist the pull of the tundra after a long winter.




Avalanche evidence just below the falls
Quandary Falls is located in McCullough Gulch on the north side of Mt. Quandary (14,265 ft) and nestled beneath Pacific Peak (13,998 ft). You get to it by driving to the south of Quandary and heading back past the summit trailhead and down into the gulch itself. Note that at one point the road splits. Stay to the left and park at the gate.

The trail begins steeply but the views of the range to the east increase as you rise. After about a half of a mile, the views disappear as the trees begin to close in. The falls are a broad cascade and can be gained via several social trails. They are surrounded by granite outcroppings and shrubbery and are backed by the summit of Mt. Quandary itself. This year there was still a large ice sheet covering the stream that both my dogs raced out on. It was obvious that the whole thing could collapse at any moment and getting them back on terra firma was a nerve-wracking experience involving a great deal of shouting.

In years past I have climbed above the falls, but this year we had already spent so much time hacking our way through the trees that continuing on was not appealing. This was a fortunate decision, because we stumbled across a herd of Mountain Goats on the way back to town that we would have otherwise not seen.

Give this trail a chance if you are staying in Breckenridge, but wait until later in the season i.e. late July to at least have a chance of staying on the trail. The views will not disappoint and the wildflowers should be spectacular.


Looking east just before descending back down to the car