Highlights
Peter's Pass is a ridge north of the imposing Trico Peak and allows a glimpse into Ingram Basin. The hike to the pass forms a loop, crossing over from Mineral Basin, leading up to the pass, and then returning on the Senator Beck trail.
Getting an early start on the Black Bear road, while the Jeepers are still enjoying breakfast, lets you enjoy fine views into Mineral Basin to the south without having to contend with any traffic on the road. After a steady climb on the jeep road of about ¾ miles, you leave the road and follow an animal track to the junction with the loop. The numerous decapitated flowers along the path are testimony to the busy animal traffic on this track.
A short side trip on an old miner’s trail, about half a mile round trip, leads to the ridge east of Trico Peak with views down to the Black Bear road, a couple of small lakes and vistas into Mineral Basin.
Hiking towards the pass is an easy saunter with moderate elevation gain. At the head of the valley you face an enticing grassy slope to the right and disagreeable scree to your left. Still, climbing the scree in the area with large rocks is much easier than struggling with the grassy slope. To the north you can spot the mining shack at the Senator Beck mine, and looking back you can see the Red Mountains, the Guston mining district, and the gorgeous valley below.
Parking a regular car at the summit of Red Mountain Pass and starting the hike from there adds about a mile and a few hundred feet of elevation gain.