Minnesota"s 7 Summits
I got the idea for this article over a year ago during one of my peakbagging trips.
I remember thinking that, while there are very few of us that will ever experience the thrill of standing on the highest point of each continent, I could compile a list of 7 summit based hikes in MN that are sure to give you enough angle under your boots to get your heart pumping and...
a list to complete.
A year or so later I sit at my laptop trying to figure what peaks to put on the list.
A list of the highest 7 peaks in "the state of hockey" would have been interesting but given the relative inaccessibility of many of them and the close proximity of the taller ones to each other I thought that wouldn't really capture the spirit of the "7 summits".
Instead, this list contains 7 of the most interesting and accessible peaks in the state.
The chosen summits should give the climber a good sense of the states diverse geology, a spectacular view, a sense of accomplishment (no drive ups) and are all located on public land because a misdemeanor trespass arrest can sour an otherwise lovely hiking trip.
Number 7) Blue Hill 1,090ft: Located in the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge near Zimmerman, Blue hill rises 90 feet above the rolling sandy terrain of the surrounding area.
This mound of glacial till was deposited by the receding glacier of the last ice age and now offers great views of the surrounding oak savannahs and wetlands.
Number 6) Mount Charity 1,160ft: Rising about 500ft above the Mississippi river, Mount Charity rewards the climber for the countless stairs up with a rare view of the river and it's accompanying bluffs.
This readily accessible peak is Located in John A.
Latsch State Park near Minnesota City.
Bring a camera! Number 5) Inspiration Peak 1,750ft: Located in the northwestern part of the state are a collection of glacial features known as the Leaf Hills.
The highest among them is Inspiration Peak which resides in a state wayside of the same name just west of Urbank.
Rising 400 feet above the surrounding countryside it offers a vista well-known to author Sinclair Lewis.
Of the summit he wrote, "There's to be seen a glorious 20-mile circle of some 50 lakes scattered among fields and pastures, like sequins fallen on an old paisley shawl.
" While this is by no means an all day affair, a hike to the top of Inspiration Peak for a picnic lunch is great way to spend a rare Minnesota summer afternoon.
Number 4) Barn Bluff 1,000ft: Overlooking historic Red Wing, Barn Bluff is hard to miss.
The 2-mile hiking trail to the top of "Mount LaGrange" as the French traders called it, offers a scenic overlook from 400 ft above the Mississippi River and downtown Red Wing.
The top is large and flat giving hikers a great place to observe birds, including hawks and eagles, at eye level.
Barn Bluff has become a popular site for rock climbing and bouldering with locals and it is not unusual to find them tackling routes up the backside along the trail.
This peak also offers some great coffee shops and watering holes nearby to wet your whistle before or after your ascent.
Number 3) Mt.
Trudee 1,580ft: This one has sentimental value as years ago it was my first experience peakbagging in the Sawtooths.
Mt Trudee is actually a large granite dome rising some 400 feet above the forest of Tettegouche State Park.
Trudee is accessed via the Superior Hiking Trail and offers a beautiful view of Lake Superior and the Palisade Valley.
What makes this such an interesting peak is its relative lack of vegetation and exposed granite.
It gives the hiker an almost alpine experience not usually had in this part of the country.
This is a great day hike with fantastic camping nearby.
Number 2) Carlton Peak 1,526ft: Our second summit located on the Superior Hiking Trail is Carlton Peak.
While by no means the tallest of the Sawtooth Mountains along Lake Superior's North Shore, Carlton Peak is certainly the most distinctive.
From a distance, it stands out as a lone high point, rising 924 feet above lake level, and separate from the ridges to the north and south.
This is a great spot in all seasons, but lying on the summer sun warmed granite with a cool evening breeze blowing off the lake is pretty close to Heaven in MN.
Like Trudee, the top is exposed granite with a few rugged trees poking through but no as rugged.
This spot has a mystique all it's own.
If I had to pick one "mountain" in Minnesota to summit, this would be it.
Number 1) Eagle Mountain 2,301ft: We couldn't have a list of Minnesota's top summits without including the state highpoint.
Aside from the elevation, what makes this such a nice hike is it's relative solitude.
Of all the peaks on this list, Eagle Mountain is, by far, the hardest to get to.
Once on the trail it is a relatively straight forward forest hike until you reach the base of the mountain.
The last quarter mile is a rocky, steady climb to the top.
The actual summit has little to offer in the way of a view but the vistas from nearby leave little doubt you are standing on Minnesota's roof top.
I have pics and trail maps of these summits on the BackpackMidwest.
com site.
So there you have them, our picks for Minnesota's 7 best summit hikes.
If you have one you think we missed, please drop us a line at contribute@backpackmidwest.
com and let us know.
I remember thinking that, while there are very few of us that will ever experience the thrill of standing on the highest point of each continent, I could compile a list of 7 summit based hikes in MN that are sure to give you enough angle under your boots to get your heart pumping and...
a list to complete.
A year or so later I sit at my laptop trying to figure what peaks to put on the list.
A list of the highest 7 peaks in "the state of hockey" would have been interesting but given the relative inaccessibility of many of them and the close proximity of the taller ones to each other I thought that wouldn't really capture the spirit of the "7 summits".
Instead, this list contains 7 of the most interesting and accessible peaks in the state.
The chosen summits should give the climber a good sense of the states diverse geology, a spectacular view, a sense of accomplishment (no drive ups) and are all located on public land because a misdemeanor trespass arrest can sour an otherwise lovely hiking trip.
Number 7) Blue Hill 1,090ft: Located in the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge near Zimmerman, Blue hill rises 90 feet above the rolling sandy terrain of the surrounding area.
This mound of glacial till was deposited by the receding glacier of the last ice age and now offers great views of the surrounding oak savannahs and wetlands.
Number 6) Mount Charity 1,160ft: Rising about 500ft above the Mississippi river, Mount Charity rewards the climber for the countless stairs up with a rare view of the river and it's accompanying bluffs.
This readily accessible peak is Located in John A.
Latsch State Park near Minnesota City.
Bring a camera! Number 5) Inspiration Peak 1,750ft: Located in the northwestern part of the state are a collection of glacial features known as the Leaf Hills.
The highest among them is Inspiration Peak which resides in a state wayside of the same name just west of Urbank.
Rising 400 feet above the surrounding countryside it offers a vista well-known to author Sinclair Lewis.
Of the summit he wrote, "There's to be seen a glorious 20-mile circle of some 50 lakes scattered among fields and pastures, like sequins fallen on an old paisley shawl.
" While this is by no means an all day affair, a hike to the top of Inspiration Peak for a picnic lunch is great way to spend a rare Minnesota summer afternoon.
Number 4) Barn Bluff 1,000ft: Overlooking historic Red Wing, Barn Bluff is hard to miss.
The 2-mile hiking trail to the top of "Mount LaGrange" as the French traders called it, offers a scenic overlook from 400 ft above the Mississippi River and downtown Red Wing.
The top is large and flat giving hikers a great place to observe birds, including hawks and eagles, at eye level.
Barn Bluff has become a popular site for rock climbing and bouldering with locals and it is not unusual to find them tackling routes up the backside along the trail.
This peak also offers some great coffee shops and watering holes nearby to wet your whistle before or after your ascent.
Number 3) Mt.
Trudee 1,580ft: This one has sentimental value as years ago it was my first experience peakbagging in the Sawtooths.
Mt Trudee is actually a large granite dome rising some 400 feet above the forest of Tettegouche State Park.
Trudee is accessed via the Superior Hiking Trail and offers a beautiful view of Lake Superior and the Palisade Valley.
What makes this such an interesting peak is its relative lack of vegetation and exposed granite.
It gives the hiker an almost alpine experience not usually had in this part of the country.
This is a great day hike with fantastic camping nearby.
Number 2) Carlton Peak 1,526ft: Our second summit located on the Superior Hiking Trail is Carlton Peak.
While by no means the tallest of the Sawtooth Mountains along Lake Superior's North Shore, Carlton Peak is certainly the most distinctive.
From a distance, it stands out as a lone high point, rising 924 feet above lake level, and separate from the ridges to the north and south.
This is a great spot in all seasons, but lying on the summer sun warmed granite with a cool evening breeze blowing off the lake is pretty close to Heaven in MN.
Like Trudee, the top is exposed granite with a few rugged trees poking through but no as rugged.
This spot has a mystique all it's own.
If I had to pick one "mountain" in Minnesota to summit, this would be it.
Number 1) Eagle Mountain 2,301ft: We couldn't have a list of Minnesota's top summits without including the state highpoint.
Aside from the elevation, what makes this such a nice hike is it's relative solitude.
Of all the peaks on this list, Eagle Mountain is, by far, the hardest to get to.
Once on the trail it is a relatively straight forward forest hike until you reach the base of the mountain.
The last quarter mile is a rocky, steady climb to the top.
The actual summit has little to offer in the way of a view but the vistas from nearby leave little doubt you are standing on Minnesota's roof top.
I have pics and trail maps of these summits on the BackpackMidwest.
com site.
So there you have them, our picks for Minnesota's 7 best summit hikes.
If you have one you think we missed, please drop us a line at contribute@backpackmidwest.
com and let us know.
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