Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Centennial 13er · UN 13,838 + UN 13,820
Overview
UN 13,820 is the second of two high, unnamed summits on the ridge northeast of Redcloud Peak, above Lake City. It is almost always climbed together with UN 13,838: you take the Silver Creek trail to the saddle north of Redcloud, follow the ridge to UN 13,838, then walk another mile and a half east and northeast along a tundra ridge to UN 13,820.
The terrain is Class 2 with no exposure. The traverse between the two peaks is mostly low tundra with small rubble near the summits, and faint paths let you skip the high points in between. The main challenge is distance: about 12 miles round trip with around 4,700 feet of gain, most of it above treeline.
Plan on 8 to 10 hours. The farther you go along the ridge, the farther you are from the trail and the trailhead, so weather matters. It suits fit hikers who want a long day on easy ground in the high San Juans. Watch for elk in the drainages north of the ridge.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5 a.m. You will be above treeline for 6 or more hours, and the farthest point is more than 2 miles of ridge from the Silver Creek trail.
Turnaround
If you are not on the summit of UN 13,838 by 10:30 a.m., skip UN 13,820. Do not start the traverse if clouds are building; you must come all the way back along the ridge.
Crux
The length of the day. The terrain is easy tundra and rubble, but you are a long way from the trail when you reach UN 13,820.
Route-finding
Easy on the Silver Creek trail. Before UN 13,838 the path fades on talus below Point 13,561. On the traverse, a faint path skirts Point 13,632 on the south side. In fog, the ridge between the two summits is broad in places.
Water
Silver Creek along the first few miles; filter it. No reliable water on the ridge. Carry enough for the whole ridge section.
From Lake City, drive south on Highway 149 a little over 2 miles and turn right toward Lake San Cristobal. Follow the road around the west side of the lake and on past the Williams Creek and Mill Creek campgrounds to the junction at the old Sherman townsite. The road to here is fine for passenger cars.
At Sherman, take the right fork toward Cinnamon Pass. The road gets steeper and rougher; higher clearance is best. After a little over 4 miles, park at the Silver Creek and Grizzly Gulch trailheads, about 18.5 miles and close to an hour from Lake City. The Silver Creek trail leaves from the small lot on the north side of the road. Parking fills on weekends. There is dispersed camping along the road; watch for private land.
Trail in the treesTundraTalus and screeRidgeExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Silver Creek trailhead 10,440' · 0 mi
Start on the Silver Creek trail from the north side of the road. This is the main route to Redcloud and Sunshine. The trail heads northeast up the valley.
2
South Fork junction 11,300' · 1.7 mi
The trail stays on the west and north side of Silver Creek, well above it. At about 1.7 miles a trail for the South Fork branches off to the right. Stay on the main trail heading northeast.
Watch for: Do not take the South Fork trail.
3
Open tundra 12,000' · 2.9 mi
The trail bends east into open tundra with red Redcloud ahead. Fill water from the creek before you climb higher.
4
Switchbacks 12,700' · 3.6 mi
The trail switchbacks up steeper, reddish slopes. A scree gully off to the east is a steep, loose shortcut to the ridge that some people use.
5
Redcloud saddle 13,020' · 3.9 mi
At the saddle, the Redcloud route turns right. Turn left and follow the ridge northeast toward Point 13,561.
Watch for: Most people go right here. You go left.
6
Below Point 13,561 13,350' · 4.2 mi
The trail fades on rubble about 200 feet below the point. Traverse the talus on the south side, aiming for the saddle east of the point.
Watch for: Talus can shift.
7
Saddle east of 13,561 13,400' · 4.35 mi
Clearer paths return near the saddle. Continue east along the ridge and pass a rocky outcrop on its south side.
8
UN 13,838 13,838' · 4.7 mi
Hike southeast on tundra and small rubble to the summit of UN 13,838. From here you can see the ridge running east and northeast to UN 13,820. Check the weather before you go on.
Watch for: Last good place to decide whether to continue.
9
First saddle 13,550' · 5 mi
Descend east on embedded rock and tundra to a saddle.
10
Point 13,632 bypass 13,600' · 5.4 mi
Head east toward Point 13,632. Most people skip it by taking a faint path that contours around the south side of the ridge.
Watch for: Faint path. Stay on the south side.
11
Second saddle 13,500' · 5.8 mi
Past the point, turn northeast and drop to another saddle. The ground is almost all low tundra. Look for elk in the drainages to the north.
12
Final ridge 13,650' · 6 mi
Climb the last ridge northeast on tundra that turns to small rubble near the top.
13
Summit 13,820' · 6.2 mi
Reach the summit of UN 13,820. Redcloud, Sunshine and Handies are to the south and west, with long views over the Lake Fork valley.
Landmarks to know
The Silver Creek trailhead on the north side of the Cinnamon Pass road.
The South Fork trail junction on the right at about 1.7 miles.
The 13,020-foot saddle north of Redcloud where you turn left.
Point 13,561, passed on talus on its south side.
The summit of UN 13,838, where the ridge to UN 13,820 comes into view.
Point 13,632, bypassed on a faint path on the south side.
A final tundra ridge rising northeast to UN 13,820.
Getting down
Most people return the way they came: back down to the second saddle, around the south side of Point 13,632, and up to UN 13,838. You can skirt under the top of UN 13,838 on its south side instead of going over it. Expect about 300 feet of extra climbing on the way back.
From the saddle east of Point 13,561, traverse back across the talus and find the path down to the 13,020-foot saddle, then turn right onto the Silver Creek trail. If you know where it is, the scree gully just south of Point 13,561 drops about 1,000 feet quickly to the trail; it is loose, and in early season it may hold snow.
If things go wrong
The farther east you go, the longer the way back. If weather turns on the traverse, head back west to the ridge toward UN 13,838 and then to the saddle north of Redcloud or the scree gully, and down to the Silver Creek trail. Do not drop off the ridge into unknown drainages to the north; they lead away from the trailhead. If someone is hurt, keep them warm and still, note your location, and send for help. Other hikers are often on the Redcloud trail. Call 911 if you have a signal.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
About the last 2 miles are off-trail with no set trail to follow. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Snow, ice, a washed-out road or an afternoon storm can make it a very different climb. Check recent conditions the week you go and turn around when the day tells you to.