North Ridge from Every Mountain

Overview

Cooper Creek Peak is a Class 2 summit at the head of Cooper Creek, just south of Every Mountain. The two are climbed together, in either order.

After the climb to Every Mountain, you follow a rubbly ridge south to a saddle, climb about 200 feet, and walk a long, fairly flat stretch to a final rise of small rubble. Sheep paths cover much of the ridge. You come down from the saddle into the valley.

The loop is about 12.2 miles with 3,650 feet of gain. It's a long day for kids, but the terrain stays easy.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From Lake City, drive south on Colorado 149 a little over 2 miles and turn right toward Lake San Cristobal. Go around the west side of the lake on County Road 3 (shown as County Road 30 on some maps), past Williams Creek and Mill Creek campgrounds (Mill Creek is 13.2 miles from town), to the fork at Sherman, 1.2 miles farther. Cars can make it this far.

Keep right on the Cinnamon Pass road, part of the Alpine Loop. It climbs more steeply, and a higher-clearance vehicle is wise. After a little over 4 miles you reach the Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch trailhead for Redcloud, Sunshine and Handies, about 18.5 miles and close to an hour from Lake City. Continue west just under a mile to a small pullout on the road's south side. The Cooper Creek trail begins on the opposite side and was last reported as signed.

Williams Creek and Mill Creek are Forest Service campgrounds. There are also primitive sites around Sherman, at the Silver Creek trailhead and near the Cooper Creek trailhead. Road conditions change, so check before you go.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Cooper Creek trailhead 10,640' · 0 mi

   The trail heads north-northwest up the open slope, swings east toward Cooper Creek, then turns north along the creek's west bank.

2. 2

   First creek crossing 11,175' · 1 mi

   Cross to the east side and switchback up, then walk north through forest and meadows.

3. 3

   Second creek crossing 11,580' · 2 mi

   Cross back to the west side. (A fainter trail stays on the east bank up to an old prospect; it's handy on the way back.)

4. 4

   Cooper Lake fork 12,000' · 2.8 mi

   The trail angles across the slope to the fork that drains Cooper Lake, reaching the top of a spot where the creek is cut deep into the ground.

5. 5

   Prospect saddle 12,900' · 3.8 mi

   Take a trail that branches off here and climbs steeply, mostly on tundra, to a saddle with an old prospect between Points 13,131 and 13,484.

6. 6

   Point 13,484 13,484' · 4.5 mi

   Turn east and follow the rocky but solid ridge over the point, or skirt it on the south side. Sheep paths may help.

7. 7

   Every Mountain 13,698' · 5.1 mi

   Gain the last 300 feet, passing any obstacles on the south side. A few short, steep, rocky spots stay Class 2.

8. 8

   Saddle 13,220' · 5.6 mi

   Walk south down the broken ridge to a saddle.

9. 9

   Ridge bend 13,420' · 6 mi

   Climb about 200 feet as the ridge turns southeast, then south, and levels out.

10. 10

    Cooper Creek Peak 13,694' · 6.6 mi

    Finish on small rubble to the top.

Getting down

Walk back north to the 13,220-foot saddle and drop west on talus and tundra into the valley. Find the old prospect and the faint trail on the south side of the creek, follow it down to the main trail on the east bank, and walk out.

If things go wrong

The saddle at 13,220 feet is the way down to the valley.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Cooper Creek Peak we list, with its class.

• UN 13,694 "Cooper Ck. Pk." N. Ridge this routeClass 2 12.2 mi