South Ridge from Placer Gulch

Overview

Hanson Peak rises at the head of Placer Gulch, west of Animas Forks above Silverton. It is one of the easiest 13ers in the San Juans, and with a good 4WD you can drive most of the way.

You walk up the Placer Gulch road past the Gold Prince Mine to a bend at 12,600 feet, then cross tundra to a saddle south of the top and climb a short scree slope. It is Class 1 with a bit of rock at the end.

From the trailhead the round trip is about 6 miles with 1,900 feet of gain. UN 13,078, to the east, takes less than an hour more, and California Mountain, north of Hanson, is also easy to add.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From Silverton, drive east through town. A block beyond the courthouse the paved road splits; bear right onto County Road 2, which has a blue sign. It is also called the Alpine Loop road. Pavement ends after about 2 miles, and good dirt road goes on to Howardsville at 4.2 miles. Keep north 4.3 more miles to the old Eureka site. Past there the road switches to the river's west bank, climbs a steeper shelf and runs up a narrower part of the canyon.

Near 10,740 feet the valley widens and the Picayne Gulch road goes left. Its lower part is very steep and only for 4WD vehicles with low gearing. Most people stay on the main road and take the left turn to Animas Forks; the first of the two turnoffs drops across the river and climbs up to the old mining town. From there head west on County Road 19 (BLM 4505). Maps disagree on whether this road needs 4WD; a high-clearance vehicle is wise. After 1.2 miles you reach the Placer Gulch road (County Road 9) on the left. This junction with California Gulch is the trailhead.

With a good 4WD you can drive up Placer Gulch. The road is fine to about 12,200 feet, then turns rockier on switchbacks at the Gold Prince Mine. At 12,600 feet a short spur goes south and makes a good place to park. The road goes on east to a saddle above Parson Lake, then drops very steeply down Picayne Gulch to the main road. Heavy ATV and 4WD use may have made it worse, so check current conditions. There are no Forest Service campgrounds up here. Eureka has a pay campground that takes reservations, and there are primitive sites on the spur road to the South Fork of the Animas (Boulder Gulch) trailhead and on a side road in the trees in Picayne Gulch. None have services.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   California-Placer Gulch trailhead 11,590' · 0 mi

   Walk south up the Placer Gulch road (County Road 9). If the road gets dull, you can walk the creek bottom instead; the willows are not bad.

2. 2

   Gold Prince Mine 12,200' · 1.6 mi

   The road reaches the ruins of the Gold Prince Mine. Take a look around, then keep following the road as it switchbacks higher.

   Watch for: Stay out of old mine openings and off rotten structures.

3. 3

   Road bend at 12,600 feet 12,600' · 2.2 mi

   The road reaches a fairly flat spot and turns hard to the east. 4WD drivers can park here. Leave the road and walk southwest on tundra.

4. 4

   Saddle south of Hanson 13,160' · 2.7 mi

   Reach the saddle south of the summit and turn north.

5. 5

   Hanson Peak 13,462' · 3 mi

   Climb the last 300 feet on scree and rock to the top. Lake Emma, shown on old maps southwest of the summit, is gone; mining drained it by accident.

Getting down

For a change, go down the east side. Near 12,800 feet there is a grassy bench with a small tarn and a snowmelt stream, a good lunch spot. One steeper rocky slope below it leads back to the road.

If things go wrong

The road is never far below.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Hanson Peak we list, with its class.

• Hanson Peak South Ridge & East Slopes this routeClass 1 6 mi