Spencer Basin from Highland Mary Lakes

Overview

Kendall Peak rises on the ridge between Silverton and Cunningham Gulch. With 4WD it is quicker from Kendall Gulch above Silverton, but this longer route from the Highland Mary Lakes trail visits quiet, little-seen basins.

You leave the lakes trail and cross a saddle southwest of Sugarloaf, drop into Spencer Basin, and climb to a bench below Point 13,409. From there you either drop into Arrastra Basin and climb rock to the saddle just south of the summit, or go over Point 13,409 and follow the ridge north. It is Class 2, with lots of rubble and talus and early snow; bring an ice axe early in the season.

The round trip is about 9.5 miles with 4,550 feet of gain. A notch just west of the summit looks like Class 3, so going on to Kendall Mountain is not a simple walk.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From Silverton, go to the east edge of town and bear right at the fork just past the courthouse onto County Road 2. The pavement ends after about 2 miles and the road becomes good gravel. At the old Howardsville site, 4.2 miles from town, turn right on Forest Road 589 toward Cunningham Gulch and Stony Pass. Keep right at 4.4 miles, and keep right again at 5.9 miles; don't take the Stony Pass road.

Drive on up Cunningham Creek. The good road ends at about 7.8 miles, but cars with fair clearance can keep going: take the right fork, cross the creek, and climb one switchback. At 8.6 miles a spur turns left and drops steeply to a low-water crossing of Cunningham Creek, which can be hard during spring runoff. Park on the flat old mine tailings before the crossing (about 10,460 feet), or cross and drive 0.2 mile to a small upper lot. A gate a bit farther up stops all vehicles.

You can car camp at the parking areas, and there are a few pullouts along Cunningham Creek past the Stony Pass turnoff; watch for private property. The closest Forest Service campgrounds are on South Mineral Creek and at Little Molas Lake. For a night out, there is a good camp in the last trees below Highland Mary Lakes, about 1.5 miles up the trail near 11,650 feet, with room for several tents and water close by.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Lower parking 10,460' · 0 mi

   Walk the road across Cunningham Creek and uphill to the south. (A 4WD vehicle can drive this part.)

2. 2

   Upper trailhead 10,800' · 0.6 mi

   The road crosses back over the creek at a gate. Past it, the old vehicle track slowly turns into a trail. Soon the creek roars through a narrow rock gorge.

3. 3

   Last trees 11,650' · 1.5 mi

   On a sloping ridge between the creek's two main forks, the trail turns west and crosses the stream. There are tent spots in the trees here.

4. 4

   Leave the trail 11,850' · 1.9 mi

   Above 11,800 feet the trail turns sharply south toward the lakes. Leave it and climb west up a grassy drainage toward the saddle southwest of Sugarloaf.

5. 5

   Sugarloaf saddle 12,700' · 2.6 mi

   Go over the saddle on grass and talus and lose roughly 300 feet into Spencer Basin.

6. 6

   12,900-foot bench 12,900' · 3.6 mi

   Cross the grassy basin toward the saddle east of Point 13,409. A grass slope leads up to a bench.

7. 7

   Arrastra Basin 12,600' · 4.1 mi

   Drop about 300 feet into Arrastra Basin and traverse to where the slopes below the Kendall ridge ease off. In early summer, snow can make this easy.

   Watch for: Snow early in the season.

8. 8

   Ridge saddle 13,100' · 4.5 mi

   Climb a lot of rock to the first saddle south of the summit, above the ruins of the Titusville Mine.

9. 9

   Summit 13,455' · 4.75 mi

   Follow the ridge north to the top.

Getting down

Return the same way; the Arrastra Basin line is the nicer one, with lots of flowers. Or go back over Point 13,409: the first part down its ridge is rocky and awkward, then easy tundra and scree.

If things go wrong

Head back east to Spencer Basin and the lakes trail.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

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

• Kendall Pk. from Spencer Basin this routeClass 2 9.5 mi