Southeast Ridge from Sunshine Peak

Overview

Sundog is the plain-looking 13er just northwest of Sunshine Peak. It shares its trailhead with the standard Redcloud and Sunshine route.

The loop climbs the Silver Creek trail to Redcloud, crosses to Sunshine, then drops northwest to a saddle and follows Sundog's southeast ridge. A rock band near the top pushes you left to find a gap, which is Class 2+. You come down the north ridge to Silver Creek.

The loop is about 8.5 miles with 4,550 feet of gain, including two 14ers. A shorter way goes up the north ridge and back down it, for about 6 miles and 3,050 feet.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

Head south out of Lake City on Colorado 149 for roughly 2 miles, then go right on County Road 30, the road to Cinnamon Pass. The trailhead is almost 16 miles from where County Road 30 begins. Keep right at a fork close to mile 11.8.

The road is good dirt at first, but after about 12.5 miles it gets rougher. Between miles 13 and 14.5 it becomes a narrow shelf road on the side of Sunshine Peak. High clearance is best for the last few miles. The Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch trailhead is on the road before mile 16. Redcloud's trail starts on the north side of the road; Handies Peak's Grizzly Gulch trail starts across the road.

Weekends get busy, so park wherever there's room. A small lot sits on the north side of the road, where the Silver Creek trail starts. The Grizzly Gulch trail leaves from behind the vault toilet on the south side and crosses the Lake Fork on a footbridge. Williams Creek and Mill Creek campgrounds are below Sherman and fill on weekends; past Sherman there are primitive spots, including at or near this trailhead. Watch for private land.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Silver Creek trailhead 10,440' · 0 mi

   Take the standard Redcloud trail up Silver Creek, which bends east and then southeast toward Redcloud's north slopes.

2. 2

   Redcloud Peak 14,034' · 4.5 mi

   Keep going on the easy Class 1 trail along the ridge to Sunshine.

3. 3

   Sunshine Peak 14,001' · 5.9 mi

   Head northwest down tedious, loose rock to a flatter spot near 13,300 feet. A path often helps.

   Watch for: Loose rock once the snow is gone.

4. 4

   Sunshine-Sundog saddle 13,100' · 6.4 mi

   Cross tundra northwest to the saddle.

5. 5

   Rock band 13,300' · 6.7 mi

   Climb the ridge straight toward the long summit ridge. When a cliff band blocks the way, go left to find a gap.

   Watch for: Class 2+.

6. 6

   Summit 13,437' · 6.9 mi

   Above the band, follow the rocky ridge north-northwest to the high point at the west end.

Getting down

Go straight north down a clear ridge, through a big gap in a lower cliff band, then on scree and loose rock to the trees. Around 11,600 feet, drop right off the ridge (short, steep and rough), cross the south fork of Silver Creek and take the trail down to the main Silver Creek trail.

If things go wrong

From the saddle, the north ridge of Sundog or the trail back over Redcloud are the ways out; there is no easy shortcut from the high ridge.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Sundog we list, with its class.

• Sundog SE Ridge this routeClass 2+ 8.5 mi