San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 333 of the 13ers
Southeast Ridge from South Fork Cement Creek
East Storm, 13,313'
Short Class 3 moves
Most of the climb is Class 2, but the steep, loose finish and a few small obstacles on the crest can call for using your hands to pull up. There is little solid rock to hold. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 3
Round trip9 mi
Elevation gain2,100'
TrailheadS. Fork Cement Creek
Trailhead elevation11,240'
Less traffic, less margin
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.
Colorado 13er · Southeast Ridge from South Fork Cement Creek
Is it right for you?
East Storm is a small summit on a side ridge west of Tower Mountain, high above the South Fork of Cement Creek north of Silverton. It was once listed as UN 13,325. Many people climb it together with Tower.
You follow the Tower Mountain route to Point 13,060, then walk a ridge southwest above Boulder Gulch. It is mostly tundra at first, with rocky outcrops that are easy to get around. At the low point a big rock pinnacle blocks the crest; pass it on the south side. The last climb is steep, on thin tundra and lots of small broken rock. Expect short Class 3 moves depending on your line.
The round trip is about 9 miles with 2,100 feet of gain. The ridge on toward Storm Peak is rough and hard, so most people turn back here.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at Point 13,060 by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
The steep, loose finish past the rock tower.
Route-finding
Moderate. No clear path or cairns past Point 13,060; get back on the crest soon after the tower.
Water
The stream that feeds the lake near the start. Filter it. The ridge is dry.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,313'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
Today
—
Tomorrow
—
Day three
—
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.
Start in Silverton. At the east edge of town, a block beyond the courthouse, the paved road forks. Go straight onto County Road 110, the graded dirt road that runs north up Cement Creek to the old Gladstone town site. Do not take County Road 2, the blue-signed road that follows the Animas River; some maps label both roads 110.
Near Gladstone, go a short way southeast, climb one quick switchback, and then turn right (south) right away onto Road 52. It climbs the South Fork of Cement Creek and ends just below a small lake with no name; park there. The last 2 miles are rougher, so a high-clearance vehicle is best.
You can car-camp at the road end or at a few spots along those last 2 miles. There is private land in the area, so look for postings.
TundraRidgeTalus and screeScramblingExposed 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
South Fork Cement Creek trailhead 11,240' · 0 mi
From the parking at the road end, pick up a faint old path heading east onto a low ridge above the lake. After a few hundred yards it splits. Go left on the better trail, which switchbacks up on tundra.
Watch for: If you reach a small stream running down to the lake, you missed the fork. Look back and below you for the trail.
2
Upper basin 11,800' · 0.8 mi
The trail tops out in a basin. It then bends north over a ridge at 12,200 feet and loops back southeast, which is the long way. Instead, walk a bit up the basin and climb one of the game trails onto the tundra ridge on its north side.
3
Point 12,601 12,601' · 2.2 mi
A faint path climbs east along this ridge. Aim for Point 12,110, then turn northeast and climb tundra to Point 12,601 on the main ridge above.
4
Point 12,931 12,931' · 2.9 mi
Turn south and follow a decent path up the main ridge to Point 12,931.
5
Point 13,060 13,060' · 3.4 mi
Go over a few small bumps to Point 13,060. The path then drops a little south to a cairn with a metal stake in it. This is where the routes to Tower Mountain and East Storm split.
Watch for: Check the weather here. The rest is high ridge with no quick way down.
6
Rock pinnacle 12,950' · 3.9 mi
Turn right (southwest) onto the ridge toward Boulder Gulch. Both sides are steep, the north side most of all. Walk tundra and skirt the rocky outcrops until the ridge bottoms out at a large rock tower. Go around it on the south side, staying close under its base. You may find a faint track in the talus.
Watch for: Steep drops off the north side of the ridge.
7
Summit 13,313' · 4.5 mi
Past the tower, climb back to the crest as soon as you can. Many lines lead up, all steep, on sparse tundra and small loose rock. A few more small obstacles on the crest may need Class 3 moves.
Watch for: Loose rock with poor holds. Do not climb under others.
Getting down
Retrace the ridge to Point 13,060, then follow the Tower Mountain route back to the trailhead.
If things go wrong
Head back northeast along the ridge to Point 13,060 and the faint path.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Point 13,060 the route is a trailless ridge with a rock tower to get around. 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.