South Ridge from Rock Creek

Overview

P 3 (once called UN 13,300 D) is a rocky peak south of Rock Creek in the Weminuche Wilderness. It's one of the harder 13ers in the Rock Lake area: a steep bushwhack, a boulder-filled basin and a loose ridge. Most people climb it from a camp at Rock Lake as part of a multi-day trip.

Rock Lake is about 9.9 miles from the Hunchback Pass trailhead by the Vallecito and Rock Creek trails. From there you walk back down the Rock Creek trail, cross the creek, climb through cliffy forest to a basin with two tarns, cross a rock glacier to the saddle between P 2 and P 3, and follow the ridges to the top. It's at least Class 3 and may be Class 4.

The round trip is about 26.8 miles with 8,075 feet of gain. From Rock Lake it's about 7 miles and 3,275 feet.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

This trailhead needs a high-clearance 4WD, and you should allow as much as two and a half hours from Silverton. From the northeast end of Silverton, take County Road 2 up the Animas about 4.2 miles to Howardsville. Turn right up Cunningham Gulch, then take the left fork onto the Stony Pass road. It climbs steeply over the pass and down the far side. You will ford Pole Creek, then turn right at a fork and ford the Rio Grande. Both fords are harder early in the summer. Then follow the Beartown road about 4 slow, rough miles past the old Beartown site and up a rocky, rutted stretch. The Hunchback Pass trailhead is about half a mile below Kite Lake, at roughly 11,800 feet, with limited parking.

You can also reach this area from Creede or Lake City by driving to Rio Grande Reservoir, but the road west of the reservoir has very rough sections. There is some camping near the trailhead and near the old Beartown site.

Conditions on Stony Pass and the Beartown road change from year to year, so check before you go. Trips from here into the Weminuche usually take several days.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Rock Lake camp 11,900' · 0 mi

   Rock Lake is about 9.9 miles from the trailhead (see the overview). Walk back down the Rock Creek trail to the start of the first open meadow, about 1.5 miles above the Vallecito Trail.

2. 2

   Meadow start 11,060' · 2.65 mi

   Look south: the basin you want lies between the two peaks. Cross Rock Creek (a big open rock slab helps), push through willows and enter the forest.

   Watch for: Willows.

3. 3

   Above the trees 11,760' · 2.9 mi

   Climb steeply about 700 feet on game trails that wind around hidden cliffs and downed trees. One well-used trail is easier to follow.

   Watch for: Hidden cliffs.

4. 4

   Second tarn 12,200' · 3.1 mi

   Go up the basin past a tarn at 12,023 feet, then contour around a hillside to a smaller one. The tundra ends here.

5. 5

   P 2–P 3 saddle 12,700' · 3.3 mi

   Pick your way across the rock glacier up to the saddle where the basin ends. Rocks tumble at every step.

   Watch for: Unstable boulders.

6. 6

   Summit 13,279' · 3.5 mi

   Follow the west ridge east to where it joins the south ridge from Point 13,180, then head north. It's steep, loose quartzite boulders the whole way, with choppy cliffs and blocks near the top.

   Watch for: Class 3, with a short Class 4 step reported.

Getting down

Go down the same way.

Another line begins near 11,200 feet, 0.45 mile higher on the Rock Creek trail: cross the creek on a line of trees, angle southeast under cliff bands to a shelf, cross the outlet of the big lake under P 3, climb a narrow cleft and about 200 feet of very loose slope, then cross rock past the lake and over a low ridge to the saddle.

If things go wrong

The saddle and the basin lead back down to Rock Creek.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up P 3 we list, with its class.

• "P 3" 13,279 South Ridge this routeClass 4 26.8 mi