Is it right for you?
Hunchback Mountain sits just west of Hunchback Pass, at the north edge of the Weminuche Wilderness. It is one of the easiest 13ers in the area. Many people tag it on the first or last day of a longer backpack, and it also fits in a day hike with White Dome and Peak One.
From the trailhead you walk the Continental Divide Trail to Hunchback Pass, then head northwest onto the east ridge and follow it west to the top. The lower ridge is easy tundra; higher up there is some broken rock, but nothing hard. It is an easy Class 2. Plan on about 45 minutes to the pass, then half an hour more to the summit, and around 20 minutes back down to the pass.
The round trip from the trailhead is about 4.2 miles with roughly 1,350 feet of gain. If you are passing over Hunchback Pass with a full pack, set aside about an hour to drop your pack and grab this summit. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
By 7 a.m.
Off the ridge by late morning if storms build.
Some broken rock on the upper ridge.
Easy. Leave the trail at the pass and follow the ridge west.
Little on the route. Carry what you need.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
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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.
Getting there
Hunchback Pass
This trailhead needs a high-clearance 4WD, and from Silverton the drive can last as long as 2.5 hours. 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.
Base towns and camping for this climb
Coming from out of state? See Lodging & Camping for how free camping works, what is closed this year and where to stay.
Before you go
Check these the week of your climb.
Official forecast
The National Weather Service forecast for the summit area, hour by hour. Look for thunderstorm chances and wind above treeline.
NWS point forecast →Directions to the trailhead
Hunchback Pass. Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Get directions →Roads and highways
Closures, construction and winter conditions on the highways that get you there.
COtrip road conditions →Closures and fire rules
Trail closures, fire bans and other alerts from the Forest Service in Colorado. For the latest on your trailhead, call the local ranger district.
Forest Service alerts →Snow on the route?
From fall through early summer, any snow slope can slide. Check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Avalanche forecast →Cell signal
Most trailheads and many summits have little or no signal. Check coverage near the trailhead and carry a satellite messenger or beacon if you can.
FCC coverage map →