South Slope from Big Blue Creek

Overview

UN 13,048 is an easy tundra summit in the Uncompahgre Wilderness, north of Big Blue Creek. It's one of the nicest tundra walks around, and it pairs with UN 13,015.

You cross a pass and drop into the Big Blue Creek valley, then either follow the Fall Creek trail to the 12,700-foot pass between Silver Mountain and UN 13,048 and turn right up the broad ridge, or take a slightly shorter, steeper line straight up the south slope. Both are Class 2 on tundra.

The round trip is about 10 miles with about 3,600 feet of gain, counting the 1,000-foot climb back over the pass on the way out. UN 13,015 can be added from UN 13,048 for a round trip of about 14 miles. Mileage and gain are our estimates.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

In Lake City, turn west on 2nd Street (or 3rd Street, which passes a city park with restrooms) and go two blocks to Bluff Street. Turn left (south) onto County Road 20, which runs west up Henson Creek. After 5.2 miles, turn right (north) on the signed Nellie Creek road, Forest Road 877. Regular cars should not try this road. Camping is not allowed along this part of County Road 20, but there are a few sites a short way up the Nellie Creek road.

A stock 4WD is the minimum past those first campsites. The road is rough and potholed at first, then rocky but never hard. At 2.0 miles it crosses to the west side of Nellie Creek and climbs a steep switchback. About 0.4 mile later, turn hard left (the older road going right leads toward Crystal Peak). After another mile the road levels out in a long meadow, and the trailhead is 0.8 mile farther, about 4 miles from County Road 20. Allow at least half an hour. Road conditions change, so check before you go.

The ground at the trailhead is sloped. For flatter campsites, go back about a quarter mile into the trees, or use the meadow. Uncompahgre Peak draws big crowds on summer weekends, so parking and campsites fill early.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Nellie Creek trailhead 11,425' · 0 mi

   Walk north on the busy Uncompahgre Peak trail (Trail 239) up along Nellie Creek.

2. 2

   Trail 232 junction 11,800' · 0.75 mi

   Where the trail climbs out of the creek and switchbacks left, leave it and go north on Trail 232.

3. 3

   Pass 12,380' · 1.8 mi

   Switchback up to a 12,380-foot pass.

4. 4

   Big Blue Creek crossing 11,400' · 3.3 mi

   Drop about 1,000 feet on Trail 232 through a wide tundra basin, then into trees near 11,900 feet, to a crossing of Big Blue Creek in a big open meadow. There are campsites along this stretch.

5. 5

   Ravine crossing 11,700' · 3.8 mi

   Leave the trail after the creek and head for the stream that drains the basin south of Silver Mountain and UN 13,048. Cross its ravine near 11,700 feet.

6. 6

   UN 13,048 13,048' · 5 mi

   Walk straight north up the grassy south slope to the top of tundra and small rock. It's steeper than the trail option but still easy, with wildflowers in summer.

Getting down

Return the same way, or take the Fall Creek trail down from the pass between Silver Mountain and UN 13,048. To add UN 13,015, head northeast (see that page).

If things go wrong

Big Blue Creek and the trail are below in the basin.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up UN 13,048 we list, with its class.

• UN 13,048 South Slope this routeClass 2 10 mi