San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 572 of the 13ers
South-Southwest Ridge over UN 13,048
UN 13,015, 13,015'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip14 mi
Elevation gain4,800'
TrailheadNellie Creek
Trailhead elevation11,425'
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 · South-Southwest Ridge over UN 13,048
Is it right for you?
UN 13,015 is a Class 2 summit in the Uncompahgre Wilderness, high over Big Blue Creek, usually climbed after UN 13,048. The walking is mostly easy tundra, with rockier ground at the end.
From UN 13,048 you follow a broad ridge northeast to a small pond, climb a short rubble step, cross a false summit, and finish on half a mile of embedded rock and rubble. Nothing is hard; the rock just slows you down.
The round trip is about 14 miles with about 4,800 feet of gain, counting the climbs on the way back to the trailhead. It's a long day, best for fit hikers and older kids. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on UN 13,048 by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
The length, and the rubble on the last half mile.
Route-finding
Moderate. On the way out, contour southwest to the Silver Mountain saddle rather than going back over UN 13,048.
Water
Nellie Creek and Big Blue Creek. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,015'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
Today
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Tomorrow
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Day three
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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.
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.
TundraRidgeTrail in the treesTalus and screeExposed 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
Nellie Creek trailhead 11,425' · 0 mi
Walk north on the busy Uncompahgre Peak trail (Trail 239) up along Nellie Creek.
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
Pass 12,380' · 1.8 mi
Switchback up to a 12,380-foot pass.
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
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
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.
7
Pond 12,285' · 5.8 mi
Walk northeast down the broad ridge to a small, shallow pond and go around it.
8
Rubble step 12,800' · 6.1 mi
Keep northeast. Near 12,680 feet a steeper section of rubble can't be avoided; a faint trail may help on the crest. It eases off near 12,800 feet.
9
False summit 12,809' · 6.4 mi
Stroll across tundra over a false summit and down to a small saddle.
10
UN 13,015 13,015' · 7 mi
Climb the last half mile on embedded rock and rubble.
Getting down
Go back down the ridge to the pond, then contour southwest across the head of the basin, below the northwest side of UN 13,048, to the saddle with Silver Mountain. Early in the season there may be big snow patches here. Pick up the Fall Creek trail at the saddle and follow trails back over the pass to the trailhead.
If things go wrong
From the pond, contour to the Silver Mountain saddle and the Fall Creek trail.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Big Blue Creek the route is trailless until you rejoin the Fall Creek trail on the way out. 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.