Is it right for you?
UN 13,026 rises on the west side of Canon Diablo, south of the Eddiesville trailhead in the La Garita Mountains. San Luis Peak and Organ Mountain show well from the top.
You walk more than 4 miles on the Colorado Trail up Cochetopa Creek, wade the creek, and follow a faint, overgrown path into Canon Diablo through beetle-killed forest. Then a steep grassy avalanche chute leads to the northeast shoulder and an easy walk to the summit. It is Class 2, but the bushwhack makes route finding moderate.
The round trip is about 13.5 miles with 2,655 feet of gain. Most pair it with UN 13,408 across Canon Diablo (see that page).
Plan of the day
By 6:30 a.m.
Be on the northeast shoulder by 11 a.m.
The bushwhack into Canon Diablo and the steep chute.
Moderate. Find the right spot to leave the trail, then the faint path through dead trees.
Cochetopa Creek and Diablo Creek. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
Loading Fetching the forecast for 13,026'…—
—
—
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
Eddiesville South
Take Highway 114 south from US 50, about 7.5 miles east of Gunnison. Drive 20 miles and turn right on NN14 (BLM 3083). From Saguache over North Pass, this turn is about 7.5 miles below the pass. Follow good gravel about 7 miles to the south end of the Dome Lakes and turn right. Reset your odometer here.
Follow the same roads as for Stewart Creek: County Road 2166 (15GG) around the lake, left after a mile, right at about 4.2 miles onto 14DD, then Forest Road 794 into the national forest. The Stewart Creek trailhead is just under 21 miles from Dome Lakes. The Eddiesville trailhead, with a toilet, is just under half a mile farther east. Here the road turns sharply right and runs a short way south to end at a private ranch boundary, with only a few parking spots. It's close to 30 miles of dirt in all; a crossover or higher-clearance vehicle is best.
The Colorado Trail / Continental Divide Trail (Trail 465) leaves southwest to stay off the ranch, then goes south along its fence for about a mile and a half. The trail is public, but the ranch land beside it is not; stay on the trail and leave the cattle alone. Don't camp at the road's end by the ranch. Use the Eddiesville trailhead area instead.
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
Eddiesville South. 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 →