Sangre de Cristo Range · Colorado 13er · No. 209 of the 13ers
Northeast Ridge from Silver Peak
Cotton King Peak, 13,494'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip13.7 mi
Elevation gain5,400'
TrailheadGibson Creek
Trailhead elevation9,130'
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.
Colorado 13er · Northeast Ridge from Silver Peak
Overview
Cotton King Peak stands west of Silver Peak, with an impressive north face. It is usually climbed with Silver from the Lakes of the Clouds, or from Cotton Lake on the west side.
From Silver, drop to a 12,500-foot saddle and climb the northeast ridge. Near the top a shallow gully and a boulder ramp lead back to the crest. It is Class 2 with some boulder hopping. The east summit is the high point.
The round trip with Silver Peak is about 13.7 miles with 5,400 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates. Strong parties sometimes also add Spread Eagle Peak and Peak of the Clouds.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Cotton King by noon.
Crux
Just the length. Steep grass above the lakes.
Route-finding
Moderate. Past the third lake there's no trail; aim south into the upper basin, then for Silver's southeast ridge.
From Westcliffe, drive south on Colorado 69 and turn west on County Road 160, across from the gas station. After 6 miles, turn right on County Road 164, go 1.5 miles, then left on County Road 172. The Forest Service boundary (often the winter closure) is 0.3 mile up, and the trailhead 0.2 mile beyond.
Much of the land along the way is private. Park only at the trailhead, or along the road with care if it is full, and don't camp on the drive in.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeExposed 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
Gibson Creek trailhead 9,130' · 0 mi
Take the trail northwest past private homes to the Rainbow Trail and turn right (north).
2
Lakes of the Clouds Trail 9,500' · 0.9 mi
After about 0.7 mile on the Rainbow Trail, turn left (west) at the marked junction. Older maps don't show this trail. It starts out as a rocky, rutted old road on the south side of Swift Creek.
3
Swift Creek crossing 10,100' · 2.2 mi
Cross to the north side of the creek.
4
Trail junction 10,700' · 3.2 mi
Meet the north-side Swift Creek trail. There's a good campsite a little higher.
5
Lakes of the Clouds 11,450' · 4.5 mi
Continue west and southwest to the lakes, with good campsites. Expect mosquitoes early in summer.
6
Third lake 11,600' · 4.8 mi
Walk southwest to the third lake, where the trail fades.
7
Upper basin 12,226' · 5.1 mi
Head south up steep grass and past low willows into a higher basin.
8
Southeast ridge 13,100' · 5.5 mi
Follow a moraine-like rib toward a tundra basin above 12,400 feet, then climb steeper tundra to Silver Peak's southeast ridge.
Watch for: Snow may linger here early in the season.
9
Silver Peak 13,517' · 5.75 mi
Walk the easy ridge northwest to the top.
10
Saddle 12,500' · 6.35 mi
Head down the west-southwest ridge on easy tundra.
11
Shallow gully 13,000' · 6.75 mi
Climb the northeast ridge, staying on its south side as it steepens. Tundra turns to rock. Near 13,000 feet, take a shallow gully on the left that may hold snow.
12
Summit 13,494' · 7 mi
About 200 feet higher, a boulder ramp cuts back right to the ridge. Follow it and walk boulders to the top.
Getting down
Return to the saddle, then save some climbing by contouring east across Silver's south slopes to the ridge toward Peak of the Clouds. Drop to the Lakes of the Clouds and follow the trail out.
If things go wrong
From the saddle, contour east and drop to the lakes.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the Lakes of the Clouds the route is trailless. 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.
Other routes
Every way up Cotton King Peak we list, with its class.
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.