Sangre de Cristo Range · Colorado 13er · No. 471 of the 13ers
Northeast Ridge from Horn Creek
Little Horn Peak, 13,154'
DifficultyClass 3
Round trip8.5 mi
Elevation gain4,200'
TrailheadHorn Creek
Trailhead elevation9,100'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,154'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
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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.
Colorado 13er · Northeast Ridge from Horn Creek
Overview
Little Horn Peak sits just north of Horn Peak above Westcliffe. From the Horn Creek trailhead you leave the Horn Creek trail at a clearing, zigzag up through open forest to the northeast ridge, and follow it to a notch and the summit.
It is Class 2 with an easy Class 3 scramble into a notch near the top.
The round trip is about 8.5 miles with 4,200 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at treeline by 9:30 a.m.
Crux
An easy Class 3 downclimb into a notch near 13,000 feet.
Route-finding
Moderate. From the clearing on the Horn Creek trail, climb northwest staying just south of a small drainage, then curve west up a subtle shoulder to the ridge.
Go south from Westcliffe on Colorado 69 about 3.4 miles to Schoolfield Road and head west. In 1.7 miles go south on County Road 129; in about 2 more, go west on Horn Creek Road (County Road 130). Sky Ranch comes up 2.4 miles along; turn right there, and the big Horn Creek lot (9,100 feet) is half a mile ahead.
Trail in the treesRidgeTundraScramblingExposed 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
Horn Creek trailhead 9,100' · 0 mi
Start up the trail next to the restrooms.
2
Rainbow Trail 9,400' · 0.6 mi
At the junction, turn right on the Rainbow Trail, then left after 0.1 mile onto the hiker-only trail toward Horn Creek.
3
Clearing 9,700' · 1.1 mi
About half a mile along, leave the trail at a clearing.
4
Northeast ridge 10,900' · 2.1 mi
Hike northwest through the trees, staying south of a small drainage, then curve west up a shoulder to the ridge.
5
Treeline 11,700' · 2.8 mi
Follow the ridge southwest to treeline.
6
Steeper ridge 12,300' · 3.2 mi
Stay on or just left of the crest as it steepens.
7
Notch 13,000' · 3.9 mi
Scramble along the ridge to a notch. Climb about 20 feet down into it and go left along the south side to bypass some difficulties.
Watch for: Easy Class 3.
8
Summit 13,154' · 4.25 mi
Regain the ridge just before the last false summit and walk less than 0.2 mile to the top.
Getting down
Return the same way.
If things go wrong
Below the notch, the ridge leads back down.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the Horn Creek trail the route is trailless forest and ridge. 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 Little Horn 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.