Sawatch Range · Colorado 13er · No. 576 of the 13ers
Southeast Ridge from Lost Man Lake
UN 13,006, 13,006'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip7 mi
Elevation gain2,700'
TrailheadRoaring Fork River
Trailhead elevation11,506'
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 · Southeast Ridge from Lost Man Lake
Overview
UN 13,006 is one of the lowest 13ers in Colorado, north of Independence Pass above Lost Man Lake. The trail does most of the work.
You hike past Independence Lake and over the pass to Lost Man Lake, leave the trail for a saddle, then weave up a ridge of big rock blocks with a few small cliffs to get around. It is Class 2, and the blocks make it more fun than it looks.
The round trip is about 7 miles with 2,700 feet of gain. The Geissler peaks and UN 13,556 are nearby.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at the saddle by 11 a.m.
Crux
Large blocks near the summit.
Route-finding
Easy. Go all the way down to Lost Man Lake before leaving the trail; a rock glacier blocks the shortcut.
Take Highway 82 toward Independence Pass. On the west side of the pass, the highway makes one last sharp switchback near the young Roaring Fork River before the final climb to the top. The trailhead parking for the Lost Man and Independence Lake trails (about 11,500 feet) is at this bend.
Any car can make it. The highway over the pass is closed in winter, usually from early November to late May.
TundraRidgeOff-trail, no set pathExposed 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
Trailhead 11,506' · 0 mi
Head north on the Independence Lake trail along the creek. Just past a stream crossing, skip the left fork to Linkins Lake.
2
Creek crossing 11,800' · 0.55 mi
The trail switches to the creek's east bank and winds through willows. Old maps show a trail on the west bank; it's gone.
3
Independence Lake 12,490' · 2 mi
Leave the willows behind in a wide tundra bowl.
4
Pass 12,815' · 2.4 mi
Continue north on the trail to the pass.
5
Lost Man Lake 12,450' · 2.9 mi
Drop to the lake; a rock glacier makes contouring above it slow.
6
Leave the trail 12,250' · 3.2 mi
Past the lake, drop about 200 more feet, then leave the trail.
7
Saddle 12,650' · 3.5 mi
Walk up tundra and a little rock to the saddle between UN 13,006 and Point 13,150.
8
Summit 13,006' · 3.8 mi
Head northwest along the ridge, working around big blocks and small cliffs. Near the top you may drop below the crest and come up from the south.
Getting down
Go straight down the steep tundra and scree south of the summit to a group of green ponds, about 15 minutes, then back up the trail over the pass and down to the car.
If things go wrong
The trail is close below the whole way.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Lost Man Lake the route leaves the trail. 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.
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.