UN 13202 Standard Route

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 39.16148°N / 106.552°W
Additional Information GPX File: Download GPX » View Route on Map
Additional Information Route Type: Hiking, Mountaineering
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Additional Information Time Required: Half a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Class 2
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach from North Fork Trailhead.

Overview

UN 13202
UN 13202
 Summit:  13,202 feet
  39.16155°N, -106.55161°W 
 Rank in CO:  489 of 637
 13er Rank in CO:  436 of 584
 13er Rank in Range:  87 of 114

 

UN 13202 is one of those peaks you always overlook, but it has nice surprise for you. Even it's unnamed, this peak is among ranked Colorado 13ers, it lays next to taller and more recognizable Deer Mountain, but this mountain in combination with UN 13300 makes great day hike. Easy access, beautiful scenery, amazing views from the summit are some of the reasons why this mountain should be on your list, I don't even want to mention peakbaggers, it's entirely different story. 

 

UN 13202

UN 13202

UN 13202

UN 13202

 

 

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Getting There

 

From Aspen, drive east on SH82 over the summit of Independence Pass and continue down the east side of the pass to the last switchback where the highway drops into the North Lake Creek valley. Just below the last switchback, there's a turnoff to the left (east) that's a short dirt road that leads to trailhead parking for several vehicles in 100 yards or so. This is just under 5 miles from the summit of the pass. The trailhead parking has a wood rail fence. The short drive in may have some potholes.

If coming from the Front Range, turn west from US24 onto SH82 and drive west past Twin Lakes, continuing up along the Lake Fork until the highway makes the first switchback to begin the climb up Independence Pass. Just before that switchback, turn right (east) onto the dirt road that leads to the trailhead parking in 100 yards or so. This measures about 19 miles from US24/SH82 turnoff.  

 

Highway 82 (Independence Pass) usually closes by November 1st for the winter. Once it's closed, this trailhead is inaccessible.

Route

 

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This peak was done in combination with UN13,300B so the route description for Un13,202 begins from the summit of Un13,300B. From that summit, retrace your ascent route as best as possible and return to the saddle just north of the Continental Divide turn. Continue south, heading up the ridge on mostly small rock and gaining nearly 200 feet. From here on out, the ridge is never any more than Class 2+. The only Class 3 work is returning off of UN13,300B to the saddle. Follow on south along the ridge and then west after about a half mile near point 12,990. Earlier in the season when we did this, we found numerous snow cornices and at a number of locations, we could walk on snow if we stayed safely back from the cornice overhang. This may have made the traverse easier overall.

At the 12,700 foot saddle just west of UN13,202, begin your final ascent to the summit along the ridgeline for a ways. It's easy enough until the last 150 vertical feet which presents a rugged, rocky summit block that appears to present some difficulty. At the base of the rocky section, follow a ramp that appears to the left (SW). The ramps takes you out to open slopes which can be easily hiked to the summit. The view from atop offers nice panoramas looking down Marten Creek and the South Fork of the Frying Pan as well as a distant view of the Williams group of peaks to the west.

To return, one option is to hike back east as you came to the 12,700 ft. saddle. When you crossed here, you may have seen remnants of the old Marten Creek trail. You can follow this back down to the SE back to the main trail in the North Fork Lake Creek, but sections of this trail on Google Earth appear to have disappeared through disuse. The other option is to walk down the SW ridge from the summit, at first on broken rock that gives way to tundra, losing about 300 feet or more and then drop down a short couloir, then break out to the SE, making a long, contouring descent back to the North Fork trail. Willows may make this more interesting. Also, on Google Earth, as you head SW off the summit, there's a game trail that's visible, that cuts across the ridge. It appears that this game trail cuts down to the SE across the south face of UN13,202 and then gets lost in the easier terrain farther down.

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  • No permits or fees are required to climb or hike.
  • MAPS San Isabel National Forest USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle: Winfield Trails Illustrated #129 Buena Vista/Collegiate Peak
  • Leadville Ranger District 2015 North Poplar - Leadville, CO - 80461 Phone (719) 486-0749 Fax (719) 486-092

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When to Climb

Highway 82 (Independence Pass) usually closes by November 1st for the winter. Once it's closed, this trailhead is inaccessible.

 

Camping

Mount Massive Wilderness was designated by congress in 1980 and it now has a total of 30,540 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Colorado and is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service.

The Mount Massive Wilderness is bordered by the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness to the west. Mount Massive (14,421 feet), Colorado's second highest peak, and other mountains of the Sawatch Range have two distinctive characteristics: great height, and a huge, sloping bulk that makes them relatively easy to climb. Nowhere along the Continental Divide does the ground rise higher than the Sawatch Range, the crest of this continent. Just south of the Wilderness stands Mount Elbert at 14,443 feet, Colorado's highest summit. The divide marks the western boundary of this area, with the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness immediately to the other side. Dry lodgepole pine forests, typical of the eastern slopes of the divide, cover much of the lower elevations and give way to spruce and fir higher up before all trees yield to alpine tundra.

The Leadville National Fish Hatchery, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, comprises approximately 2,500 acres. The majority of the Fish Hatchery lies within the boundary of the Mount Massive Wilderness. The hatchery land inside the Wilderness boundary is co-managed by the US Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Forest Service is the principal land manager, protecting the Wilderness resources. The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages the fishery and water resources to protect and perpetuate native fish species.

The Colorado Trail #1776 crosses 10 miles of the eastern region, and only about 10 more miles of trails exist in this Wilderness.

Please help keep Wilderness wild by following Leave No Trace practices. 

At a Glance

Permit Info: Wilderness permits are required. Self-issuing permits are available at trailheads free of charge.
Restrictions: Wilderness regulations apply
Closest Towns: Leadville, Colorado
Water: Treat all non-potable water before consuming.
Operated By: Forest Service; Fish and Wildlife Service
Information Center: Leadville Ranger District

 

Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands

2840 Kachina Drive Pueblo, CO 81008 719-553-1400

Telephone for the Hearing Impaired 719-553-1404

Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. MT (Supervisor's Office Only)

 



Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.