jts26 - Jan 22, 2022 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2021
My First 13er!
Rinker Peak is my first 13er I've ever climbed! I'm 16, and did this mountain with my church group. Wilderness Expeditions guided. In terms of the mountain, it was a perfect entry into the world of mountaineering. There were few patches of snow. We actually headed up onto the broad saddle between Rinker and Point 13,302, and then took the South slopes up to the summit. Views of La Plata were spectacular.
Kiefer - Oct 19, 2021 8:05 am Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2021
Via North Ridge on Twin
Ascended the north ridge on Twin Peaks and kept traversing over to Rinker. Holy hell, that ridge kicked my butt. 2.77 miles from the trailhead to the top of the first peak & 3,666' gain.
Rinker was a good peak.
Up NE ridge of Twins, up Rinker, down south slopes route
Anybody who considers this route, don’t get too hung up searching for the perfect exit into the Bush when leaving the Willis Gulch trail ~1\2 mile in. There is no real enticing line. Just don’t start up until you are in the aspens. If you are thinking “Is this it?”, then just start walking because there is no “it.” Game trails abound. On the way down I looked hard for a better line and found none. Great route overall. Super fun setting on NE ridge. Just steep and interesting enough to keep you engaged. Maybe one of the best Class 2 lines in the Sasquatch range.
theREALCarpeDM - Feb 3, 2016 11:55 am Date Climbed: Oct 10, 2015
Beautiful weather - from Willis Gulch
I had plotted a course to climb the Twin Peaks, Rinker, Blaurock, and Ervin. I had the energy, but once I got to the summit of Rinker, I could tell I wasn't going to make it up the final pitch of Blaurock's NE ridge. I still hiked most of the ridge to get a closer look. Beforehand, the only info I had was the topo plus a comment on a furthermore TR that it looked like it was class 3 (from Blaurock's summit). From my vantage point, it looked like some of the worst steep choss imaginable. I guess I should've known based on the fact that no one had a TR for that route. I gave some thought to traversing down a few hundred feet and over to the Blaurock/Ervin saddle, but in the end figured I'd just save those two for a Winfield start.
ajberry - Jul 13, 2014 9:00 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2014
Nice ridge!
With Megan Berry. Went up the ridge more or less directly from the bridge out of the Willis TH parking lot. Long slog. Went all the way along the ridge to the head of the Big Willis Gulch valley. Trail down better than I expected: one short section has been overrun with willows.
Senad Rizvanovic - Jun 23, 2014 8:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2014
Big Willis Gulch
Via Big Willis Gulch , long approach, not much elevation gain in first 3-4 miles. Once we start hiking steep slope above Willis lake things changes rapidly.Nice hike, great views from top of Rinker Peak, as soon as we sumited storm moved in, so no Twin Peaks attempt. Nice day.
With Livingston from Mexico, Jay and Brian.
MattK - Nov 5, 2012 8:31 am Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2012
Northeast Ridge
The wife, pup and I. Steep start!!
Matt Lemke - Feb 27, 2012 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Feb 26, 2012
NE Ridge
A dead of winter ascent up the Ne Ridge...lots and lots of deep trail breaking and a very challenging ascent but worth the effort!
chicagotransplant - Jun 15, 2009 10:05 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2009
NE Ridge
Steep ascent up the NE ridge of Twin Peaks and then over to Rinker. Gains about 4000' in 3 1/4 miles! Decided to make a loop of it and descended the south slopes and back out along the Big Willis Gulch trail. The trail is becoming overgrown in places and it feels much more remote than it really is, which was a nice surprise considering how close to the highway these peaks are.
altitude14er - Sep 28, 2008 12:23 am Date Climbed: Sep 27, 2008
Route Climbed: South Slopes
A very aerobic workout on this one! The final push to the saddle is extremely steep and unpleasant..made it off the summit before it began hailing and thundering for a bitter sweet descent. A soggy slog,
SarahThompson - Mar 29, 2008 5:43 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2006
From Willis Gulch
Long slog up steep, grassy slopes to the Rinker - Twin Peaks saddle. Descended Twin Peaks' NE ridge.
Brian Kalet - Sep 10, 2007 12:01 pm Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2007
Northeast Ridge (ascent). South Slopes (descent)
7:40 roundtrip.
Ryan Kowalski - Aug 7, 2006 1:11 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2006
Route Climbed, NE Ridge
This is one of my favorite summit views in the Sawatch. Really a spectacular and seldom visited peak. We descended all the way down the southwest ridge to Upper Willis Gulch to see the prominent mine tailings down below. The trail out of upper Willis is overgrown with willows, etc. We got dumped on with rain the whole way out and were completely soaked. Still worth it, as this is a spectacular peak.
jts26 - Jan 22, 2022 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2021
My First 13er!Rinker Peak is my first 13er I've ever climbed! I'm 16, and did this mountain with my church group. Wilderness Expeditions guided. In terms of the mountain, it was a perfect entry into the world of mountaineering. There were few patches of snow. We actually headed up onto the broad saddle between Rinker and Point 13,302, and then took the South slopes up to the summit. Views of La Plata were spectacular.
Kiefer - Oct 19, 2021 8:05 am Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2021
Via North Ridge on TwinAscended the north ridge on Twin Peaks and kept traversing over to Rinker. Holy hell, that ridge kicked my butt. 2.77 miles from the trailhead to the top of the first peak & 3,666' gain.
Rinker was a good peak.
BradBartick - Sep 1, 2018 4:55 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2018
Up NE ridge of Twins, up Rinker, down south slopes routeAnybody who considers this route, don’t get too hung up searching for the perfect exit into the Bush when leaving the Willis Gulch trail ~1\2 mile in. There is no real enticing line. Just don’t start up until you are in the aspens. If you are thinking “Is this it?”, then just start walking because there is no “it.” Game trails abound. On the way down I looked hard for a better line and found none. Great route overall. Super fun setting on NE ridge. Just steep and interesting enough to keep you engaged. Maybe one of the best Class 2 lines in the Sasquatch range.
theREALCarpeDM - Feb 3, 2016 11:55 am Date Climbed: Oct 10, 2015
Beautiful weather - from Willis GulchI had plotted a course to climb the Twin Peaks, Rinker, Blaurock, and Ervin. I had the energy, but once I got to the summit of Rinker, I could tell I wasn't going to make it up the final pitch of Blaurock's NE ridge. I still hiked most of the ridge to get a closer look. Beforehand, the only info I had was the topo plus a comment on a furthermore TR that it looked like it was class 3 (from Blaurock's summit). From my vantage point, it looked like some of the worst steep choss imaginable. I guess I should've known based on the fact that no one had a TR for that route. I gave some thought to traversing down a few hundred feet and over to the Blaurock/Ervin saddle, but in the end figured I'd just save those two for a Winfield start.
ajberry - Jul 13, 2014 9:00 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2014
Nice ridge!With Megan Berry. Went up the ridge more or less directly from the bridge out of the Willis TH parking lot. Long slog. Went all the way along the ridge to the head of the Big Willis Gulch valley. Trail down better than I expected: one short section has been overrun with willows.
Senad Rizvanovic - Jun 23, 2014 8:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2014
Big Willis GulchVia Big Willis Gulch , long approach, not much elevation gain in first 3-4 miles. Once we start hiking steep slope above Willis lake things changes rapidly.Nice hike, great views from top of Rinker Peak, as soon as we sumited storm moved in, so no Twin Peaks attempt. Nice day.
With Livingston from Mexico, Jay and Brian.
MattK - Nov 5, 2012 8:31 am Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2012
Northeast RidgeThe wife, pup and I. Steep start!!
Matt Lemke - Feb 27, 2012 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Feb 26, 2012
NE RidgeA dead of winter ascent up the Ne Ridge...lots and lots of deep trail breaking and a very challenging ascent but worth the effort!
chicagotransplant - Jun 15, 2009 10:05 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2009
NE RidgeSteep ascent up the NE ridge of Twin Peaks and then over to Rinker. Gains about 4000' in 3 1/4 miles! Decided to make a loop of it and descended the south slopes and back out along the Big Willis Gulch trail. The trail is becoming overgrown in places and it feels much more remote than it really is, which was a nice surprise considering how close to the highway these peaks are.
altitude14er - Sep 28, 2008 12:23 am Date Climbed: Sep 27, 2008
Route Climbed: South SlopesA very aerobic workout on this one! The final push to the saddle is extremely steep and unpleasant..made it off the summit before it began hailing and thundering for a bitter sweet descent. A soggy slog,
SarahThompson - Mar 29, 2008 5:43 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2006
From Willis GulchLong slog up steep, grassy slopes to the Rinker - Twin Peaks saddle. Descended Twin Peaks' NE ridge.
Brian Kalet - Sep 10, 2007 12:01 pm Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2007
Northeast Ridge (ascent). South Slopes (descent)7:40 roundtrip.
Ryan Kowalski - Aug 7, 2006 1:11 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2006
Route Climbed, NE RidgeThis is one of my favorite summit views in the Sawatch. Really a spectacular and seldom visited peak. We descended all the way down the southwest ridge to Upper Willis Gulch to see the prominent mine tailings down below. The trail out of upper Willis is overgrown with willows, etc. We got dumped on with rain the whole way out and were completely soaked. Still worth it, as this is a spectacular peak.
Kane - Jul 10, 2003 6:17 am
Route Climbed: South Face Date Climbed: 7-6-2003Hiked Rinker on a nice, sunny July day. Great views of Mt. Elbert and Casco Peak.