LoJ: #561 (Pre-LiDAR #562) / 13,110' UN 13110 Formerly UN 13106

Range › San Juan Range
Quadrangle › Uncompahgre Peak
Summit Location › Peak Route Icon N 38° 04' 17.64", W 107° 25' 09.95" (Not Field Checked)

Peak Summary

UN 13,110 is one of several easy, Class 2, 13er summits located at the headwaters of Nellie Creek and in the shadow of the dominating 14er, Uncompahgre Peak. The vast majority of people who come to hike and climb here will focus all their attention on the 14er and ignore the opportunities on the surrounding 13ers. UN13,110 is sequenced together with UN13,108 for an easy day hike. If time and weather allows, try to include a trip across the valley and pick up UN 13,155 as well. Vehicle access requires at least a stock 4WD with good clearance. Lidar added 4 feet of elevation

UN 13,110 West Ridge Route

Class 2
Medium Day // Take a Lunch
Climbed with UN 13108
RT From Nellie Ck - Uncompahgre Peak: 4.8mi / 1,680'
  • Trailhead
    • Nellie Ck - Uncompahgre Peak TH

      Directions begin from Lake City. From Gunnison, go west on SH50 to the intersection near the beginning of Blue Mesa Reservoir with SH149 and turn south. From Montrose, drive east on SH50 to the east end of Blue Mesa Reservoir for the same turnoff on SH149. Drive west and south on 149 to Lake City, just over 45 miles from the previous intersection. Once in Lake City, watch for either 3rd or 2nd street. Turning west on either will take you to Bluff St. in two blocks and a left turn (south). 2nd St. is considered the "official" access to CR20 which heads west following Henson Creek, but if you take 3rd St., it passes by a nice city park with restroom and picnic tables for those who need a break before proceeding further.

      Once on CR20 (on the Gunnison National Forest map this is labelled as BLM3303), drive 5.2 miles to the turnoff for Nellie Creek which is signed and turns off to the north (FR877). Coordinates are: N 38° 01' 13.88" W 107° 24' 02.68". Standard clearance passenger vehicles should not attempt to go up this road. A short distance up the Nellie Creek road is some camping, (several possible sites) but camping is not permitted along CR20 in this section of the road. To proceed further up the Nellie Creek road, a minimum stock 4WD is best to have. The road starts out kind of rough and with potholes as it passes the initial campsites and then improves in a relative sense. While rocky in stretches, there are never any difficult places up to the creek crossing. Along this stretch there are a couple other campsites right off the side of the road. In 2.0 miles, the road crosses from the east to the west side of Nellie Creek, then climbs a steep switchback and continues generally north. In another .4 mile, it makes a hard left while another road veers off to the right. This older road gives access to Crystal Peak. In another mile, the road to the trailhead begins to level out in an open meadow. From the meadow it's another .8 mile to the trailhead from there for overall mileage of about 4 from CR20. Plan on this drive taking a minimum half hour or longer depending on how much you want to rattle your vehicle.


      Camping

      The parking area and vicinity at the trailhead offers some primitive campsites but the ground here is not very level, so the best campsites are about a quarter mile back in the trees where there are several good sites. There's also good opportunities back in the long, wide open meadow. On summer weekends, expect the trailhead to be crowded and camp sites more difficult to find. Since Uncompahgre Peak is the 6th highest 14er, it attracts a lot of attention.

    Peak Icon Route Map Photos

    Route Info UN 13,110 West Ridge

    Route Description

    Year Climbed: 2003

    For UN 13,110, head north on the very-well established Uncompahgre Peak trail # 239 (or #6239 on FS Topo 2016). This trail follows up along Nellie Creek then climbs out of the creek drainage at about three-quarter mile and switchbacks to the left. Right at that switchback, leave the Uncompahgre trail and head north on another trail (#232 or 6232) that gains elevation on several switchbacks to a pass at 12,380 ft. Coordinates for this intersection are: N 38° 04' 06.81" W 107° 25' 56.35". At the pass, leave the trail and just hike on tundra eastward toward the undistinguished summit of UN 13,110. The tundra will give way to a brief rocky cap section that has to be broken through to reach the flat, rocky summit. The high point is on the west end of the long, flat summit ridge. That ridge progresses from the rocky west end to more and more tundra as you hike ENE if heading on over to UN 13,108. That's all there is to this one. The summit offers a commanding view of the Nellie Creek valley below and of course, there's Uncompahgre dominating the skyline to the west, where you can probably see numerous hikers as you enjoy this summit to yourself.


    Additional BETA

    Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful.
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