Redcloud Peak

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/6/2025, By: tbonesaredelicious
Info: See my condition report for sunshine, pictures attached there 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: Youngan
Info: No snow on the lower trail, and only a few small snow crossing until reaching the north facing basin before the saddle. The basin was mostly full of snow, unfortunately the 5:45 AM start was not early enough to avoid postholing. After the basin any snow crossings are minimal and shallow to the Redcloud summit. More postholing after the saddle between Redcloud and Sunshine on the way up to Sunshine Peak. The final bit on sunshine has snow, but it’s somewhat avoidable and shallow. As expected, significantly more postholing on the way out as the temperature increased. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: butlerer
Info: Holy post-holing! It was a beautiful day, a great hike to Redcloud and Sunshine and back to Redcloud, but holy post-holing. We left the TH at 415, and the snow on the way up was okay--punched through in a couple of spots but not bad. By the time we got to the saddle between Redcloud and Sunshine, and even more so in unavoidable snow on the descent from Redcloud between~13,000' and 12,000', the snow was diabolical--it was a combination of super soft and wet that would occasionally suck your boots in and trap them 3-4' below the surface in an icy vice-grip that would only relent after repeated pole stabbing and chanting the right combination of expletives. Post-holing aside, it was a nearly perfect day. Road to Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch TH was dry and clear for a Crosstrek to navigate. Only 5 or 6 cars overnight at the TH--and a curious racoon looking for handouts (didn't find any with us). The trail was clear of snow until about 11,600', and the creek is flowing abundantly. Plenty of places below 11,600' to filter water. Lots of evidence of avalanches on nearby peaks that looked to be much steeper than anything on Redcloud or Sunshine. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/25/2025, By: AlessiaAscent
Info: Great conditions for a May hike on Redcloud! Road is completely dry to trailhead, although a little rougher early season than I remember. My subaru outback handled it without issues, but probably a little rougher than standard 2WD. We were only ones at the trailhead, super beautiful. Trail dry to about 12k, then some intermittent snow patches until hitting the basin below the ridge at 13,000. Basin is still completely snow covered - no traction or floatation needed on the way up, sun didn't hit basin till about 7:30am. There's a big cornice between the false summit and the Redcloud summit, but it's easy to stay on dry trail to the right. On the way back down, we postholed in the basin but it was a relatively short-term issue. Snow is melting fast! San Juans are so beautiful right now. 

Route: West Gully
Posted On: 5/17/2025, By: Jcinco
Info: Great ski conditions. I skied the lookers right gully which extended higher than the other options. Skiable from summit all the way to Silver Creek at 11.2k. Very little wallowing except the part near Silver Creek. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 10/15/2024, By: ColoNativeGal
Info: Completed on Sunday. Summer conditions and shoulder-season conditions - meaning light ice around stream crossings early in the morning (no traction needed), and layer season. Hot/cold, icy winds, etc. Had some flurries late in the afternoon. This will probably change if the area gets anything out of the storm system coming in this weekend. Road to TH in good condition, clearance is helpful; you could get a subaru up if you pick your lines well. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/8/2024, By: AndrewJCraigie
Info: Dry, but windy, especially going up Redcloud. Going down Redcloud was a bit of a pain due to all the small, loose rocks. Slipped on my butt a few times. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/7/2024, By: NicolaKeerknah
Info: Trail is completely dry and minimal water is flowing down from whats left in the small snow fields at higher elevation. Feet stayed dry entire climb. Plenty of water still flowing beside trail for first few miles; there is one small lake on the right after the rockslide fields as you enter the valley if you need to refill on your way up or down. Pretty windy at top of Redcloud, which was more annoying than dangerous and made a for a colder summit. Ascent up Redcloud itself required minimal trail finding if you follow the signs and download the live route; you will navigate up a short slope with scree that has many choices, but some were more steeper than others so choose your own adventure carefully. Recommend poles for the descent if you are someone who prefers extra stability. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/25/2024, By: mountainmanAJ
Info: Trail is mostly clear and easy to follow. There are a few small snowfield crossings left that are inconsequential at this point. The last 1/4mi or so of trail has a section that is a little harder to follow, but its easy to see where the next clear section of trail is. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/17/2024, By: RWenz
Info: Hiked Sunshine via Redcloud. Lots of water available the first 2.5miles. A couple snow patches that can be easily avoided. No need for traction. The ascent up Redcloud isnt clearly defined as its been pretty tore up. Prepare for choose your own adventure for about 200m. Summer conditions. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/16/2024, By: mholloway987
Info: Still some snow fields covering about 10% of the trail. You can either go over it with snowshoes, posthole through it, or go around and try to find where the trail comes out the other side. Other than those, its easy going summer conditions When you reach the trail sign just past the first saddle at about 13,000 don't go too far along that trail. It goes flat across the face of the mountain then dead ends after about 400 yards. Take one of the steep switchbacks under 200 yards in, well before reaching the dead end, to stay on the trail. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/26/2024, By: d_baker
Info: Shockingly no cars at TH on Friday night nor Saturday morning! I was planning to poach hikerguys Sundog route, but the dry trail sucked me up a 14er instead... I didn't carry snowshoes and no regrets with that decision. Carried but did not use traction. Snow becomes continuous in basin below saddle, and was firm in the morning and mostly firm at 11am-ish during descent. Postholes were only mid-shin. The weather of overcast and snow squalls and cool breeze kept snowpack cold. From saddle, I stayed along the ridge and didn't traverse out on slope where the trail goes. There are snow fields on the trail, so I mostly avoided those by staying on or close to ridge, away from cornice. Saw one other hiker, and he had come up from Mills Campground route, and was descending standard route for a loop. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/6/2024, By: AlpineSplit
Info: Skiable from the summit into the west gullies. You can begin skinning once you cross the creek into the drainage below the gullies. 

Route: East Ridge via Sunshine Peak
Posted On: 3/11/2024, By: Skimo95
Info: The trail from Mill Creek starts out dry. Bob and I found a single boot pack which he followed and I skinned most of the way to tree line. I skinned for a bit above tree line, using splitboard crampons at times. After booting to the summit, I rode down the shoulder while Bob put in a booter down the slope. We met at the saddle low point, and booted some mixed dry/snow conditions to Redcloud. Tracks held on return, I ended up riding the east face of sunshine before regaining the ridge. We found a hurt hiker on the way down. Bob assisted the hiker to tree line, and I boogied to the trailhead where we had a sheriff awaiting and S&R on standby for him. I hope he made it down okay. Trail was a muddy mess on return. 

Route: Via Sunshine Peak (Mill Creek Rd)
Posted On: 1/21/2024, By: wintersage
Info: Other than the steep rocky beginning, snowshoes were definitely necessary until about 0.65mi from the summit of Sunshine. From there, you could just stash them, change to microspikes, and grab Redcloud. We encountered the deepest snow between 11500ft and 12200ft and heard whomping and shifting nearly a dozen times throughout the day luckily the slope gradient was safe enough. Windy day that got progressively more windy and cold but overall good for summiting.