Sunshine Peak

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 12/9/2024, By: ROPjason
Info: Dry conditions up to 11,000'; snow after 11,500' 18-30" deep and unstable; wore snowshoes to the flats above treeline; summited from the trailhead in 5 hours; traversed over and up to Redcloud on stable snow in 1 hour. Car to car in 9.5 hours. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 10/15/2024, By: ColoNativeGal
Info: same as Redcloud report, summer conditions for now.
more details and pics in that report. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 8/4/2024, By: atmosfarag
Info: Climbed Sunshine and Redcloud 8/3 in lollipop loop fashion ascending Sunshine's NW face, traversing over to redcloud, then hiking back down to the TH. I would recommend this over the standard route everyday. The gulley on this route is a bit sketchy but if you stay on the right side while going up you can find some stable rock, and regardless it is a very short and quick section. The standard route up redcloud (which I just went down) is an absolute mess of a trail - slippery sandy scree - the whole way. Going down it sucked and watching people go up it on all fours looked miserable. Taking this route you get the entirety of that in a very short steep gulley that is over and done within 10-15 minutes. Route finding at the junction is weird but you want to stay to the left once you cross the river.

I was hesitant taking this route but it offered solitude and adventure and IMO better overall hiking compared to the standard route. Not sure if I'd recommend descending the gulley but may still be better than the crowds and the condition of Redcloud's standard route. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 8/11/2024, By: Hiking_TheRockies
Info: Up Redcloud Standard and down Northwest Face. I've heard that ascending the Northwest Face is decent, but descending was pretty awful. The gully we descended was so loose that 10-20' of scree above us would begin sliding every couple of steps, downclimbing was incredibly tedious. Redcloud standard ascent was gross but not the worst thing in the world, would recommend taking it back down. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 7/15/2024, By: van_w
Info: We descended the Northwest face route. I do not recommend doing this route. Absolutely terrible choss at the gendarmes, and in the "trail" sections with no rocks the grade is too steep and dirt is poor condition to where gravity will take you for a ride. Just go back over Redcloud.

Otherwise, prime conditions on the standard route up Redcloud then over to Sunshine. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 7/13/2024, By: marcusmartin
Info: The Hard Rock 100 aid station was at the Silver Creek/Gizzly Gulch TH when we arrived at 5:30am. Race participants were running with lights on CR 30. Don't underestimate the hike up to Redcloud and over to Sunlight. Starting around the Redclould saddle at 13,000' the trail is often hard to find, and it is very loose large, medium and small rocks and dirt. Very dangerous on the descent. Perhaps the most difficult descent of the 32 14ers I have summitted. Most hikers were using poles. I was very glad to have them. No snow or downed trees on the trail. The total RT effort was 7.5 hrs. And I only took one 10 minute break on Redcloud and a 20 minute break on Sunshine. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 7/14/2024, By: Kalerado
Info: I did the loop going up Redcloud trail, and down Sunshine NW ridge through the valley below Sun Dog, rather than back over Redcloud. The trail up Redcloud is very straight forward until just above the 1st saddle. Loose rocks and lots of trail variations. Take it slow and steady to avoid slipping or rolling an ankle. Coming down Sunshine, there is a short gully that is steep and loose. Whether going up or down, I would recommend a helmet for anyone taking this route. Rocks are very easy to kick loose and they will roll. Coming down, follow the cairns to the top of the gully. At the top of the gully is a rock outcropping that splits it in half. Start off by staying to the right side, where the dirt is a little more firm, and use the rocks on the left to stabilize. Once you get below this outcropping, cross over to the left side, and again, use the rock wall on the left to steady yourself down. There is good footing and holds along the wall. Be mindful of anyone above or below for falling rocks. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
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: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 7/7/2024, By: NicolaKeerknah
Info: Trail is completely dry. A bit windy on the ridge line between Redcloud and Sunshine. At the top of Sunshine it was warm and we experienced little to no wind.

Ascent up Sunshine itself required minimal trail finding; you could see the general path the entire way from Redcloud. I would suggest to stay high left as you go up the last pitch to Sunshine where the talus seemed a bit more secure. Backtracked to Redcloud for the standard route descent; maybe recommend poles for the descent if you are someone who prefers extra stability.

NOTE for NW FACE-Some people returned to Grizzly Gulch TH using the Northwest Face trail to descend. At the TH it was reported that the "loop to go down" or the Northwest Face descent had a lot of scree on the face and at times it felt like they were "skiing" down. They mentioned they did need to do minimal route finding on the face and in the gully.

DOG OWNERS: HIGHLY recommend booties for the this trail as it is LONG and with a lot of scree/talus. My 8yr old dog's hind paws were rubbed raw in spots, as was another pup's when I inquired with them. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 6/17/2024, By: RWenz
Info: Summer conditions. A few patches of snow going up Redcloud that can be easily avoided. Little to no snow along the saddle. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 6/16/2024, By: mholloway987
Info: The traverse from Redcloud and back is in good, 90% summer condition, a few snow fields covering the trail in places but fairly easy to get through or around.

Check out the very cool needle ice up there under the dirt! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/9/2024, By: buzzlightbeer
Info: Trail is in solid shape and required way less route finding (approximately none) than expected. No snow until the last 30 ft of vertical with a large block hiding the summit. Justified hauling the microspikes and axe, but probably not necessary. Solitude is nice. Apple watch said 10.2 round-trip, Suunto 11.5. Both probably biased high, but expect more than 7. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 6/10/2024, By: FlipFlap55
Info: Went up Sunshine NW Face and traversed ridge all the way to UN 13820. The scree slope on the NW Face is melted out in the upper third, but wasn't especially difficult with microspikes. From Sunshine to Redcloud there was ~50 steps in snow with steps already kicked in. From the Redcloud saddle to UN 13820 there were a few short (>50 step) snow crossings, but otherwise dry. There is still a good bit of snow in the Silver Creek Basin below the saddle, but most areas have steps kicked in. I was able to glissade down part of the remaining snow, but it's melting fast! 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 6/1/2024, By: stickmann
Info: There are several snow crossings up to the basin and the basin is mostly full of snow but didnt require flotation today. The trail on Redclouds face still has snow and taking the social ridge trail seems safer until it melts. Traverse to Sunshine is mostly snow free except one ridge bump, a short traverse, and the last 50 feet or so. It looks snowy from afar but you can mostly stay on rock. Soft snow by 9:30am, even up high. I didnt use any traction but found a pole helpful for a few snowy sections. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 5/6/2024, By: AlpineSplit
Info: Northwest face is not in ski condition, but it is possible to ski the east face/ridge connecting Redcloud.