Sunshine Peak

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 7/6/2014, By: hilo21
Info: Snow free from TH to summit. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 6/13/2014, By: MtnMikeH
Info: Traverse can now be done completely avoiding snow fields/cornices. Requires minor deviations from standard route but exposure was not a significant issue on the ascent up from the saddle. Round trip time (from and back to Redcloud summit) was 1 hour 40 minutes at a steady, moderate pace. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/29/2014, By: Mtn Izz
Info: Just made it back to COS after a successful summit on Sunshine peak. Didn't make it to Redcloud as our goal was just the one peak as we wanted to avoid as much soft snow and postholing in the late afternoon. My partner would disagree with this and argue it was my stamina and speed that was a factor (might be some truth to this). Starting out from Mill Creek Campground was easy until a couple hundred feet up where we were met with bare scree fields holding no snow. Although it felt like 1000 vertical feet with no end it was a painful & grueling way to start off the morning. Once you get by the scree fields (doesn't matter where your approach starts) you'll be met with snow through the trees and it will last for the rest of the trip. Start early to get solid footing through the snow in the trees as well as above treeline. Snow shoes & microspikes/crampons are needed. Snow conditions are prime for ski/snowboarding but expect to pick your way through scree fields and loose rock on the ascent & descent via this route. The only slide we saw was off of the south face of the summit but we didn't experience any avalanche prone slopes on our trip. Tough peak from this side, but doable... Ill upload a couple of pictures soon. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 9/29/2013, By: jimmtman
Info: Trail is holding up to 1 ft of snow though some sections are bare. We descended off Sunshine without going back over Redcloud by going back to the last saddle and heading down. There is a cairn and a trail here. Great plunge stepping in deep snow all the way down to the basin. So as of right now this route has a track to follow. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 9/25/2013, By: sunny1
Info: Trail has anywhere from no snow to over 1 ft of snow after the storm Sunday night.
Waterproof boots, gaiters needed. Did not use traction today.
Access to Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch is mostly dry.
Aspen are gorgeous - but leaves may blow off in next few days (high winds predicted). 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 9/7/2013, By: zsmith
Info: After climbing Redcloud/Sunshine today, I do not think the trail that is supposed to come off the opposite side of Sunshine is viable to the average person. There are places where people have scratched down the scree field, but then it goes through a cliff band. It is NOT a 'standard', maintained trail. It was safer to return over Redcloud, but that added considerable distance and elevation. Every person I spoke with that took that trail in the past said they'd never do it again. The trail guide also says to return over Redcloud, but the topo that prints with the .pdf is misleading. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 6/28/2013, By: esagas
Info: Summer conditions all the way to the top. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 6/24/2013, By: thebeave7
Info: Up Redcloud first, then over to Sunshine before descending over Sundog. Trail is clear and runnable/hikeable without any special gear, snow is not an issue. Just the standard rocky scree/talus on the route. Use trail descending from Sunshine to Sundog is rough, but easy to follow. The route over Sundog is best as an ascent route, steep and rocky, but footing holds pretty well.

Photo #1: Looking over to Sunshine from Redcloud
Photo #2: Looking down at Sundog from Sunshine
Photo #3: The final steep ridge section from Sundog back to the main trail 

Route: Redcloud/Sunshine loop
Posted On: 6/9/2013, By: SES_17
Info: Did the "loop" from Redcloud standard route to Sunshine and down NW Ridge. Basin below Redcloud has a few snowfields to cross but most held up well, minor post-holing. Trail from saddle to summit and over to Sunshine was clear except for a couple snow patches heading up Sunshine. NW ridge is clear from summit to upper basin but a lot of snow still in basin. Climbing down through gullies was "adventerous". Ice axe & spikes needed. Large snowfields in basin but all were still firm. No post-holing. Trail below basin is clear. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 6/1/2013, By: Nelson
Info: Crampons and an ax are a must to get past the gendarme guarding the crux. The good news is there is a strip of snow from about 12,000 to 13,400. This is a lot more pleasant than the talus. I descended the Redcloud standard route. I left the summit about 10:15. Any snow I encountered was mush and I postholed to the ground. The good news is you can really avoid 99% of it. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 5/26/2013, By: Patinator
Info: The route is pretty snow free until you get close to the amphitheater where you decide which gulley to ascend and there are large snow patches that are easily crossable while they are still cold. You will have to zigzag through the forest prior to that area (losing the trail to snow) but I am guessing that it will melt pretty quickly there. The galleys in the amphitheater are all snowed in, but the rest of route above that and to Redcloud has manageable or no snow. I kick stepped my way up the summer dirt gulley, just left of the gendarme. See the pictures below of the gulleys, the traverse to Redcloud and Wetterhorn/Uncompahgre. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 1/20/2013, By: TaylorHolt
Info: No snowshoes or ice axe needed. Microspikes were helpful in a few areas but were not a necessity.

A few drifts and small snowfields near treeline, but none were deeper than ~18 inches. Below treeline was mostly snow-free. Above treeline the snow was avoidable until the last 800 ft which had snow-packed trail.

The trail over to Redcloud was also snow-packed trail with the rest of the peak being mostly dry. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 12/29/2012, By: areed20
Info: No snowshoes needed. Some snow in tree line but nothing too deep. The ridge and traverse to Redcloud are in good shape with not a lot of snow. 

Route: Northwest Face
Posted On: 6/12/2012, By: Lindyhapa
Info: It's all clear up there. You'd have to go out of your way to step in any snow. I hiked Sunshine from the non-standard Northwest Ridge, it saved a lot of scree scrambling down below on the standard Northwest Face route. 

Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Posted On: 5/31/2012, By: Amadisofgaul
Info: The trail from Redcloud to Sunshine is completely dry.