Fluted Peak

Route: Skin flute couloir
Posted On: 3/31/2025, By: ellenmseb
Info: see MP for deets. snow conditions suck. Route is forming thin ice and should get fatter. 

Route: Ridge from Little Horn
Posted On: 8/7/2023, By: SionaRW35
Info: Summer conditions. No summit register. 

Route: Little Horn > Horn Loop
Posted On: 7/11/2023, By: emilyexplores
Info: Traversed from Little Horn to loop to Horn. Ridge ascent was awesome - some early rolling up and downs that felt a little tedious, but then great easy scrambling to fantastic views down the cirque. Much more fun than anticipated. 

Route: Horn Creek TH
Posted On: 11/23/2022, By: kwhit24
Info: We also did this clockwise to get the most difficult (albeit the shortest peak) early on. We stayed on the Horn Creek Trail for about 1.25 miles until about elevation 9,800' then left to start gaining the NE ridge of Little Horn Peak. The trail didn't have too much but once we left it the snow became more prevalent. In parts we could kind of avoid it but higher we got the more we found. There's about 1,200'-1,400' of suck walking through the trees and snow about mid shin deep. Once we got above the tree line the snow became more of a nuisance. We followed the rocky ridge all the way around the Dry Creek bowl to Horn. Off Horn the "trail" is tough to follow and more a game trail. Once we got down the trees the trail was difficult to follow due to the snow. On the lower trail there are areas that are pretty clear but I'd say 90% of it is snow covered in mostly ankle deep snow. the last mile or 1.5 miles we walked in the almost dark due to a later start since Google maps took us down the wrong road. Overall it was a slugfest of a day with plenty of false summits to really get our hopes up. Weather was fantastic with almost no wind and clear skies (12.47 mi; 5,696' gain; 9:43:21 total time) Start at TH 8:00am; Little Horn Peak 11:40am; Fluted Peak 1:10pm; Horn Peak 3:15pm; Back to TH 5:45pm 

Route: Via Horn Peak/Dry Lakes
Posted On: 8/14/2022, By: Codyhill1991
Info: Started from Horn Creek TH and went up the Horn Peak trail. In good condition, trail peters out just above treeline but it's very easy to figure out. Ridge from Horn to Fluted is fine, all class 2 with occasional faint paths to follow. Summited Fluted and then back to low point of the saddle between Fluted & Horn. From the low point pretty much beelined straight down to the uppermost Dry Lake, it seemed like the least steep/annoying way to get there and it was fine. Talus hopped & willow bashed back to the dry creek trail - it's easy to get into very annoying willows here though. Dry creek trail is in pretty good shape with just a little blowdown. 

Route: Horn creek trail
Posted On: 6/6/2022, By: boudreaux
Info: The trail is in good condition til you reach the wilderness boundary. FS recently cleared the path to the boundary on 6/2. After that you will encounter some serious deadfall. I got maybe a mile past the boundary and there are a lot of downed trees to scale along with a good amount of snowdrifts. Not saying it's impossible to get through, but you will spend a lot of time picking your way to the lakes. It was a very frustrating morning to say the least. If you are planning to do Fluted and Little Horn, I would recommend going the ridge route from the large meadow about a half mile in, weather permitting or take the prominent gulley on the southface that leads directly to the summit of Little Horn. I would leave the trail at the spot where the trail crosses the creek. If you are a good class 4 scrambler and route finder, this option will be a lot of fun. Someone mentioned deadfall on Tijeras Peak at lower Sand Lake. This could be a hard year for hiking the eastside of the Sangres for those pursuing 13ers. Another hiker said he has heard the same thing about a lot of deadfall this year maybe from a storm in December. I called the San Isabel district office in Canon City. They are saying all the trails in the Sangre DeCristo Range are going to be choked with deadfall this season, and it could be years before they clear it all. Winds of over 150 mph were recorded in the range, with a top speed of 180! I'm a little skeptical about those winds, but a 100 mph would do some damage. I wondered about this and that's what the NFS is saying. So if you plan to go to one of the many beautiful lakes to camp, you can forget it. Negotiating all that with a heavy pack is going to be ridiculously hard. The only alternative for peakbagging is up the ridgelines from the TH's or from a suitable place up the trail when the deadfall starts. 

Route: From Horn Creek TH
Posted On: 11/8/2021, By: Will_E
Info: Did the Little Horn/Fluted/Horn loop. Very little snow to deal with, just a little near top of treeline, a small amount above. 

Route: Via Horn Peak
Posted On: 6/20/2021, By: durkan
Info: Nice loop up Horn, over to Fluted, and down Little Horn from Horn Creek Trailhead (counterclockwise). All dry, but plenty of fun scrambles along the ridge if you desire it! If not, stay mostly south on ridges to avoid. Worst part of the day was descending Little Horn, suggest doing loop in opposite direction (clockwise). We didn't since we wanted to leave Adams as extra credit if time allowed. Spoiler alert: no time with incoming clouds. 

Route: Little Horn, Fluted, Horn loop
Posted On: 6/14/2021, By: Trotter
Info: Still snow on way up Little Horn, about 100 yards of it to cross total. Was supportive even with high temps. Rest of route totally snow free. All 3 peaks need summit registers 

Route: Litte Horn + Fluted + Horn Peak Loop
Posted On: 6/9/2021, By: quandary34
Info: The Little Horn + Fluted + Horn Peak loop has almost fully transitioned to summer conditions with minimal snow as of 6/9/2021. A few unpleasant, unavoidable snow crossings during the bushwhack up Little Horn's northeast ridge, but otherwise, all snow is easily avoidable and quickly melting. I was able to do the whole loop in trail runners without ever using my microspikes or axe. The loop itself comes out to about 12 miles with 5400 feet of gain, and there are a few easy Class 3 sections scattered throughout: near the top of Little Horn as described in the route on 14ers and on the southwest ridge of Horn (although this one could potentially be avoided with better route-finding). Great loop that I would recommend for anyone looking for a big day in the Sangres! 

Route: Via Little Horn Peak
Posted On: 6/16/2020, By: courtc43
Info: The ridge between Little Horn and Fluted is completely dry. 

Route: Little Horn/Fluted/Horn Combo
Posted On: 5/2/2020, By: supranihilest
Info: From Little Horn the route to Fluted is basically entirely dry. It's hard to tell from Little Horn's summit. There's a lot of scrambling between the two peaks but it's all fun and mostly on solid rock. The final summit push has a bit of snow but it's 99% avoidable and will melt within a week or two. 

Route: via Middle Fork N Crestone Creek
Posted On: 7/6/2019, By: nathansmithpiano
Info: Beautiful weather, totally dry, full summer on the Venable, Spring, and Comanche Hiked Fluted, Little Horn, and Horn, same, all from N Crestone TH. Only downside: mosquitos meant BUSINESS until about 11,500 or whenever a breeze came through. 

Route: via N Crestone Lake
Posted On: 7/6/2019, By: nathansmithpiano
Info: Beautiful weather, totally dry, full summer on the Horns and Fluted. Hiked Venable, Spring, and Comanche, same, all from N Crestone TH. Only downside: mosquitos meant BUSINESS until about 11,500 or whenever a breeze came through. 

Route: Combo
Posted On: 5/24/2020, By: Sbenfield
Info: Summer