Taken from the northeast,
1 shows Little Horn Peak's northeast ridge. Next to the trailhead restrooms, start southwest up the excellent trail and hike 0.5 mile to reach a junction. Turn right onto the Rainbow trail and continue north just 0.1 mile to reach another trail junction. Turn left onto the non-motorized trail which heads southwest toward Horn Creek and hike another 0.5 mile to reach a clearing -
2.
This is a great area to start your hike up to the northeast ridge. Leave the trail and hike northwest up into the forest. Stay just south of a small drainage seen on the topo map and curve west as you follow a subtle shoulder to reach the ridge near 10,900'. In summer, this hike up through the forest is little more than minor zig-zagging up through the trees. When you are able to see over the northeast ridge, continue southwest and the ridge becomes more defined. Near 11,200' you get a look at the summit -
3 and
4. Continue along the ridge (
5) to reach tree line, near 11,700' -
6.
Continue on or just left of the ridge crest and the terrain gets steeper near 12,300' -
7. Stay left and start up the first steep pitch -
8.
9 looks back on the lower ridge and
10 shows the remaining ridge, seen from Horn Peak. At 13,000', scramble along the ridge (
11 and
12) to reach a notch -
13. Scramble (easy Class 3) 20 feet down into the notch and turn left to continue along the south side of the ridge -
14. Bypass some difficulties and regain the ridge just before reaching the top of the final false summit -
15. Continue less than 0.2 mile to reach the summit -
16. From the top,
17 looks north to Horn Peak.
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