Taken from the northeast,
1 and
2 show Horn Peak's northeast ridge. Your first goal is to hike up to the Rainbow trail and there are two ways to get there:
1) Next to the trailhead restrooms (
3), hike southwest up an excellent trail to reach the Rainbow trail after 0.6 mile, or
2) From the trailhead, walk back down the road a short distance, turn left on a dirt trail used by 4-wheelers (
4) and hike 0.3 mile to reach the Rainbow trail.
At the Rainbow trail (
5), turn right and hike 0.7 or 0.2 mile (depending on which approach you used) to reach the junction for the Dry Lakes trail -
6. Pass this junction and continue on the Rainbow trail another 0.7 mile to reach another trail junction -
7. Turn left and start southwest up the rocky Horn Peak trail -
8. After climbing for approx. 0.5 mile, crest a ridge at 10,000'. Enjoy an easy section before the trail climbs another 400' to reach a small creek -
9. Cross the creek, continue southwest along the creek for a short distance and make a sharp right before climbing 0.3 mile to reach the crest of Horn Peak's northeast ridge, above 10,700' -
10.
Hike southwest along the ridge and you'll soon get a view of the remaining route -
11. After a long hike to tree line, exit the trees near 11,600' and continue on or near the ridge crest (
12 and
13) to a 12,665-foot point, with a good view of the remaining route -
14. You're getting closer. Near 12,900', you'll reach the rocky, crux of the route -
15 and
16. Stay just left of the ridge crest and zigzag up through rock slabs to reach 13,000'. Ascend the remaining 450' of steep, rocky terrain (
17) to reach the summit -
18 and
19.
GPX Track File
