Log In 
Photo

Hunts Peak

West Slopes
Difficulty Class 2 
TrailheadRock Creek
Start9,650 feet
Summit13,061 feet
Total Gain3,450 feet
RT Length6 miles
Last UpdatedMay 2023
DownloadsgpxGPX File
Show More
Photo

Trailhead

- From the Salida/Poncha Springs area, drive south on U.S. 285 to the top of Poncha Pass.
- From the pass, continue 4.5 miles and turn left onto an unmarked, dirt road.
- Drive 0.6 mile and stay right (FS Road 980) at a 3-way junction
- Continue 1.0 mile to a junction for FS 980 & FS 982
- Stay left on FS 980
- Drive 0.9 mile to reach a gate. Pass through the gate and close it behind you
- Continue 1.0 mile (still on FS 980) to reach a junction at 9,700', 3.5 miles from highway
- Turn right on FS 982 and drive a short distance to reach an excellent camp spot. Setting up a camp here and hiking the remaining 0.7 mile to the "trailhead" isn't a big deal and will save you having to make the 4WD stream crossing (below)
- Continue 0.7 mile on FS 982 to reach the Rock Creek trailhead (not an official USFS trailhead), just after a stream crossing
- The trail starts behind a gate.

Route Description

If you parked near North Rock Creek ( 1 and  2), turn east and walk 0.7 mile on FS 982 and cross South Rock Creek ( 3) to reach the trailhead, at 9,650' -  4. Pass the wooden gate ( 5 and  6) and start up an old road and into the Ox Cart burn area -  7. Walk approx. 1.4 miles up the road and make a sharp left, near 10,800' -  8. Still on the road, continue a few hundred yards north ( 9) to reach a corner, just below 10,900' -  10.

As the corner, turn right ( 11), leave the road and hike east up a ridge on the west side of Hunts -  12 and  13. The entire ridge has been burned, so take your time and look for the most stable terrain. Near 11,800', the trees thin out and you'll reach the boundary of the burn area -  14. Continue southeast along the ridge ( 15) and ascend a point ( 16) to reach 12,100'.

From the top of the point, you'll have a great view of Hunt's west slopes and the remaining route to the summit -  17. Descend slightly and continue east toward the final pitch. As you ascend, the view back over the burn area and to the west is beautiful -  18. Continue up the easy slope ( 19) to reach the seldom-visited summit -  20,  21 and  22.

Notes

In 2013, the Ox Cart file burned over 1,000 acres of land on the west side of the Sangres, near 13er Hunts Peak. Much of this route passes through that burn area and ascends terrain which could become unstable because of the burned-out terrain. Please tread lightly and be careful when ascending the ridge to reach Hunts' west slopes.
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22

This page is only available to registered 14ers.com users. If you don't have an account, you can register in the forum.

Log In_

Caution: The information contained in this route may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this route provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the route author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.

Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
Heading to a 14er soon? Don't forget the 14ers.com mobile app.
Google Play     Apple App Store