Uncompahgre Peak
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Date of hike: September 11, 2020
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Location: Nellie Creek – Near Lake City, Colorado
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Rough Mileage/Vert: 7.7 miles round trip & 3,000ft gain
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Our time: About 5 hours round trip
If only we could bottle up the conditions that we had for this hike to replicate it for anyone and everyone. Colorado had just been hit with an early snow storm before we hiked Uncompahgre, which made for a day that at times felt intense, but also beautiful like the idyllic Christmas morning. It was probably much different from what a true winter 14’er is like (for instance, we didn’t need traction as there was only fresh snow rather than ice), but it was a really neat experience.
This report is a bit different, as we couldn’t see the summit or much of the trail until we were back down due to the whiteout conditions. However, even with the snow, this was on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of how challenging the hike felt. We had a rental Jeep Wrangler so we were able to start from the upper trailhead. In order to make it to the upper lot, you absolutely need a high clearance vehicle that can handle some sharp turns and a couple of stream crossings. On foot, the extra mileage will double your hike on a narrow, rocky road.
From the Nellie Creek trailhead, the trail climbs steadily through a beautiful forested area, and then it quickly drops you into a basin where the summit comes into view (we presume…all we saw was snow). Along the way there were boulders with what looked like fossil remains, but another hiker informed us that they’re actually volcanic rock. Above 13,000’ you’ll start onto the ridge that wraps around onto the west face which will eventually greet you with a few rock spires. Keeping slightly left around the first tower is recommended on 14’ers.com, but we really only had footprints to go off of. Once you’re through the crux, you’re in the home stretch to being on the highest point in Hinsdale County.
The summit was the most fun for us, as the clouds randomly opened up into blue sky for a few seconds at a time so we were able to see the mountain views surrounding us. It’s a decently large summit, and on a clear day you should be able to see the nearby Matterhorn and Wetterhorn Peaks (there is also a route that connects Wetterhorn to Uncompaghre).
If you’re from Denver and plan to hike Uncompahgre, consider making an extra long weekend of it. Obviously the drive is long, and there is so much to experience along the Alpine Loop if you have the time. Neither of us had been to Lake City before, and although it’s a small town, there is a weekend full of places to go and things to see, including the beautiful Lake San Cristobal. We weren’t able to play on the Gunnison River, but driving through town we saw people taking a walk or playing with their dogs along the river bank. If you like calzones, pecan rolls, kolaches, or carbs in general, the bakery in town will delight you.