Sunshine Peak is the lowest ranked fourteener in Colorado at 14,001 feet, one foot over the line, and it is climbed almost entirely as the second summit of a Redcloud Peak day by way of a 1.5-mile ridge traverse. The ridge is Class 2. The return over Redcloud is what makes the pair a long day.
Standard Route
From the Silver Creek-Grizzly Gulch trailhead on Cinnamon Pass Road, follow the Silver Creek trail about 3 miles to a saddle at 13,000 feet, then the northeast ridge of Redcloud to its summit at 14,034 feet. From Redcloud, the ridge runs south: descend about 500 feet to the Redcloud-Sunshine saddle and climb 400 feet of talus to Sunshine's summit. Return the same way, re-climbing Redcloud. The two-peak day carries roughly 4,800 feet of cumulative gain over about 12 miles.
What to Expect
The traverse is easy walking on a broad ridge with a faint trail, and the exposure is to weather rather than to falls. The temptation on the return is to skip Redcloud and descend Sunshine's northwest face directly toward the Silver Creek trail; that gully is loose, steep, and has injured and killed people. Go back over Redcloud. The volcanic rock is red and orange and the view south over the Lake Fork valley is the reason to bother with the extra summit.
Access & Logistics
From Lake City, drive south past Lake San Cristobal on Cinnamon Pass Road (County Road 30) about 20 miles to the Silver Creek-Grizzly Gulch trailhead at 10,400 feet. Passenger cars reach it when dry; the road gets rougher beyond. No fee or permit. The lot has a toilet and fills on summer weekends.
When to Climb
Mid-June through September, with the ridge dry from early July. The traverse is entirely above 13,500 feet and the retreat back over Redcloud takes an hour, so in the July and August monsoon the pair needs a dawn start and a hard turnaround time at the Redcloud summit.
Camping, Permits, and Nearby
Camp at the trailhead, at dispersed sites along Cinnamon Pass Road, or at the Mill Creek campground lower down. Lake City, 45 minutes away, has groceries, gas, and lodging. Handies Peak starts from Grizzly Gulch across the road or from American Basin farther up, and many people do Redcloud and Sunshine one day and Handies the next.
Gear Notes
Boots, poles for the two descents, wind layers, and three liters of water; Silver Creek is the last source. Microspikes in June.
Related Reading
Often Climbed With
Redcloud Peak →
14,034 ft · Class 2 · 9 mi standard route
Planning a Sunshine Peak climb? Get the prep checklist.
Free PDF — pre-climb fitness, gear, weather decision tree. Plus weekly Colorado trail picks.
We respect your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.