Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 37.94991°N / 107.55168°W
Additional Information County: Hinsdale/San Juan
Activities Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 13708 ft / 4178 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Animas Forks Mnt and Point 13,708
Animas Forks Mnt (left) and Point 13,708 (right) as seen from Cinammon Pass
Animas Forks Mnt. and Peak 13,708
Animas Forks Mnt. and Peak 13,708 as seen from unnamed lake on the north side of Cinnamon Pass
Unnamed 13708
is an unranked 13er located in the heart of San Juan Mountains, near Cinnamon Pass. The peak combines really well with Wood Mountain and "Animas Forks Mountain"
The saddle between UN 13708 and "Animas Forks Mountain" is at 13,420 feet, meaning there is only 288' rise from this saddle to the summit. The mountain is 12 feet short from getting an official ranked status (minimal 300 feet needed).

Cinnamon Pass is a 12,620 foot, four wheel drive pass, fifteen miles northeast of Silverton. The Pass provides excellent access to many 13ers in the area.

Guide to the Colorado Mountains with Robert Ormes (sort of a bible of Colorado Mountains) provides only a very brief description of these peaks: "Wood Mountain (13,660') is climbed from Cinnamon Pass east of Animas Forks. The summit is 1.5 miles north of the pass over generally easy slopes. Peak 13,722 (Ormes does not use the name "Animas Forks Mountain") can be combined with Wood by proceeding west along the ridge one mile to the 13,708' sub-peak. Stroll the half mile "catwalk" south and finish on short, steep talus". 

The San Juan Mountains: A Climbing and Hiking Guide with Robert Rosenbrough calls the peak Peak 13,708 and provides a very brief description and route Southeast Ridge (see in the route section below). 

Class: 2

Nearby Peaks

Getting There

Animas Forks
Animas Forks ghostown
Animas Forks Columbines
Animas Forks Columbines
Cinnamon Pass Trail Little History
: The Utes used this pass road before white exploration of the area. Then, in the early 1860s, Charles Baker used the pass on his journey into the San Juan Mountain when he reported finding gold, triggering a minor gold rush. In 1873, The Hayden Survey Party crossed the pass. In 1877, Enos Hotchkiss constructed the first wagon road over the pass. It was an important freight road for a period but was not maintained after the ore in the area declined. 
Description: Today Cinnamon Pass Trail is a seasonal, moderately difficult 4WD road. It is a part of the very popular Alpine Loop. The other half of the loop is Engineer Pass Trail. You can access Cinnamon Pass Road either from Lake City, or from Silverton. You can also access it from Ouray over Engineer Pass, but it does take longer than driving Million Dollar Highway over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton. The scenery varies from the rugged alpine environment and barren talus slopes  near the summit to the wild flower covered valleys and rushing streams. You will pass by Animas Forks ghost town. At either end of the route are wonderful historic town. 
From Silverton: Drive through Silverton in its main street northeast out of town. Bear rich onto Colorado 110. Pass a campground on your right, and Hillside cemetery on your left. Continue on paved road until it changes into a good dirt road. The route follows the Animas River and it passes through numerous mines. At 4.2 miles drive across the bridge spanning Cunnigham Creek. At 7.8 mile point is the town site of Eureka, this is where the road closes in the winter. There is a campground in Eureka and a cabin (available for hire and popular with ice climbers in the winter). 
Pass Sunnyside Mill on your right and follow the more narrow road up and above Animas River. About 4 miles from Eureka is a public restroom on your left and right above it the road is signed for Cinnamon Pass. (To the right would be the ghost town of Animas Forks). The road here becomes steeper and bumpy. 4WD and high clearance is needed at this point. Engineer Pass Rd. will continue straight and you will take a sharp turn right and uphill, well signed for Cinnamon Pass. The roughest section of the road is just above Animas Forks for about 1/2 mile. It is roughly 2 more miles from Animas Forks to the top of Cinnamon Pass. The road winds along the southern slopes of "Animas Forks Mountain". If you don't have 4WD, you can just park close to Animas Forks ghost town and hike up. 
From Lake City: Dive on Colorado 149 and follow signs for Alpine Loop past San Cristobal Lake. At 14 miles pass the intersection County 35 to Sherman townsite (up to here snowplowed in the winter). Continue on main road towards Cinnamon Pass. At 18 miles pass Grizzly Gulch - a popular TH for three 14ers: SunshineRedcloud and Handies. At 21 miles there is a turn off for American Basin. It is another 2.2 miles from here to the summit of Cinnamon Pass. 

Route

Peak 13,708
Peak 13,708 Southeast Ridge - Point 13,708 in the background
Point 13,708
Point 13,708 and catwalk as seen from "Animas Forks Mountain"
As any mountain there are many different ways to get up. The easiest way is to reach Southeast Ridge. You can either approach it on your descent from Wood Mountain, or when hiking from Cinnamon Pass you can head directly for a saddle between Point 13,708' and Wood Mountain. There is no established trail to reach this saddle, but walking is easy on mostly grassy slopes, higher up some scree and talus, but relative short and not very steep. Follow the ridge without any major obstacles on stable talus all the way to the summit cairn. Enjoy the views along the hike. 

South Ridge = Catwalk to "Animas Forks Mountain" - this south ridge is the way to access also "Animas Forks Mountain" = Point 13,722'. The saddle between Point 13,708 and "Animas Forks Mountain can be reached also directly from the basin along Cinnamon Creek. From the summit of Cinnamon Pass head under Southeast Ridge of Point 13,708 towards the start of the catwalk. The slope here is steeper, but nothing more than class 2. Once you reach the start of the catwalk head up on the South Ridge (leaving the catwalk behind) and summit Point 13,708'. 

Northwest Ridge - ridge leading towards Denver Pass and Seigel Mountain, class 2 walking. Denver Pass is 12,907 feet (=3,969 m) high mountain pass accessible from Engineer pass Rd on foot. 

Animas Forks Mountain
Summit Cairn of UN 13,708 and Animas Forks Mountain in the background

Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake as seen from Catwalk between Peak 13,708' and Animas Forks Mnt.

Unnamed 13688
Unnamed 13688 as seen from Southeast Ridge of UN 13,708'

View North from UN 13,708'
View North from UN 13,708': Coxcomb, Wetterhorn, Uncompahgre

Catwalk
Catwalk from UN 13,708' to "Animas Forks Mnt."

Wood Mountain
Wood Mountain as seen from SE ridge
Weterhorn Peak
Weterhorn Peak
 
Wildhorse Peak
Wildhorse Peak
 

Red Tape

Driving scenic Alpine Loop is free. There are enough parking places at the summit of Cinnamon Pass and a sign. Expect a lot of traffic of different off road vehicles during the peak summer months. Hiking is free. 

When to Climb

Summer is the easiest since you can drive to the top of Cinnamon Pass. Autumn, winter and spring provide a more difficult access, and you have to travel through avalanche prone terrain. Check avalanche conditions prior venturing out there in the winter - Northern San Juan Avalanche Information Center.

Camping

Primitive camping is available along the Cinnamon Road at various turn offs. You can sleep at the top of the pass - flat parking makes sleeping in a car comfortable. There is a small unnamed lake just north of the pass (? 100 feet) you could easily pitch a tent over there and watch a sunrise over Handies. 
Developed campgrounds are closer to towns - Eureka Campground on Silverton site. 

External Links