Also known as: UN 13,811, Redcloud Peak - Far Northeast Peak
Peak 13820 is the far end of the long, grassy ridge that runs northeast from Redcloud Peak above Lake City. It and its neighbor Peak 13838 are Centennial summits that most people drive right past on their way to Redcloud and Sunshine Peak.
The standard combination route begins at the Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch trailhead (10,400 feet), reached by a shelf road, and follows the Silver Creek trail toward Redcloud as far as the 13,000-foot saddle north of that peak. From there it heads east along the crest on intermittent climbers' paths, sidestepping Point 13,561 on its southern talus to reach Peak 13838, then drops, skirts Point 13,632 to the south, and climbs to this summit. Plan on about 12 miles round trip with 4,700 feet of gain at Class 2. The ridge link between the two peaks runs about 1.5 miles one way with 630 feet of climbing, mostly on low tundra with scattered scree and rubble.
Past the saddle the path comes and goes, but the ground is gentle and route-finding is simple in clear weather. The catch is commitment: the summit sits several ridge miles from the trail on terrain with no quick way down, so start early and watch the sky. Elk are sometimes seen in the Alpine Gulch drainages below.
