Do you need a permit for Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn or Handies Peak?

No. In 2026 there was no permit, quota or trailhead fee for any of the three. The Uncompahgre Wilderness order limits groups to 15 and bans campfires above tree line, and drones are prohibited in Wilderness.

Are Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn open after the 2026 fires?

Yes, by September 2026. The Gold Mountain and Elk fires closed much of the Uncompahgre Wilderness that summer; the Uncompahgre trail reopened July 29 and Wetterhorn August 24, and local news reported the last Elk Fire closures lifted September 15. Check the GMUG alerts page before you go.

How long is the hike to Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn from Capitol City?

By my GPS, 4.5 miles from Capitol City to a camp below Matterhorn Peak, 11.4 miles round trip to Uncompahgre from there, 4.5 miles toward Wetterhorn and 4.2 miles back out. With Handies, 32.7 miles and about 10,650 ft of climbing in three days.

Do you need a 4WD for Wetterhorn and Handies?

No. Any car can reach Capitol City in summer, where we parked and walked. Only the last 0.7 mile to the upper Matterhorn Creek trailhead needs high-clearance 4WD. For Handies, careful 2WD drivers usually reach the Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch trailhead in summer (as reported).

How hard is Wetterhorn Peak?

Harder than Uncompahgre or Handies: a class 3 scramble on an exposed ridge with loose rock near the top, where a helmet makes sense. In early June we found a steep snow gully and carried an ice axe.

When is the best time to climb the Lake City 14ers?

July to September, when the trails are mostly dry and the roads open. Afternoon storms are almost daily from mid-July to late August, so start before dawn and be off the summits by noon. In June expect snow.

The San Juans 14ers film: Lake City, Colorado

Lake City, Colorado · 3 days · 32.7 miles

San Juans 14ers Hiking Guide

Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn and Handies from Lake City in 3 days.

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Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
Is it open? (October 2026)

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The route

My GPS recording of 3 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the San Juans 14ers route: 3 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Capitol City, Uncompahgre Peak, Wetterhorn Peak and Camp below Matterhorn Peak. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 3 days
Distance: 32.7 miles
Climbing: About 10,650 ft (3,250 m) up
Start and end: Capitol City on Henson Creek Road

What's inside

Where things stand. The San Juans in October 2026: the Gold Mountain and Elk fire closures and reopenings, fire restrictions, the roads and the new Wilderness order, checked on the Forest Service and BLM pages.
All three days and Handies. Stats, the time we took, my notes, the route, where to turn back, maps with elevation profiles, and links to that part of my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings of the walk in, Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn, the hike out and Handies, plus the full route, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Getting there. Flying into Gunnison or Montrose, the drive to Lake City, Henson Creek Road to Capitol City, the Matterhorn Creek road, and the Cinnamon Pass road to the Handies trailhead.
Other ways to do it. Uncompahgre from Nellie Creek, Wetterhorn in a day, both in one day, Handies from American Basin, and Redcloud and Sunshine.
Snow, lightning and safety. When to go, June snow and the ice axe, monsoon storms, altitude, Wetterhorn's scramble, and what to do with no phone signal.
Lake City, costs and a trip sheet. Where to sleep and eat in Lake City, Jeep rentals, what a trip costs in 2026, one page of checks and a printable summary of the route.

About this trip

In June 2020 my younger brother Kurtis and I climbed Uncompahgre and Handies, and climbed toward Wetterhorn, in the San Juan Mountains above Lake City, Colorado: we walked in from Capitol City to a snowy camp below Matterhorn Peak, climbed Uncompahgre Peak, climbed toward Wetterhorn Peak the next morning and hiked out, then drove around to the Cinnamon Pass road and climbed Handies Peak the same evening, coming down by headlamp. It's the trip from my film Hiking 35 miles in Colorado's San Juan Mountains. This guide has my GPX files, maps and notes for every day, the 2026 fire closures and rules, the roads and trailheads, other ways to climb each peak, Lake City, costs, snow, lightning and safety, and a trip sheet.

Watch the film on YouTube (309K views).

The Day 2, Uncompahgre Peak from camp page from the San Juans 14ers Hiking Guide

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Uncompahgre Peak from camp

The whole day page from the guide, as a PDF: the photo, the numbers and what to know. It opens as soon as you sign up, and you'll get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 48-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

Do you need a permit for Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn or Handies Peak?: No. In 2026 there was no permit, quota or trailhead fee for any of the three. The Uncompahgre Wilderness order limits groups to 15 and bans campfires above tree line, and drones are prohibited in Wilderness.
Are Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn open after the 2026 fires?: Yes, by September 2026. The Gold Mountain and Elk fires closed much of the Uncompahgre Wilderness that summer; the Uncompahgre trail reopened July 29 and Wetterhorn August 24, and local news reported the last Elk Fire closures lifted September 15. Check the GMUG alerts page before you go.
How long is the hike to Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn from Capitol City?: By my GPS, 4.5 miles from Capitol City to a camp below Matterhorn Peak, 11.4 miles round trip to Uncompahgre from there, 4.5 miles toward Wetterhorn and 4.2 miles back out. With Handies, 32.7 miles and about 10,650 ft of climbing in three days.
Do you need a 4WD for Wetterhorn and Handies?: No. Any car can reach Capitol City in summer, where we parked and walked. Only the last 0.7 mile to the upper Matterhorn Creek trailhead needs high-clearance 4WD. For Handies, careful 2WD drivers usually reach the Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch trailhead in summer (as reported).
How hard is Wetterhorn Peak?: Harder than Uncompahgre or Handies: a class 3 scramble on an exposed ridge with loose rock near the top, where a helmet makes sense. In early June we found a steep snow gully and carried an ice axe.
When is the best time to climb the Lake City 14ers?: July to September, when the trails are mostly dry and the roads open. Afternoon storms are almost daily from mid-July to late August, so start before dawn and be off the summits by noon. In June expect snow.

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