Rinker Peak

Description

Rinker Peak and Twin Peaks rest within the backbone of the Colorado Continental Divide, the Sawatch Range. When hiking this range count on long approach's, plenty of vertical, and endless class 2 hiking.

Sticking to the normal Sawatch mountaineering theme, Rinker Peak has very steep surrounding slopes and gentle, broad ridges leading to its summit. Routes are 11 miles roundtrip with 4,700' of vertical gain.

Rinker Peak (13,783') is another in a long line of towering Colorado Sawatch Mountains. Similar in configuration to its neighboring fourteener La Plata Peak (14,341'.), and centennial thirteener Mount Hope (13,933'), this immense mountain only typifies it’s grand surroundings.

The Willis Gulch TH is at 9,280' and provides access to Rinker Peak’s two feasible routes, the Northeast Ridge Route and the South Face Route. From the junction of Colorado 82 and U.S. 24 go west 8.4 miles on Hwy 82 past the town of Twin Lakes and on to the signed Willis Gulch TH on the left. There is ample parking here, and the trailhead is about 100 yards west. Rinker’s long northeast ridge towers over this TH.

No permits are required to hike in this area of the Sawatch. Camping is allowed in Willis Gulch and is a popular place for backpackers.

Thanks to Jeremy Rhoades for this description.