Trip report
Jul 14, 2026 — South River Peak is a 13er tucked deep in the Weminuche Wilderness, isolated from most of Colorado’s other 13ers. I decided to approach from the north because it allowed me to utilize the well-traveled Ivy Creek Trail until nearly the summit, whereas the other options involved bushwhacking or trespassing. Since it was a long approach, I also figured I might as well snag a couple of nearby 12ers while I was out there.
I parked outside the Ivy Creek Campground rather than pay the fee and followed the Ivy Creek Trail as it wound through dense forest and open meadows. There was very little vertical gain for the first bunch of miles, making for an easy but somewhat uneventful start. Eventually, the peaks surrounding the basin to the south slowly came into view, a welcome change of scenery. Around 11,000 feet, after passing through a large meadow, the trail began switchbacking more aggressively up a slope toward the northern reaches of Peak 12471 (which would end up being my last peak of the day).
Once I gained the crest above, I dropped a short distance to the east along the Ivy Creek Trail as it led through tundra before skirting the eastern side of Goose Lake. The views ahead toward South River Peak’s false summit were stunning. Wildflowers were everywhere, and a massive herd of elk was squealing somewhere in the distance. They would continue making their presence known for most of the remainder of my hike. It was actually a pretty magical experience.
Goose Lake was serene and felt incredibly remote. It also served as a great landmark for the rest of the day, since I’d see it from all sorts of perspectives and distances. The Ivy Creek Trail continued south and climbed toward Little Goose Lake. Once I reached the north side of this much smaller body of water, the trail disappeared for a short time. Fortunately, I picked it back up less than a quarter mile later on some obvious switchbacks that led toward the northeast ridge of South River Peak.
More switchbacks brought the 13er’s summit into view, but the trail avoided it and continued below its cliffy east face. Instead, I headed off-trail onto the tundra and approached from the north. A substantial rock outcropping forced me just off the crest, where I located a well-worn Class 2+ weakness that provided an easy way through it. From there, the summit was just ahead. The views from the top were stunning, with the surrounding Weminuche stretching out in every direction.
I backtracked and next headed over to Peak 12665, a straightforward ascent with just a little talus to negotiate. A faint social trail provided a convenient shortcut back to the Ivy Creek Trail.
I started back toward the car, but Peak 12471 had been staring back at me all day, and I couldn’t bring myself to leave it behind. When the Ivy Creek Trail began dropping back toward Goose Lake, I headed cross-country instead through the tundra and picked up a series of elk trails that brought me toward the peak’s southwest ridge. I chose this route rather than dropping all the way back to Goose Lake because the slope from the lake looked considerably more brushy. Some light Class 2 scrambling brought me to the summit, which was grassy and provided easy walking.
I dropped off the peak’s northeast slope and rejoined the Ivy Creek Trail. From there, it was simply a matter of following the trail all the way back to my car, completing a long but enjoyable mostly-trail hike through the Weminuche.