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North Eolus
Mount Eolus
Glacier Point
Sunlight Peak
Windom Peak
Jupiter Mountain
From Needleton Trailhead
Solo
The most important beta I can give is the snow is nearly gone from all of these peaks. You could make a snow climb on the north side of Windom or the north Jupiter couloirs, but otherwise you should leave the snow gear behind.
I boarded the narrowgauge at Silverton on Tuesday afternoon under clear skies. I had never ridden a steam train before and got a real kick out of it. And a real cinder in my eye. It dropped me off at Needleton at 4 (I was the only passenger to disembark) and I headed up the beautiful trail. Flowers all along the trail – roses, raspberries, columbines, fairy trumpets. There were waterfalls on Needle Creek and a side creek. I found a nice campsite at the bottom end of Chicago Basin about 7 pm, leaving just enough time to boil up dinner and set up a tent before dark. As I fiddled with the stove a pair of deer wandered through the camp. A marmot nosed his way toward my kitchen, and I chucked a rock at him to let him know that I really dislike camp rodents. He retreated temporarily, but he was to return. And return, and return.
Wednesday, I started out at 6 am for Eolus. I walked up a gentle mile to the top of Chicago Basin, gradually turning north towards Twin Lakes. I felt a presence behind me, so I turned and saw a pair of mountain goats following me. I stopped to pull out my camera and six more wandered into the area. They were shedding, which explained the white hair on every shrub and low tree branch over the past mile. They were obviously expecting a handout, so I gently explained that I contribute money to the Salvation Army, so they should go there if they needed a meal. I was to see goats in every direction and at every elevation over the next few days.
At Twin Lakes I made for an obvious trail going west. There was just a short snowfield to cross going up to the bowl at the base of Glacier point, then a 200 foot long snow patch below the Eolus-North Eolus saddle. From the saddle it was an easy, short scramble up to the summit of North Eolus. From there I got a fantastic view of Pigeon and Turret to the west and Sunlight and Windom to the east. To the northeast, Jagged reared up and looked absolutely unclimbable. After a short rest I returned to the saddle, crossed the catwalk (what’s the big deal with this? No less than four feet wide, and I’ve seen sidewalks that are more uneven) and cut left to the east slopes. I switchbacked up a little ways through a series of ledges then made my way back to the ridge for an exhilarating scramble to the summit. This ridge section arrowed down at one point to two feet wide with sheer drops on either side – that’ll wake you up! The summit had great views, although it was too smoky to the south to see Shiprock. I had a nice lunch, then dropped back to the saddle and climbed Glacier point by the west ridge. This is a sporting scramble on sharp, solid rock that avoids the large scree slopes on the southwest side. It also gives a nice view of the impressive vertical north face of N. Eolus. I got in a short glissade on the return.
The next day I returned to Twin Lakes, turned right to the basin between Sunlight and Windom, and then turned left to the Sunlight south slope route. I repeatedly lost the route, as the slope is covered with worn paths going every which way, but has few cairns. I finally found a cairned route near the top, and followed it up to the southeast ridge. I scrambled up onto a tough little round boulder on the ridge (not the Spire!) just for grins, then got back on the route. I was soon at the register at the base of the summit block. I swung up on top of the block, stood up almost straight, and gave an exuberant whoop. That perch is a real rush! I lunched, and then headed back down. On the way down I met a threesome, the only other party I was to meet in three days of climbing. I slid down a couple of short snowfields and traversed on solid snow over to Windom. I gained the ridge about 1/3 the way up from the Peak 18 saddle, then scrambled on talus up to the summit. I left after a short rest due to darkening skies, retreated to the saddle, and then slid down a snowfield into the basin. From there it was an enjoyable amble back to camp.
The next day I hiked up the route described by Roach on an old mining road along a side creek up to a beautiful basin at the southwest foot of Jupiter Mountain. From there I followed a steep goat path up a slope covered with blooming avens to the talus of the upper slopes of Jupiter. An easy, but slow scramble up to the flat summit and I was again treated to a wide view of the San Juans. As I only had a single peak on the day’s schedule, and the weather was fine, I spent a wonderful hour loafing on top, then took a leisurely walk back to camp.
Up the next morning for the train to Silverton. Great weather for the entire trip in one of the most beautiful spots in Colorado. |
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