The view from the summit of Mount Adams. Click for enlarged view. As far as Colorado ski mountaineering is concerned, I’ve always considered the 3rd week in May to be my favorite stretch of time. The random weather that tends to sweep through the state earlier in the season usually gives way to a dry and sunny summer pattern. That in turn allows for cold clear nights and a reliable...
Technincally speaking, the mountain’s official name is Unnamed 13828. Lying directly north of the 14er Mount Lindsey, and at the head of Huerfano Creek, some refer to this Sangre de Cristo summit as Huerfano Peak.
Mount Adams rises above the town of Crestone, in a region of the Sangre de Cristos that contain some of the most impressive mountains in the state. Many climbers and peak baggers are familiar with the local 14ers— the Crestones and Kit Carson— but if you’re heading to the area with skiing in mind, Mount Adams should be at the top of your list.
Moving east from Half Peak we went to Creede and Phoenix Peak 13,895 ft. Though it may not seem like an exciting mountain when viewed from the small town it stands over, we skied a fun, steep line on the it’s east side which impressed us all.
Half Peak is an interesting one. We were a bit curious about how this peak would be for skiing because the mountain isn’t really conventional in shape. It’s a giant, gentle sloping ramp with a big flat summit, much like like a butte.
UN13832, not the most exciting name, but a pretty cool 13er ski outside of Lake City, Colorado.
Christy heads back to Camp 2 from Ruby Creek, Jagged Peak cuts up the skyline behind. Since Internet readers have notoriously short attention spans I find it’s usually best to keep a post to a few hundred words and maybe ten photos. So when I came home with 1300 photos from our recent Weminuche Traverse through the San Juan Mountains, I thought the single brief post I put up on...
Once we were on top and we could look down the line of Grenadiers to the east, and to the impressive Needle Mountains to the south, we were all keenly aware that we were experiencing something special.
Jupiter Mountain, 13,830 ft., the first peak of our big Weminuche Wilderness ski traverse back in the spring of 2014.
A five day ski traverse through the Weminuche Wilderness, from Needleton to Elk Park, with ski descents of Jupiter Mountain and Vestal Peak.
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
