Scoping out the Dragon’s Back, 12,968 ft, near Engineer Pass.
For the past several years Steve and I have kept up the tradition of heading down to the San Juans in October and picking off a couple peaks before the snow files. This year we were short on time but managed to get down to Lake City for two days of hiking, hitting “Sundog” Sunday afternoon and then a fun string Monday on 12ers Dragon’s Back and Dolly Varden Mountain before finishing off with a pair of 13ers to the east. It was a short, sweet trip, made worth it by the prime fall colors in the area and the exciting scrambling offered up by Dragon’s Back.
Prime time around Lake City.
More leaves seen along the drive to the Silver Creek Trailhead, which serves 14ers Redcloud and Sunshine in addition to neighboring 13er “Sundog”.
We set off from the trailhead around 2:30pm and headed up the main trail before breaking off up the south fork of Silver Creek to the west of Redcloud Peak. This is the same drainage that’s often used as an alternate route up/down Sunshine Peak, so there’s actually now a decent trail available all the way up into the drainage.
Steve with “Sundog” ahead, covered in a dusting of recent snow.
Higher up on “Sundog’s” summit ridge. That’s 14er Sunshine Peak in back.
“Sundog” summit around 5pm.
After soaking in the gorgeous, windless evening on the summit of “Sundog”, we headed on down its north ridge as the sun waned on the horizon. Then it was time for a beer in the parking lot at sunset before we motored around and up the Henson Road to our campsite for the night.
Sunset in Silver Creek. Classic San Juan colors.
The next morning we started from the hairpin turn in the north fork of Henson Creek and headed west up onto the big alpine plateau north of Engineer Pass. We had another perfect fall weather day in store and weren’t in any kind of rush.
Chilly morning with Dollar Varden Mountain and Pt. 13,093 up ahead. Photo by Steve.
But before tagging the 13ers, in an effort to make the day more interesting, we decided to contour all the way around Cow Creek Basin underneath Wildhorse Peak with the goal of adding Dragon’s Back to the day’s lineup.
Starting off the scrambling on the south face of Dragon’s Back.
Dragon’s Back is a striking rock pinnacle that sits south of Blackwall Mountain, just east of a small tarn feeding into Cow Creek. It’s notable as one of the more interesting Colorado 12ers, being a stiff class 4 scramble via its easiest route with many more difficult options on other flanks of the peak. Steve had already climbed Dragon’s Back several years prior but enjoyed it enough for a repeat. I was just happy to have a fun scrambling challenge to look forward to on what was otherwise a fairly pedestrian day of hiking.
Scrambling higher up on the peak. Nice, dry rock in the sun.
After quite a bit of routefinding, testing out certain options before backing off and looking for an easier way, we eventually traversed west around a few rock fins before locating what appeared to be the crux chimney just below the summit. I’d for sure call it class 4 with maybe even a few low-5 moves in the chimney itself. At the top of the chimney the summit arrives abruptly. It’s a small, airy summit with vertical drops off all sides, the type that’s exciting to be visiting but you’re also anticipating getting off the thing and back down to firm ground.
Steve arriving at the summit with Wildhorse Peak in back. Awesome views from the top of this one.
After a snack in the sun we reversed our route back down Dragon’s Back and continued on to Dolly Varden Mountain, a 12er that lies between Wildhorse Peak and Pt. 13,093. The day remained absolutely perfect, temps in the 50’s and bluebird with hardly any wind.
Dragon’s Back. What a cool peak. Photo by Steve.
Wetterhorn seen on our traverse over to the other peaks. Photo by Steve.
Signing in on Pt. 13,093 with some familiar names in the register.
From Pt. 13,093, which was nothing but a loose crumbly pile distinguishable only by being a 13er, it was another hour of traversing over to Sunshine Mountain, the easternmost peak in the group. We hung out on its summit for awhile, then it was a short, steep descent pretty much straight back down to the car.
Sunshine Mountain’s summit (13,321 ft), our last peak of the day.
Cheers to fall!
Steve, good getting out with you on a few last peaks before winter arrives…
It was a fabulous fall day. I think it was the best day of our October outings, because of the scramble, views, and weather.. You memorialized it well!
Agreed! Dragon’s Back was a nice surprise.
Wow – you guys hit the colors just right – great pictures and great summary and Dragon’s Back is well named – FAJA
Colors have just been awesome this year! I guess it sort of does look like a dragon?