INDEX

A complete hiking and climbing guide to the La Plata Mountains of Southwest Colorado. You will also find San Juan Mountain favorites as well as selections from around the Southwest. Link to the region you desire where you will find an alphabetical list of the hikes.

Thomas Holt Ward, photo

Feature Hike: Treasury Mountain, image-center, is in the Raggeds Wilderness north of Crested Butte. Finish the hike on a slim ridge composed of slick slabs of dazzling quartzite.

 

La Plata Mountains, Colorado 

San Juan Mountains, and Other Colorado Ranges 

Durango, Colorado and Locations Nearby

New Mexico and Texas

National Parks and Monuments

Southern Utah, Northern Arizona 

Southern Arizona

Sierra Nevada Mountains, Basin and Range Province

   

Field Guide!  Debra and her partner Tomás have published a hiking guide to the La Plata Mountains. Buy it at our local bookshop, Maria's in Durango, CO, or use this link:

About Debra and this blog.

Special thanks to CalTopo for the web tools used in constructing the maps on this blog.

 

An important message from author Steve Allen about tithing for wilderness.

The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks. Tennessee Williams

Debra Van Winegarden (Thomas Holt Ward, photo) 

Treasury Mountain, 13,462', Raggeds Wilderness

Essence: Treasurer and Treasury mountains are the two highest peaks in the Raggeds Wilderness northwest of Crested Butte. While strong hikers may climb both in one long day, this description is confined to Treasury Mountain. Approach the southeast ridge on the historic (and exposed) Yule Pass Trail. The two-mile-long, ultra-broad ridgecrest, surprises with every curve and rise. Marvel at its uniform chipped-stone surface. The ridge is free of obstacles but has some steep pitches. The shy mountain waits for the final flat to reveal its summit block and true nature. Having saved its best for last, climb the last 240 feet of vertical on a slim ridge composed of slick slabs of dazzling quartzite. The hike is on land straddling both the Gunnison and White River national forests. It is on the eastern boundary of the 65,443-acre Raggeds Wilderness, designated in 1980. LiDAR has raised Treasury's elevation to 13,469 feet with a rise of 510 feet. 

Travel: Measure distance from the four-way stop in Crested Butte at the Visitor Center. Drive north on Gunnison CR 317. Cross the Slate River. You can get to the trailhead by way of Slate River Road but it is a more technical 4WD road. Turn left at 1.7 miles onto Washington Gulch Road, CR 811. Pavement ends at 4.0 miles. Enter Gunnison National Forest at 5.5 miles. Transition to FSR 811. There are 48 designated campsites off FSR 811. At 8.1 miles, the road is posted "4WD only." The hamlet of Elkton at 8.9 miles is private. The road has deep ruts and steep pitches. Pass Washington Gulch Trail #403 at 9.6 miles. Sturdy tires are recommended for the rocky sections. FSR 734 joins from the Slate at 10.5 miles. The shelf road hangs above the Slate River trench. We met a vehicle on the shelf. Even with backing into a wide spot it was a tight squeeze. Park near a reflection pond and the sign for Paradise Divide at 11.7 miles. Allow 45 minutes from Crested Butte. On the return, 1.2 miles from the trailhead the road splits. Go left, uphill, to stay on Washington Gulch Road. The right branch descends on Slate River Road. 
Distance and Elevation Gain: 6.8 miles; 2,240 feet
Total Time: 4:00 to 6:00
Difficulty: Trail, off-trail; navigation easy; moderate exposure on Yule Pass Trail and summit block.
Maps: Oh-Be-Joyful; Snowmass Mtn., Colorado 7.5' USGS Quads
Latest Date Hiked: June 19, 2026

Personal Note: I lived in Crested Butte during the 1990s. In 1991, I busted up Treasury in two hours, Yule Pass Trail was in great shape, and the hike was "easy." In 1994, I approached through North Pole Basin, tagged Point 13,407', went over Treasury, and returned to Schofield Park over Galena Mountain. In 1998, Treasury was my eight-year-old son's first 13er. I have an intimate affection and deep familiarity with the mountains surrounding Crested Butte. 
Quote: Annapurna, to which we had gone empty-handed, was a treasure on which we should live the rest of our days. With this realization we turn the page: a new life begins. There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men. Maurice Herzog

 

In the center of this telephoto image shot from Gothic Mountain, a social trail can be seen winding up Treasury's southeast ridge to a flat. The cool factor of the hike is Treasury's dark summit block. Subsidiary peak, Point 13,407', is just to the right of the summit. Treasurer Mountain, 13,535' (LiDAR), rise 2,818 feet, is image-left, and Cinnamon Mountain is low and in front. (Thomas Holt Ward, photo) 

Route: Hike northwest on the relatively flat Yule Pass Trail flanking Cinnamon Mountain on the west. Jog north to the Cinnamon-Treasury saddle. Bear northwest on the curving ridgetop to a flat at 13,220 feet. Finish the climb on the narrow southeast spine. 

The hike in effect begins with the drive up Washington Gulch, a tributary of the Slate River. Treasurer and Treasury are inextricably paired by name and position, horizon-center in this image. I suffered a camera malfunction at the start of this hike. Generally my partner, Thomas Holt Ward, takes the artistic and flower shots for Earthline and I concentrate on photos that keep the reader oriented in the landscape. Every photo in this post was graciously taken by Thomas.

Paradise Basin is exquisitely beautiful and by early morning there were campers buzzing about and people setting up a wedding shoot. However, once we got on the Yule Pass Trail it was a hike of solitude. Our parking location adjacent to a silent and still reflection pool was simply divine. 

Three roads come together at the head of Paradise Basin. The road we came in on, FSR 734, ends there. We were parked on a rise off FSR 317, Schofield Pass Road, yet another access option for this trailhead. This image was snapped looking back as we walked toward the Yule Pass Trail. At 11,280 feet, we were in spruce world exclusively. An abundance of glacier lilies were an indication that snow had melted recently. 

I noted only 21 species of wildflowers on this hike, most likely because it had been yet another below average snow year. Walk on a 4WD road north out of Paradise Basin toward Cinnamon Mountain. Some slopes were covered in a mantle of green but the mountain's stone matched its name.

 

Walk by a second pond at 0.2 mile, the last opportunity to park. The Yule Pass Trail begins at 0.3 mile. The trail was once a burro road that served a mine on the far side of Yule Pass. The road pretty much holds the contour for two miles to the pass. The Eureka Mine was located on the precipitous west face of Treasury Mountain at 13,440 feet. Miners accessed the mine by rope. Silver ore from the mine was brought down by burro teams over "terrifying" Yule Pass and then down the Slate River to the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad spur at Anthracite. The mine began operation in 1879 and continued sporadically until 1950.  

 

In the 1990s the two-track was a solid walking platform. In 2026, the Yule Pass Trail was a mix of two-track, singletrack, shown, and very near obliteration.  

 

Natural erosion and sloughing, as well as debris flows on the west slope of Cinnamon Mountain have compromised and overrun sections of the track. Shown, is a typical slide path wreaking havoc on the road.  

Slope angle is about 45 degrees. The washouts don't last terribly long but as seen below, I'm not getting much purchase power with my boot steps. I'm deliberately digging in my downhill trekking pole. I mention this hazard because some hikers won't think much of it while others will judge it treacherous.

A 600 foot roaring cascade plunged down the opposite wall into the Slate River trench. 

In 1998, I walked down the bench midway between Purple Mountain's southeast ridge and the Slate. My field notes speak in wonder of "gorgeous bands of marble with white crystals, limestone outcrops, wetlands, reflecting ponds, streambed armoring, fanny falls over marbleized rock beds, and glacial polish." Plus, "diverse, fascinating arrays of lush flowers along the road to Yule Pass."  

The trail is one-boot wide for a long stretch. I patiently anchored each step. The scree was at the angle of repose and each footstep created a mini slide above and below my boot.

Shot on our return, this image is an accurate portrayal of the slope angle. Self arrest might prove difficult.

The sketchy bit doesn't last long. At 0.85 mile the trail broadened to a two-track with integrity. We began looking for an appealing route to the Cinnamon-Treasury saddle. 

We left the road at 1.0 mile on a social trail and did a quick little jog up to the saddle at 11,600 feet. The navigation is simple from there. Simply follow the southeast ridge of Treasury to the summit. 

At 11,600 feet, we were already above tree limit. One of our favorite alpine environments is the  krummholz, "elfin timber" zone. Typically, the trees are shrubby and dense, becoming ever more twisted and contorted with altitude. The five evenly spaced erect trees seen below are exceptional. 

 

Gnarled trunks and intertwined branches form impenetrable masses. 

 

Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory placed a weather station on the ridge at 1.5 miles. Located in Gothic, RMBL was founded in 1928 as a center for scientific research and education. On the drive and at the beginning of the hike we passed by several study sites, identified with flagging and mesh pods. 

The ridge functions as the headwall of two significant basins on the east side of the divide, Rock Creek and North Pole. Rock Creek Basin held fingers of snow in every drainage and indentation. A thunderous careening waterfall echoed off metamorphosed sheets of pale pink stone. 

 

Beyond the station, lose a few feet and then gear down for the steepest pitch of the entire hike. It is in-your-face but mercifully short.

  

The ridge undulates in waves, moderate to steep, with a few flat pauses. Catch your breath and haul yourself up the second short pitch. 

This vantage point offers a rare opportunity to look clear down into the Slate River gorge. Spend a moment. There is so much to see from this overlook at 12,200 feet.

We walked between the last island of ancient krummholz and a linear cornice. We were actually pushing the season by hiking in mid-June but managed to get away with it. Perhaps you've been thinking you were looking at the summit all this time. But no! This image depicts the southwest ridge of Galena intersecting at 13,060 feet.

I have never been on a ridge this massive and free of gendarmes or obstacles of any sort. One might expect tundra on the wide-open slopes but soil hasn't developed sufficiently and the surface is uniform chiprock with isolated patches of plants. The social trails visible in constricted areas completely disappear on the broad swaths. Elk and deer prints are evident but scattered. 

As we began mounting up the next slope the ground was covered in dark-gray, thinly laminated Mancos shale. So thin it broke underfoot. The sharp-edged, fractured rock pictured was exceptional for its size.  

  

Extra large clumps of deep rooted spring beauty were the most plentiful alpine flower on the south facing slope.

Blue-violet sky pilot clashed with the cerulean Colorado sky. 

As we advanced up the slope the stone was so uniform it looked as though it had been poured through a cosmic sieve. The earth was reduced to two elements--a cloudless, ever-blue sky and two inch rock chips. 

  

We passed by the west ridge of Galena Mountain. At the contact with metamorphic rock, hikers have been funneled, creating a rudimentary social trail. 

We arrived on the oversized flat depicted on the topo at 2.9 miles, 13,220 feet. The summit block was finally revealed. A real mountain! How thrilling!

The flat was partially covered with a snow field so we walked over to the west side to get around it. 

From the bivouac we could see peaks on the far west boundary of the Raggeds Wilderness and Chair Mountain. 

 

Our timing was good. We easily skirted the dissipating snow field and cornice. 

All that remained was 240 vertical feet. There are not enough superlatives to give this insane ridge its due. Perhaps it says it all that this was my fourth time traversing this ridge. I only repeat mountains if I am in love with them. There are two kinds of rock on the block: Entrada sandstone metamorphosed to quartzite, and Morrison sandstone metamorphosed to hornfels, metaquartzite, and marble. (Geologic Map of the Snowmass Mtn. Quad by Felix E. Mutschler, 1970, USGS) I favor quartzite so fondly that I have climbed Snowdon Peak, the "Quartzite Dragon," in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado at least a dozen times.  

There is a social trail west of the ridgecrest but do yourself a favor and stay on the spine where all the joy is. Yes, it is narrow, but it is not a knife. I will admit the textureless friction slabs are a bit of a boot test. Stone sheets are sheer, shaved, sharp-edged, and smooth as glass. The rock is adorned in unusual shades of apricot and purple. Thank goodness it goes on and on past mini false summits. Not quite, not quite, not quite. It is so rewarding, truly one of the finest ridges ever.   

We topped out on the summit at 3.4 miles. It's a small crest, especially given its massive underpinnings. But it's comfortable and you'll be keeping company with dotted saxifrage and old man of the mountain.

We found Reference Marker No. 2 placed in 1953 but not the benchmark. 

 

I expect the benchmark is buried under the large summit cairn.

 

Northeast in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, in an exclusive regal purple world, reside the fourteeners North Maroon, Maroon, and Pyramid peaks. 

Northward is the audacious and stately Snowmass Group: Capitol Peak, Snowmass Mountain, Hagerman Peak, and Snowmass Peak.

 

Ultra strong hikers will be jonesing to tack more onto this hike, Treasurer Mountain, the most obvious choice. The direct ridge route is reportedly troubled by impassible cliffs west of Point 13,407'. An enthusiastic Ragged Treasures report made Treasury, Treasurer, and Cinnamon look easy in a mere 7:20. He recommends retracing your steps to where you can comfortably cut down to the Yule Pass Trail before making for Yule Pass. Of note: In 1994, I ascended west with a friend from Schofield Park into North Pole Basin. We gained the ridge (exposed) between Point 13,407' and Treasury. We tagged the sub peak, traversed to Treasury, and descended over Galena Mountain to complete the loop. (He called it a death march.) We observed a viable route into Bear Basin from North Pole. An alternative route to Treasurer, perhaps? We were young and powerful and it still took us nine hours to complete the loop. My apologies for this photo. It shows the sub peak but doesn't give you much perspective on the alt route I'm speculating about. 

This shot was taken on our return. The headwall of North Pole Basin is most imposing. This no-nonsense escarpment is on the east side of the flat. 

 

Gliding down the series of slopes was both effortless and startling for its uniformity. Not up for returning on the exposed Yule Pass Trail? You could choose to climb over Cinnamon Mountain, 12,999' (LiDAR). The lift from the saddle is 732 feet. I have climbed Cinnamon from the south but not the north. The gnarly "Raggeds Treasures" writer called it easy but admitted it was steep and loose. There is an abundance of landscape treasure accessed from the Yule Pass Trail. May it remain passable for future generations of seekers. 

  

Cross Mountain, 12,703', San Miguel Mountains

Essence: Cross Mountain is at the apex of a curving ridgeline running from Wilson Peak, over Gladstone Peak, Lizard Head, and terminating at Sunshine Mountain. It is the lowest and least remarkable of the radical and even notorious lineup. With a rise of 188 feet, it falls well shy of the 300 foot standard for ranked summits. But it feels like you are climbing a legitimate mountain. The approach is on a Class 1 trail but the off-trail segment deserves respect. The pitch is steep, holds are sparse and undependable, and the rock is loose. The peak is rated Class 2+ but should be tackled by experienced Class 3 scramblers. The east ridge is narrow but footing is good and the sensation of voluminous space is glorious. The staredown from fourteeners so close at hand is incomprehensible. Cross Mountain is in the 41,496-acre Lizard Head Wilderness. Land to the north of the ridge is administered by the Uncompahgre National Forest and land to south is within the San Juan National Forest. LiDAR has increased the peak's elevation by seven feet to 12,710 feet. 
Travel: The trailhead for the Cross Mountain Trail is located on the west side of CO 145, two miles south of Lizard Head Pass at mile marker 57.4. Watch for a brown US Forest Service sign directing into a large parking lot. No facilities, no water. 

Distance and Elevation Gain: 9.4 miles; 2,800 feet
Total Time: 5:00 to 7:00
Difficulty: Trail, off-trail; navigation moderate; Class 2+ with moderate exposure.
Map: Mount Wilson Colorado 7.5' USGS Quad 

Date Hiked: June 12, 2026
Haiku: 

In the company

of greatness, a small red hill

deserves some respect. 

Debra Van Winegarden

 

The San Miguel range includes a cluster of eminences so stately and imposing they could be considered the Guardians of Colorado. Cross Mountain is embraced by El Diente Peak (barely visible at skyline-left), South Wilson, Mount Wilson, Gladstone Peak, and Wilson Peak.  

Route: Hike north-northwest on the Cross Mountain Trail for 3.4 miles to its end at the junction with the Lizard Head Trail. Bear northwest to the saddle between Cross Mountain and Lizard Head. Leave the trail and ascend the east ridge of Cross. At 12,200 feet, bypass cliffs on the south and return to the ridge. Ascend on the divide to the summit. 

Cross Mountain Trail #637 (CMT) begins at the confluence of Lizard Head Creek and Snow Spur Creek, a north tributary of the Dolores River, elevation 10,040 feet. Sign the trail register and cross Snow Spur Creek on a sturdy bridge. (Thomas Holt Ward, photo) 

There are a number of truly outstanding hikes originating from this trailhead, including a sensational 11.7 mile loop over Black Face, 12,147'. If you are apprehensive about the exposure on Cross Mountain, hike this popular alternative. (THW, photo) 

 

Cross Lizard Head Creek at 0.2 mile in an open meadow. The sun was pleasantly warm, the air windless. There was nary a hint of the turbulence to trouble us in the alpine.

Great patches of corn husk lily yet to bloom thrived in large and lush intermittent meadows. We could hear Lizard Head Creek gushing north of the trail and the echoing drumming of a woodpecker. (THW, photo)  

The Groundhog Stock Trail ("Highline Stock Driveway" on the topo) branches west at 0.5 mile. Stay the course. From there, the CMT is open to equestrians and hikers only. The grade of the packed earth and weathered stone path varies from mellow to rather steep with restful flat interludes. 

The shade of the healthy spruce and Douglas fir forest was welcome. The timber provided a serene lead-up to the visual pandemonium to come. The predominant ground cover was myrtle blueberry with tiny pink bell blossoms. A joyful patch of shiny buttercups brightened the forest floor. (THW, photo)  

 

Geyer's onion looks good enough to eat, and indeed, the bulbs, stems, and flowers are all edible. The drought in the American West has been persistent for many years. It's taking a toll on wildflowers. I recorded 51 species on this hike, a decent number, but often I saw only a few of each variety. My flower list is at the end of this post. (THW, photo)  

  

Enter the Lizard Head Wilderness at 1.9 miles, 11,200 feet. The wilderness area protects the San Miguel Mountains from Dunn Peak (west) to San Bernardo Mountain (east). 

The vista opens to Lizard Head which most certainly deserves to have a trail named in its honor. The unranked, but very appealing mountain on the right is Point 12,038'. We ran into a woman in this meadow who is a fifth generation Trout Lake resident. She had a deep appreciation and keen knowledge of her backyard. We asked if she'd like to climb Cross Mountain with us. She declined, begging off because of her "fear of heights." (THW, photo)  

 

At 11,600 feet, grainy gray Mancos shale is exposed on surrounding slopes. It was first described in 1899 and named for exposures near the town of Mancos, Colorado. It was accumulated in marine environments of the Cretaceous North American Inland Sea. On average, it is about 2,000 feet thick. While Mancos shale underlies Cross Mountain, the peak itself (and the Wilson Group), is composed of intrusive igneous rock stocks from volcanism in the San Juans. As the mountains eroded, these hard rock bodies became the high points in the range. They fracture easily, creating troublesome loose scree slopes on the flanks of the mountains. The geology is complicated in this region so don't be surprised to see a smattering of distinctive Telluride Conglomerate boulders.

 

Yellow-orange rocks and chips are scattered on the surface of the Mancos shale.

  

The timber thinned noticeably right on cue at 11,500 feet and soon after, we were in the alpine. The wide-open expanse splayed out in the foreground, brilliant swatches of color, and radical shapes of the sky-cleaving peaks--it was unfathomable, almost too much to take in.  

The north trending trail takes aim on Lizard Head, 13,113', Cross Mountain's closest neighbor. The 400-foot vertical pillar of exfoliating rotten rock is widely considered Colorado's most difficult and dangerous thirteener--the easiest route is Class 5.8. Albert Ellingwood and Brandon Hoag made the first ascent in 1920.  

The CMT ends at a signed junction with Lizard Head Trail #505 at 3.4 miles, elevation 11,940 feet. The majority of hikers turn east-southeast there and follow the trail over Black Face. For those climbing Cross Mountain, the Lizard Head Trail over-climbs a tad but it's still the most efficient way to the saddle. For the curious, the trail continues north through Bilk Creek Basin, threads between Wilson Peak and Sunshine Mountain, and terminates at the Wilson Mesa Trail. 

The off-trail portion of this hike begins at the pass, 3.8 miles, 11,979 feet (topo). If your energy and the weather hold after climbing Cross Mountain, I highly recommend pitching up the climber's trail to the mystical platform at the base of Lizard Head. 

  

To climb Cross Mountain, ascend the broad east ridge. We ran into the local resident once again and she'd seen an elk herd split on both sides of the pass. The air grew restless, a Venturi effect, perhaps? But no, it was a wide-spread, high-velocity buffeting wind that sharply increased our challenge. 

As we've seen elsewhere in Colorado, peaks in the shadow of fourteeners are much neglected. A use trail existed only in the most concentrated terrain. So free-range until the grass melds into stone at 4.2 miles, 12,200 feet. The escarpment on the ridgeline roll-off is composed of rotten, friable rock and must be bypassed.  

The bypass is depicted in the image below. At the top of the grass a cairn directs onto a sidehill use trail. The trail ends before reaching the rocky outcrop, pictured. Make your own route through the exposed, Class 2+ dicey material to the top of the knob and a second cairn (0.1 mile from the start of the bypass). Pitch up the subtle southeast ridge to the east ridge of Cross. We contacted the divide between the patch of lighter material and the pale slide. (THW, photo)  

The off-trail bypass is described in detail as follows. At the large cairn head southwest on a social trail. (THW, photo)  

 

The narrow track is quite thin, one boot wide. The surface is soft and chippy and held my footsteps as I tiptoed across this classic sidehill. Below, I am deliberately digging in my downhill trekking pole. (THW, photo)   

 

As you close in on the rocky knob the social trail disappears into a mix of bedrock, chips, and loose larger stones at the angle of repose. Your objective is to top the gray outcrop. This is the most hazardous part of the entire hike. It is rated Class 2+ but the exposure is grave. If footing is lost, self arrest would be difficult. Holds are skimpy and friable. Test them all. I got spooked at the point where I'm standing in 2018 but I'm braver (and more determined) now.  We chose to ascend in the shallow crack. (THW, photo)  

This is a closeup of the crack shot in 2018 behind my partner.  

A large cairn marks the contact point with the gray outcrop. To reach the divide, climb the subtle southeast ridge for 180 feet. Difficulty eases and braided use trails assist. I have a friend who relishes the bypass. "The route, not to be mistaken for a trail, is just beautiful the way it snakes and curves as you climb steeply up on loose rock." 

A third cairn marks arrival on the divide at 4.4 miles, 12,460 feet. It's an important marker for your descent. The ridge is most unusual for its complete lack of obstacles. A boot-worn trail runs along the six-foot-wide spine. Footing is good. Erratic wind gusts provided extra excitement. 

The final stretch is nothing short of glorious. Behemoths in the background slide through the visual field. Walking the ridge well below the surrounding high peaks gives you unique spacial clues so you can feel the eternity of space. Look way down into basins on either side, out to lofty neighbors, or far far away to distant ranges. (THW, photo)  

My partner was so enthralled walking into the clouds, he was surprised by the false summit.

The ridge narrows just a bit toward the finish. What are we seeing in this image? Starting to the right of Lizard Head: Lookout and South Lookout peaks; Ulysses S. Grant and V4; Pilot Knob, Golden Horn, and Vermilion Peak; San Miguel, and Grizzly peaks. From great distances, Lizard Head, by virtue of its monolithic tower and position, is an undeniable pivot point in the greater landscape in Southern Colorado. (THW, photo)  

Give a little pat and say a few encouraging words to this solitary krummholz spruce anchored into the rocky ridgecrest.

Arrive on the summit of Cross Mountain at 4.7 miles. The grandeur is truly ungraspable. It's a little hard to distinguish in this image but there is a ridge running north-northwest from Cross to Gladstone. The saddle is a mere 188 feet below the summit. South Wilson and Mount Wilson are to the left of Gladstone and Wilson Peak is to its right. We found a peak register tucked into the summit cairn (thanks, Mike G). (THW, photo)  

For a twelver, the view from Cross is comprehensive. Looking south, the Dolores River splits the Rico Mountains into two blocks. The La Plata Mountains are in the distance above the east block and Sleeping Ute Mountain is to the right of the west block.  

I mentioned Cross Mountain's position at the apex of a swing of ridges. On the divide running northeast of Lizard Head, first is Peak 12, 634'. The ridge ends abruptly at Sunshine Mountain, 12,930'. Mount Sneffels resides in its own wilderness, image-left.

 

Descending on the thrilling ridge, you get a better sense of how skinny this important divide is. Notice the predominance of Mancos shale in the surrounding countryside. 

 

Don't miss the cairn signaling your safest exit from the ridge. We turned southeast in front of the white slide. We retraced our steps carefully on the bypass.

Aim for the gray rocky outcrop. As you come to the top of the knob there is a large cairn (circled) where you make the  90 degree turn to the northeast. Foot holds felt more generous on the descent. True to my friend's word, I actually had fun scooting down through the exposed testy rock to the lateral trail guiding back to the east ridge.

As we neared the trailhead, green flowed silently across the meadowlands, through the woods, and up onto the slopes of Sheep Mountain, 13,188'. 

 

List of Flowers: stemless evening primrose, mountain parsley, Solomon's seal, Jacob's ladder, strawberry, potentilla, dandelion, Geyer's onion, white peavine, buttercup, candytuft, Parry's primrose, globe flower, draba, heart leaf arnica, marsh marigold, purple violet, geranium, bluebell, myrtle blueberry, fairy candelabra, Indian paintbrush, orange sneezeweed, wallflower, alpine clover, western valerian, columbine, purple fringe, magenta paintbrush, old man of the mountain, alpine avens, smelowskia, Wyoming paintbrush, snow buttercup, moss campion, townsendia, alpine daisy, mountain sorrel, native honeysuckle, king's crown, gooseberry, Fendler's sandwort, elegant death camas, osha, Coulter's erigeron, whiplash daisy, elderberry, veronica, elephant head, edible valerian, and kittentail, displaying every possible shade of vibrant green. (THW, photo)