\u2022 San Isabel National Forest<\/a> Driving access:<\/p>\n \u2022 Drive up 285 and cross Kenosha Pass The Hike:<\/p>\n \u2022 Hike south from the Pass on an old road \u2022 Stay on the 2-rut track as it descends southwest Additional Details:<\/p>\n The hike to South Peak <\/a>isn\u2019t very steep or difficult, but it requires some time at high altitude. The entire route is across open tundra, and there\u2019s no shelter available; this ascent is best done on a good dry day.<\/p>\n The peak has great views of the Buffalo Peaks<\/a>, Twin Lakes<\/a>, Mount Elbert<\/a>, the Sawatch Range<\/a>, and the Arkansas River Valley<\/a>. The summit is a small high point on a vast elevated area, so it may be a bit of a surprise.<\/p>\n A small solar-powered communications facility stands about 200 feet to the northeast.<\/p>\n Most of the rocky summit ridge is composed of tilted Sawatch quartzite<\/a>, metamorphic sedimentary rock deposited about 500 million years ago. Both white blocks and reddish layers are visible along the ridge.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Moderate hike at high altitude
\n\u2022 An old road goes part way
\n\u2022 Off-trail route to the summit
\n\u2022 Superb scenery \u2013 nice alpine area
\n\u2022 Excellent HF site
\n\u2022 4.6 miles round-trip
\n\u2022 ~1000 vertical feet<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9370-2.jpg\")
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\n\u2022 Stay on Highway 285 past Fairplay
\n\u2022 Drive south on 285 from Fairplay about 5 miles, and turn west on CR 5
\n\u2022 Follow bumpy dirt 2WD road CR 5 for about 7 miles to CR 22
\n\u2022 Drive rough dirt 2WD CR 22 about 9 miles up to Weston Pass<\/a> at 11921 feet
\n\u2022 The last lumpy mile of this road is too rough for some cars
\n\u2022 Park at the Pass<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9385-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9384-2.jpg\")
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\n\u2022 The road climbs right along the ridge
\n\u2022 Follow the road up and across a broad hill at about 12,480 feet<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9383-2.jpg\")
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\n\u2022 Leave the track south of the willows, and head west toward the south ridge of South Peak<\/a><\/p>\n![\"South](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9380-2.jpg\")
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\n\u2022 Climb up the gentle ridge, well south of the talus slopes
\n\u2022 Hike north across tundra and rocks about \u00bd mile to the summit<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9358-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9363-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9378-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_9361-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"ATTENTION\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Achtung.svg\/877px-Achtung.svg.png\")
\n\n!! WARNING !! There are old<\/b> mountaineers, and \nbold<\/b> mountaineers... there are no old-bold mountaineers. \nHiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required - enjoy!\n<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"