Click on any image to see it in full size.
 
In July 2010 Terri and I flew to Durango to visit the San Juan mountain range. We wanted to climb Mount Sneffels (high point on the horizon, right of center) and then I wanted to try Wetterhorn Peak (foreground) solo.

 
This is a Ryan Schilling photo of the west side of Sneffels, taken from Gilpin Peak. We spent the first night in Ouray, rented a jeep and drove to a high trailhead (somewhere in the lower right of this photo). To approach the summit you go up the valley, take a right up the scree, then a left at the saddle between two rock ridges.

 

Terri at the trailhead, all bright and chipper.

 
We headed north toward the first gully, or "col". Funny, scree is easy when it is flat...

 

Terri turns to head up "Lavender Col".

 
Game on.

 

A quick rest about halfway up the first section. 

 
We alternated between the scree on the right and the loose rocks to the left. Neither was much fun. 

 

It was encouraging to near the saddle. We would take a left between the rock ridges.

 
From the saddle, suddenly the world east of the mountain comes into view.

 

This companion to another climber was having a blast in the snow.

 
The view to the west began to open up as well. Terri contemplates Round 2, the climb northward up "Scree Col".

 

The view down Sneffels' east side is great.

 

 

go to next page

 

back to home page