Known to the natives as the Wahatoya (Breast of the Earth), and a sacred site to Navajos, these ancient volcano remnants are worth a visit if not only for the scenery. Colorado's only range that runs east-west. Impressive, intrusive dikes radiating from the twin peaks like spokes on a wheel hold promise; too bad they are mostly on private land. The area known for its phenomenal color display in the fall. Look for climbing opportunities on the Dakota Sandstone at North and Monument Lakes. A beautifully undeveloped part of the state. West Spanish Peak also holds a few virgin snow climbs/ski descents as does the nearby Culebra Range.
Getting There
Located off State Route 12, The Highway of Legends, between LaVeta (The Vein) and Trinidad.
Amenities
As far as Eats and Drinks in the area goes, try the "Dog Bar" in nearby Cuchara. Rover doesn't even need to stay in the car
The intrusive granitic dikes found around West Spanish Peak actually arise on Mount Mestas, Mount Lincoln, Sheep Mountain, and randomly around La Veta pass. The dikes can be up to 100 feet high and have seen some random climbing and rappelling exercises over the years. Even the local Boy Scouts have a merit badge for rapping the dikes. Much of the land through which the dikes run is BLM or National Forest and not private. From my own recon of the area, my impression is one of variable quality granite, often enclasted with sedimentary boulders and pebbles, but amenable to some level of climbing. Some of the outcrop dikes can be very overhanging, but the main lines running off West Spanish Peak are not. That said, some of dikes are as long as 14 miles (sic!), and could turn up a host of good climbs on excellent granite. If you are really into chasing down the possibilities, the dikes are readily visible on Google Earth.
Spanish Peaks
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