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Elevation: 12,998 ft
GPS: 37.6566, -107.6015
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Shared By: Matthias Holladay on Mar 5, 2012
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

Rosebrough's guide, San Juan Mountains a Climbing and Hiking Guide is worth every penny.

Climbers here in the Four Corners are blessed to have such a concentration of mountaineering splendor as there is in the San Juans. This range is comprised of the Needles and Grenadiers, the two areas that form the core of true backcountry mountaineering; the other sub-ranges are the North San Juans and the West Needles. 

The Grenadiers, a row of proud sentinels, are also known as the Quartzite Peaks, while the Needles are a haphazard mix of peaks and passes, culminating in the Sunlight-Windom massif.

Getting There Suggest change

The easiest and quickest way to get into the heart of these peaks is to take the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge railroad from either Silverton or Durango to Elk Park or Needleton. Alternately, and depending on which areas one intends to visit, one could approach from Beartown, American Basin, Andrews Lake, Molas Switchbacks, Vallecito, Purgatory Flats, etc.

Bats - conservation

Suggest change

See a bat on a route, give a shout. Bats have been reported as high as 12,500'. Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. If you see bats, and want to tell them, here is their email (climbersforbats@colostate.edu) and their website ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Climbers for Bat Conservation is a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. They are interested in finding bats because a new disease, called white-nose syndrome ( whitenosesyndrome.org/), has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the U.S., and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation. If you see bats while climbing, please let them know by emailing them at climbersforbats@colostate.edu, or visiting their website to learn more ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Rob Schorr

Zoologist, Colorado Natural Heritage Program ( sites.warnercnr.colostate.e…)

Director, Climbers for Bat Conservation

Robert.schorr@colostate.edu 

113 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: San Juans Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at San Juans

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
Steep Snow
 35
Snake (Dogleg) Couloir
Trad, Snow, Alpine
Mod. Snow
 14
Naked Lady Couloir
Trad, Snow, Alpine
3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a
 57
Southwest Ridge
Trad, Alpine
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b
 24
West Buttress
Trad, Alpine
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b
 17
The Knife
Trad, Alpine
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b
 9
Lower Ramp
Trad, Alpine
5.2 3 8 II 8 D 2c
 23
North Face (submitted as Normal…
Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a
 25
East Face/Dallas Peak
Trad, Alpine
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R
 168
Wham Ridge
Trad, Alpine 10 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R
 4
NNE Ridge
Trad, Alpine
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 18
Southwest Chimney
Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 17
North Buttress
Trad, Alpine
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 41
Center Shift on Wham Ridge
Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
 60
Southwest Chimney
Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 20
Standard Route, Sunlight Spire
Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Snake (Dogleg) Couloir Northern San Ju… > Mt Sneffels
 35
Steep Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine
Naked Lady Couloir Needles > W Needle Mountains > Snowdon Peak
 14
Mod. Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine
Southwest Ridge Northern San Ju… > Mt Sneffels
 57
3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a Trad, Alpine
West Buttress Needles > W Needle Mountains > Snowdon Peak
 24
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b Trad, Alpine
The Knife Babcock Peak
 17
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b Trad, Alpine
Lower Ramp Grenadiers > Arrow Peak
 9
4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b Trad, Alpine
North Face (submitted as No… Needles > Jagged Mountain
 23
5.2 3 8 II 8 D 2c Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
East Face/Dallas Peak Northern San Ju… > Dallas Peak
 25
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a Trad, Alpine
Wham Ridge Grenadiers > Vestal Peak
 168
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R Trad, Alpine 10 pitches
NNE Ridge San Miguel Moun… > Wilson Peaks > Wilson Peak
 4
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R Trad, Alpine
Southwest Chimney Uncompahgre/Big… > Coxcomb Peak
 18
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
North Buttress Northern San Ju… > Mt Sneffels
 17
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine
Center Shift on Wham Ridge Grenadiers > Vestal Peak
 41
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
Southwest Chimney San Miguel Moun… > Lizard Head
 60
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
Standard Route, Sunlight Spire Needles > Sunlight Spire
 20
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
More Classic Climbs in San Juans »

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