Note: This was written in April of 2021 but I hiked it in late July of 2019.
Click here for route description and an overview map from 14ers.com
I was feeling fit from a busy summer trying to climb the remaining 14ers before moving to New Hampshire for school. I had been eyeing an ambitious do-it-in-a-day route that was on the edge of what I thought I could do. Paying close attention to the weather the weeks prior, I was waiting for a window of stability on a day off from work. Then, in the last few days of July, things started to line up- stable weather, workable snow levels, confidence in route choice, and a strong fitness base. After work I booked it down to the trailhead just north of Durango, pulled the curtains in my car, and tried to fall asleep around 8pm. Just after midnight my alarm went off and it was go-time! I drank some water, chugged as much coffee as possible, grabbed my pack, and crawled out of my car. The hike started cool, with the initial trail descended 1000 ft down to the Animas River, I knew that was going to be a bummer hiking out of. I spent the next 5 hours hiking with only a headlamp on until I started to reach the beginning of the Chicago Basin. I awoke a deer, spooking me, as it took off running through the bushes. Around 4am or so I thought I was hearing voices just off trail, so I looked around. I think it was just a gurgling stream but I hustled outta there quick!
Dawn began to break as I climbed towards the Chicago Basin. The clouds above were pink like cotton candy and I was feeling good, ready to start the climbing part of the day!
First up was Mt. Eolus, named after the god of wind. Shortly upon entering the upper cirque, I encountered snow and ice. I donned my trusty microspikes, pulled my axe off my pack and started the traverse west to the gully up to Mt. Eolus’ NE ridge. The travel was going smoothly with an enjoyable Class 3 scramble to the summit. I met a small group with a guide, briefly explained what I was up to, then hurried off to North Eolus. Eolus must have been wreaking havoc elsewhere because the morning was pleasant with only a light breeze. I descended back to the upper cirque, crossed the largely-still-frozen lakes and passed under Peak Eleven and the Needle Ridge en-route to Sunlight Peak. The snow was supportive yet soft enough to yield traction. I climbed up the south face of Sunlight, switchbacking east then back west until I was on solid rock. I found the last couple hundred yards to the summit a fun puzzle to the summit. Upon the summit there were two guys from Texas. We talked about what may be the most interesting summit of the entire 58 fourteeners- a large boulder balanced up high with plenty of airy exposure needed to stand atop it. They took a photo after I scampered up.
Then it was time to descend back down to the upper-upper basin, cross it, and climb Windom’s more gradual west ridge. I had saved the least technical ascent for last. Exhaustion began to creep in. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Summit! Eat. Drink. Take a photo. Okay time to go, I have a long way back.
Descending was easier, I retraced my steps and was able to get in some glissading. Shortly, I was exiting the upper basin, hiking through the lower valley of the Chicago Basin. I had hiked in and stashed a mountain dew kickstart in a stream, thinking that a cold, bubbly caffeine boost may help me get back to the car. Delicious! Next I was passing the turn off for the train, and then walking the trail parallelling the river and train tracks. Somewhere I began to start feeling the weight of the day. I tried distracting myself, put in some tunes, sang, and looked around. Oh well, now is when it is time to keep going, what else could I do? After (finally) crossing the Animas River on a good bridge I sat down on the water’s edge. I took my shoes off, dipped my feet in the river, ate a snack. I tried to mentally hype myself up for the last ~1000ft of gain back to my car. I put in some more tunes and started walking.
I reached my car around 7pm, 18 hours after setting off. I called my girlfriend and started eating two burritos I had pre-made the day before. Halfway through the second one, tiredness slammed into me. I hung up the phone, put the burrito down and slept for 12+ hours. Overall my effort was about 40 miles of walkin’ and ~12,000ft of vertical gain. Enough to wear me out. I took the next day off, eating in Durango and driving to Crestone in the Sangre de Cristos for my final CO 14ers: The Crestone Traverse.
Samuel D. Parks 