Leviathan

Descending Leviathan Peak, 13,528 ft. towards Jagged Peak.

We made another trip into our favorite Colorado wilderness area- the Weminuche.

This section of the San Juans has always been special to us, and one that we try to visit regularly. Unfortunately, what makes the rugged, remote area so fun to visit, also makes it a challenge to get to, and we don’t find ourselves there as often as we’d like. But about every other year– particularly if it’s a special occasion and we want to do something memorable– we clear four or five days of our schedule and make it happen.

Among our multiple forays into the area was a trip here ten years ago this same week, for my 30th birthday, where we went into Vestal Creek and traversed five peaks in the Grenadier Range– Arrow, Vestal, and the three Trinities. Another was six years ago, for Christy’s birthday, when we went into Ruby Creek for four days and climbed Pigeon, Turret, and Jagged peaks. That was fun. And two years back we made the trip here for our one year wedding anniversary. We camped up Trinity Creek for a couple of days and climbed Storm King Mountain. See that post here. It was on that trip that we caught a glimpse of a neighboring valley framed with interesting peaks and a cerulean blue lake, and we decided we’d have to check it out up close on our next visit.

As my 40th birthday approached and it came time to decide on what to do, we easily agreed– Leviathan Creek.

One valley south of Trinity Creek on the east side of the Grenadier and Needle Mountains, Leviathan Creek empties from Leviathan Lake down into Vallecito Creek. Above Leviathan Lake is a high 13er with the same name, and that was our goal. So after a 6 hour drive– first to Silverton, and then over Stony Pass to Beartown (a curiously named starting point for any wilderness outing), we shouldered our massive packs and headed in.

The huge approach required us to ford Vallecito Creek, a tricky propostion for anyone with a pack so big.

It was a huge effort to get up to Leviathan Lake. But by noon on the second day we had made it, and set up camp for the next few days. We would need that much time to go through all the food, etc. (including 3 liters of wine) we hauled up there. We climbed Leviathan Peak that afternoon and Mount Silex the next day, and had the entire massive valley all to ourselves.

A cute little trail marker greeted us at the start of the faint trail up to the lake.

Big birthday parties might be fun at the time, but trips like this are more memorable in my opinion. And they’re even better when you have photos to remind you of it all afterwards. Here are a few.

After getting up to the lower lake, we set up camp, and then headed up to climb Leviathan Peak, seen here at the top left (and the bottom left, in reflection).

The weather moved in as we climbed Leviathan. We thought we could tag the top before the rain started, but we were duped by a huge false summit (as Christy made clear here by her look of surprise). Short on time before the weather arrived, we had to turn around and descend so as not to get caught in any lightning.

After huddling in the rain below the exposed ridge, the storm passed and we gave it another shot under sunny skies. This time we summited. That’s the appropriately named Jagged Peak in the background.

Forty years and a day old, I still haven’t outgrown this stuff. Those peaks out in the distance to the right of Jagged are Pigeon and Turret, and the Monitor, Animas, and Index (behind me) trio.

The ridiculously blue Leviathan Lake from the summit.

And another view of the lake, the peak, and Vallecito Peak out to the left, as we descended.

And after a long day, we made it back to the comforts of camp.

Christy’s not afraid. But if her therm-a-rest could talk I bet it would ask her to move a bit further back.

Is this crooked smiley face carved or natural?

Here’s the view we spied on our trip two years back from nearby Peak 7, which planted the seed to check out the whole Leviathan Valley up close. It was well worth the trip.