UN 12498, UN 12550, Long Trek Mountain (12,866), Montezuma Peak (13,150) & "The Unicorn" (13,020) by Brian Schultz Wednesday June 18, 2014

Roundtrip mileage: ~12 miles from Elwood Pass

Total elevation gain: ~4,200'

Start to finish: 9 hours 45 minutes

After climbing Grayback Mtn and Bonito Mtn last night, I parked at a great camp area (elev. 11,600') just south of the Elwood Pass road and set up before it got dark. The forecast today called for sunny, cool weather with high winds. The sunny part of the forecast wouldn't hold up throughout the day but the winds sure did. They were gusting forcefully when I began at 6:40 and it was a fight to press through them all day.

I had trouble finding the CD trail from the Elwood Pass road and ended up backtracking a bit. When I still couldn't find the trail, I set a bearing for UN 12498 and made an easy bushwhack that eventually intersected the trail just before 12498's ridge.

I arrived on UN 12498 at 7:45, quickly glanced over to UN 12550 to check the snow conditions, and headed down 12498's steep northwest face five minutes later. Although steep, the difficulty was only class 2 on the contour over to 12498's ridge and to the saddle below. I skirted a large snow patch on the ridge to 12550 before arriving on the summit at 8:30. There is a nice view of Long Trek Mountain from the top and after a ten minute break I descended back to the saddle and continued on the CD trail. I left the trail and started up the grassy slopes to Long Trek's north ridge and arrived on the summit at 10:00.

After another ten minute break I dropped down to the CD trail again and set out for Montezuma Peak. I'd been following Derek Wolfe's trip report so far and wondered if I'd be able find the ledges he described as I left the trail and started up Montezuma's east ridge. I never did find them. The talus ridge was steep with several towers that made me wonder how I'd get around them but I found a way and a short stroll put me on the summit at 11:40.

I managed to avoid all snow obstacles up to this point but my heart sank when I looked over to "The Unicorn". I thought I might be stopped by the snow covered slopes but when I looked closer, the CD trail appeared to thread through the snow. I descended the southwest ridge of Montezuma, easy class 2, and continued again on the CD trail toward "The Unicorn".

I'd left my ice axe in the truck thinking I wouldn't need it but I really wished I had it with as the trail cut through some steep snow. Thankfully, the sun had softened the snow and I was able to kick in steps to get safely across. Then it was just an easy hike up the south ridge to the top and I claimed my final peak at 12:50. On the descent, I dropped further down the ridge to avoid the CD trail because I wasn't comfortable returning through the snow. When I regained the trail, the whole area quickly fogged in and thunder began rumbling. It started hailing at 3:00 but no lightning flashed.

All the peaks were completely shrouded in by now and I soon lost the trail as well. My GPS came in handy at this point and I eventually met up with the trail near UN 13498. The skies suddenly cleared, though only for a while, and I continued on the CD trail to the Crater Lake trail. I followed the Crater Lake trail back to Forest Road 380 and from there it was 0.4 miles up the road to the where I was parked. I reached my truck at 4:25, good timing because fifteen minutes later it started pouring rain.

The Crater Lake trailhead would be an excellent starting point for these peaks. It is signed and there is room to park at the trailhead, otherwise, the large camp area up the road where I stayed at has lots of parking and it's still close enough to the Crater Lake trailhead.

I enjoyed these peaks despite their being in such a remote area. The southern San Juans are especially scenic and well worth driving to.

-Back-