Smelter Mountain (7,725), UN 11500, Lobo Overlook (11,780), & Lookout Mountain (8,475) by Brian Schultz Thursday September 1, 2022

Smelter Mountain:
Roundtrip mileage: 1.6 miles from CR 212 gate
Elevation gain: 270'
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Participants: Tim Briese, Brian Schultz

We happened to be staying at a Durango hotel near Smelter Mountain. We drove up CR 211, turned right on CR 212, and parked at an unlocked gate. We could've driven to the summit but didn't want to chance someone closing and locking the gate before we returned. Not likely to happen but you never know.

We began hiking up the road at 7:40 AM and were on the summit in short order, at 8:00. The highpoint is just outside the fenced off towers. Views are nice from the top, especially looking down on Durango. After a few minutes we departed and were back at the truck at 8:25. It doesn't get much easier than this. Tim headed for home while I drove east on Highway 160 to Wolf Creek Pass.

UN 11500:
Roundtrip mileage: 1.1miles from FR 402
Elevation gain: 315'
Start to finish: 35 minutes

From the east side of Wolf Creek Pass, I drove up FR 402 and parked off the road northwest of the summit. I began at 12:20 on a faint track that soon became more defined as an old road/trail. The trail went all the way to the very large summit area. Lots of the trees on the summit were dead but the views of the ski area below and the distant mountains were pretty good. I walked around the summit trying to discern the highest point but it's flat with no obvious highpoint. On to Lobo Overlook.

Lobo Overlook:
I continued up FR 402 to unranked Lobo Overlook. It's a drive-up, with bathrooms and a picnic area at the top. The overlook has nice views.

Lookout Mountain:
Roundtrip mileage: 1.22 miles from 11th Street trailhead in Del Norte
Elevation gain: 485'
Start to finish: 40 minutes

I had time to do one more peak before driving to Winfield. In Del Norte, I turned off Highway 160 on Oak Street and made my way over to 11th Street and Columbia. There is a small parking area at this trailhead located in a residential neighborhood. I began at 2:45 PM on an excellent trail that goes all the way to the summit. It only took 20 minutes to reach the summit and I enjoyed the views of the town below before departing. There are two benchmarks on the summit, an old one and a newer one. This was a fun and easy peak and I was back at my truck at 3:25, wrapping up a nice, pleasant day before driving to Winfield and getting ready for a climb of West Apostle in the morning.