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Aug 23, 2020 — For the final day of my extended Colorado trip, I wanted to take it easier and enjoy some colorful peaks on gorgeous San Juan tundra. These 13ers just ouside of Silverton did the trick. While most of the route includes trails of some form, part of the approach does not, which I have marked on the attached map.
From Little Molas Lake, a popular parking lot accessible by any car, I followed the Colorado Trail for a while on minor switchbacks until the trail started west and would not return for a while. I left the trail here and continued on a pleasant grassy slope, slowly acending. While any number of routes will lead through the grassy slope to the base of the peaks, I recommend following mine if possible. It avoids some of the steeper options as it goes. I did pass over what appeared to be an old trail, but after following it for a while, realized it didn't go anywhere helpful (I since removed that from the map). I soon made it to a viewpoint toward the cliff-banded base of the peaks, where a weakness in the cliffs would provide a nice trail up to the ridge above. Keeping high, I was able to avoid any bushwhacking at all as I descended into the drainage caused by the weakness. Across the drainage and partially up the opposite grassy slope, I noticed a well-traveled social trail (I have no idea where it comes from). I headed straight for it, following it into the weakness and up to pretty rolling tundra above. My first objective was West Turkshead Peak, a short detour to the west. The social trail didn't continue to this peak, but it was just a grassy slope up the ridge and easy to attain. The views of the Twilights to the south, the colorful Vermilion group to the northwest, and the ridgeline to come to the north were all quite lovely.
From West Turkshead Peak, I got back to the trail and followed it along the base of an unnamed peak, past a very short Class 2 section on loose rock, and up to an unranked peak, Spencer Peak. On my return, I would have to come almost back up to the summit of this minor peak. The ridgeline continued on a nice social trail that has eroded the otherwise unpleasant scree over to Grand Turk, the summit of which is set slightly to the east of the first high point encountered. I continued onward along the ridge to Sultan Mountain, some talus and minor scree along the way, with one minor Class 2 section. The summit views from Sultan Mountain were very nice, and after a few minutes of reflection about my trip and the massive drive back home, I headed back the same way I came. A trail leads a few hundred feet to the west of Grant Turk, meaning I didn't have to re-ascend all the way to the summit.
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