WINDOW CLOSED
Back
in August, 2006, Christy, Myron, Saucony, and I spent
five days backpacking in the Weminuche
Wilderness. We started that trip on the
north side of the wilderness, at the Rio Grande Reservoir. We spent the first two nights at a campsite
on the edge of a meadow in a valley east of The Window – a huge notch cut out
of the ridge just below Rio Grande Pyramid.
On the second day, Myron and I climbed the Pyramid despite some hostile
weather. It was a fantastic climb,
despite the conditions. We had planned
to explore The Window after our climb, but the foul weather chased us back to
camp.
I
was up at 6:15 on Monday. Originally we
had planned to spend the morning dayhiking to The
Window. We had also contemplated
climbing Rio Grande Pyramid. However,
Bob J elected to get some extra rest, and J Bob passed since he was still
struggling with the altitude. I was
determined to see some of the high country east of Twin Lakes, since our route
would take us south and west from there.
Climbing Rio Grande Pyramid solo was out of the question, but I was
hopeful that I could at least get a closer look at The Window.
I
left camp quietly and hiked up to Twin Lakes.
I passed two elk grazing in a meadow along the way. Twin Lakes is another alpine beauty,
surrounded by marshy areas and thick tangles of willows. I had breakfast there and assessed the
situation. It was a cloudy morning,
which was a surprise, because it never – NEVER – rains in the
morning in Colorado. Conventional
wisdom is quite clear on that. I figured
that the dark clouds would clear off once the sun crested the mountains to the
east.
From
Twin Lakes I followed the Continental Divide Trail east. I climbed an alpine ridge above the lakes and
continued over to Ute Lake. Ute Lake may
well be the most beautiful lake in an area that is full of them. The trail stays well above the lake, but
offers great views of the water and the surrounding peaks.
From
Ute Lake a barely discernible climb brought me to the Continental Divide. At this point I was treated to a breathtaking
view down the valley to the south towards Flint Lake. I continued on the CDT, making a more substantial
climb along the divide. I passed some
unusual rock formations, and enjoyed sweeping views of peaks, lakes, and
meadows.
I
followed a high ridgeline above the sprawling green Rincon La Osa. I contoured
around Ute Peak, and was briefly tempted to climb it. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time for
the peak, or the Window, which was still a couple of miles ahead. For a consolation prize, I scrambled
off-trail up to the crest of the ridge east of Ute Peak. From there I had a dramatic view of The
Window and Rio Grande Pyramid. I also
had a good look at some hostile weather approaching from the west. A wall of black clouds was racing towards
me. The storm didn’t seem to care that
it was only 9:30 in the morning.
Apparently the weather in the San Juan Mountains has no respect for
conventional wisdom.
I
hurried off the ridge and rejoined the trail.
However, I was still way above tree line and extremely exposed when the
storm hit. The wind howled, and I was
pelted with sleet and snow. Thunder
rumbled in the distance, and I hurried down the trail in search of shelter. Luckily I found a low area below the ridge
crest. I huddled there as the thunder
boomed and the lightning flashed all around me.
I eventually managed to get rain gear and a hat on. By the time the storm subsided, the ground
was covered with fresh snow and ice pellets.
I
hiked back quickly, but got caught in another snow squall before reaching Twin
Lakes. The snow eventually changed to
rain, and it was a relief getting back down below tree line. A steady rain was falling when I returned to
camp. I dove into the tent, and took a
short nap while warming up in my cozy sleeping bag.
I
woke to the sounds of the Bobs rustling around.
Surprisingly, the sun was actually out.
I emerged from my tent refreshed from my nap. We had lunch at the campsite before breaking
camp. Our plan was to hike about 4 miles
that afternoon to camp at Rock Lake.
The
sun lasted until we’d gotten a few minutes up the trail. Another storm rolled through, and we huddled
in the woods just short of Twin Lakes until it cleared. Then we climbed up to the lakes and on up to
the Continental Divide. I was worried
about this, since the weather was still iffy.
The divide wasn’t far though, so we went for it. The climb beyond Twin Lakes was tougher than
I expected, but it was worth it. The
view of from the divide was sublime, with rolling alpine country behind us and
jagged peaks ahead. Luckily the weather
held off as we descended into the headwaters of Rock Creek.
Rock
Lake, our intended destination for the evening, loomed ahead on a narrow bench
below Mount Oso and Peters Peak. We descended from the pass, strolling past
numerous alpine tarns at the head of the valley. The Rock Creek valley dropped away below us,
its mixture of spruce groves and grassy meadows beckoning. It was one of the more dramatic views from a
trip that was full of them.
The
weather still looked sketchy, and we figured that camping at Rock Lake (just
above tree line) would be rather exposed.
We passed the spur trail to the lake and continued down the valley. Shortly after crossing Rock Creek we found a
great campsite on a bench high above the creek.
The site was sheltered by enormous spruce trees. It was a beautiful spot, and a fitting end to
a great day.
It
rained again that evening, just as I started eating dinner. We all went to bed early, hopeful for better
weather the next day.
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