Windom Peak

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/17/2023, By: 815WM
Info: Started from Vallecito Creek TH on 7/13 and camped in Chicago Basin on 7/14. The next day, the 15th, I started at 4:30am and soloed all four 14ers: Eolus - North Eolus - Sunlight - Windom. I summited the last peak at 12:30 pm on a perfectly clear bluebird day. None of the peaks have snow on the summit ridges. You still need to climb a bit of snow to gain each saddle. You can get away with just poles or an axe, but I still highly recommend spikes. The most(and steepest) snow field is still encountered gaining the ridge for Eolus. I met a group as I was coming back down from Windom that summited Eolus and N Eolus without spikes or poles! Sunlight and Windom still required snowfield crossings as well. I was glad I had my spikes and poles but these two are easier if you don't have the gear. After summiting the grand slam, I took a nap back in the basin before packing out over Columbine pass and all the way down to Vallecito Creek for a total of just over 18 miles on the day. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/8/2023, By: colekics
Info: Started from Purgatory TH and camped in Chicago Basin. The next day, the 6th, Three other guys and I hit up all four 14ers: Sunlight -> Windom -> North Eolus -> Eolus. Essentially, none of the peaks have snow on the summit ridges. You just need to climb a bit of snow to gain each saddle. You can get away with just poles or an axe, multiple guys in our group never used spikes but they can add comfort. Started moving at 3:30 but coming down from Windom saddle around 8:15, the snow began to soften just enough to glissade. Then the snow was softer going up to the Eolus saddle, and once we came down we got some really great glissading in. The most snow climbing exists going up the Eolus saddle. We also found a fully packed pack on the ridge direct of Eolus, so if someone left it please let me know. Just a reminder: STAY ON THE STANDARD ROUTES. We were climbing Sunlight when we watched a group of five people try to climb the FACE of windom from the saddle between Windom and Sunlight Spire. They were just in spikes, trying to cross 60 degree side hill hard snow to reach a continuous rocky outcropping to the top. I thought I was about to watch them slide into a rocky runout and we'd have to call SOS. They then proceeded to climb loose, steep Class 5 rock to the top. We met them at the top of Windom and talked to them. Just make sure to follow your GPS up there, know which saddles to gain in order to climb safely. Pictures will be on the Sunlight post. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/17/2023, By: chrisbroyles
Info: My group of five climbed Windom Peak (14,089 ft) on July 3rd starting at 5 am from Chicago Basin near 12,000 feet. After getting to Twin Lakes, we traversed intermittent snow using crampons for almost a mile before ascending a snow slope upward for about 300 feet. We needed crampons and ski poles to make this steep snow climb to the saddle. Snow conditions were on par with early June. From the saddle (13,450 feet), we ascended class 2 rock up to a second but smaller saddle near 13,800 feet. The route becomes considerably steep above the second saddle (solid class 3), and my son made the remark that it reminded him of the climbing gym back home. The remaining 300 feet is practically all class 3 climbing. There is no way to make it without pulling up with your hands. In fact, information online suggests that this route on Windom Peak is difficult class 2. In our view, which is in agreement with several other climber posts, this route should be rated class 3. We thought the route was slightly more difficult than the class 3 southwest ridge route on Mount Sneffels (14,155 ft). In addition, it can be easy to move up slightly to the right of the main climber's ridge at 13, 700 feet, quickly exposing yourself to Class 3+ rock. I thought this route was going to be easy, but I was surprised at the unexpected difficulty. For that reason, I wasn't quite mentally prepared to make the climb. If you are going this route, prepare for a more difficult climb than what is suggested online, especially for safety reasons. If your goal is to stay on Class 2 routes due to your climbing ability, then I would suggest avoiding Windom Peak. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: mjordan
Info: Summited all 4 peaks on July 1st starting with Windom. The lake was still 90% frozen. Snow starts at the lake but the 1.5 miles up from Chicago Basin is clear. I only used micro spikes and trekking poles. A lot of people had crampons and ice axes but after this weekend I think thats overkill and not worth the extra weight. From the saddle up its totally dry and straight forward climbing on the ridge. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 6/20/2023, By: tjvanfossen
Info: Very little snow on approach to Twin Lakes, no traction needed up to there. Near continuous snow from lakes to summit block if you so choose. We just picked a line and went with the direct-to-summit option. Low 40s slope angle max. Cannot speak to the ridge proper other than hearing that it comfortably goes with spikes only until you hit snow toward the summit. Final summit block is mostly bare rock. Axe and crampons recommended, but can probably leave snowshoes at home (although may become post-holey as things warm up). 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 5/18/2023, By: Kya Cav
Info: Chicago Basin 5/11/23-5/13/23 Dry trail about 3.5-4 miles in. Then solid snow coverage rest of the way up. We camped at 11,000 feet and basically at the end of the flat valley. All peaks still in for summit ski decents but will definitely fade away after a week or so of sunny skies. Go getr done! 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/29/2022, By: scott_s
Info: From the notch around 13800' to the summit is starting to accumulate snow, barely a factor right now but it won't be long. Probably could have used traction for a few steps but I didn't bother. Otherwise summer conditions on the rest of the route 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/20/2022, By: Buckie06
Info: Small patches of snow here and there, totally avoidable though. Basically summer conditions. We had microspikes but never had to use them 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/16/2022, By: jtfoss1
Info: We cut over from Sunlight and made a direct line for Windom's ridgeline. We ascended some mostly solid class 3 directly up to the ridge about 1/4 of the way up from the saddle with Peak 18. This seemed like a very easy way to combo the two. We saw some people working their way around to the left to avoid losing elevation but that seemed far worse than what we did. This peak is class 3 in my opinion, and not even in the gray area between 2 and 3. There is some exposure on various parts of the route, including at the super funky summit. Overall, a really fun mountain. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/5/2022, By: shapovalovm
Info: Did the whole CBasin from Purgatory: Day 1: Started at 9:10. Parking was full, so I had to park near the community center (lots of additional parking there). Got to the basin by 2:45. Lots of people! Camped at 11200 Day 2: started 5:10, did 4 peaks, back to camp by 1pm. Started down at 1:30, back to the car by 6:50pm Peaks (in order): 1) Eolus: class 2 to the notch, perfectly cairned, no issues with navigation even in pitch dark. The catwalk is nothing to be afraid of, if you can walk in a straight line (it's like 3-4 feet wide at worst). Scramble up is easy. 2) N Eolus. A tiny baby scramble from the notch. Overall from Eolus it took me 25 min to get there 3) Sunlight: shit shute until 13800, horrible experience. But from there it's a ton of fun. No way it is class 4, though, even the summit block. The fall from there is to the nearest rock which is like 5 feet below. I understand it may be scary to people, but so may be the catwalk, but we don't call it class 4 do we? 4) Windom. Having done 3 peaks, this one felt hard. The views are fantastic though. Also, again, I don't think the rating is right. Haven't seen a single person who managed to summit it with no scrambling above the saddle, so should be class 3. If Sneffels and Kit Carson are class 3, this one definitely must be class 3 as well 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/25/2022, By: cougar
Info: Conditions are full summer for all the Chicago basin peaks. All trees are cleared off the trail. The washout section is pretty short, like .2 mile stretch at 10k feet, and partially patched already. Routes up the peaks are well marked and cairned, including between Sunlight and Windom. Flies are awful all day and night in the basin and along the trail, but none at Needleton. There was a goat that mostly was into the ladies, and porcupine at night. Despite the wet forecast, the weekend was surprisingly dry in the area, although it looked stormier a few miles north and easy. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2022, By: MountainBuhn
Info: (Pics on Mt Eolus review) Copying this info for all 4. Backpacked in from Purg on Friday 7/1. Started at 3:30 and got to the lowest spot in Chicago Basin at 9pm. Started the day on Saturday at 2:30am attempting all 4. Mt E: Clear of all snow. Catwalk is overrated imo. Ledges were far tougher (and longer). Some loose rock to deal with. We found staying under the ridge was the best option on the way up. Headed more straight east on the way down. N E: Easy, self explanatory, maybe a slightly sketchy move getting from the saddle of Mt E to the beginning of the climb if coming from Mt E. Pup made it up N Eolus with no help. Put him in a bag for ledges due to the rockfall potential. Sunlight: Started from Twin at 10:30am after resting after Eolus. Storm clouds were moving in but we decided to send it anyway (wouldn't recommend). Red gully was bad as advertised but not as bad as say sneffels scree or Wilson/Diente scree so it's relative. Got to notch with plenty of thunder but no lightning so we went for it. Class 4 move wasn't bad but tougher on the way down if you're shorter than 6'. I thought the move into the “chimney tunnel” was harder than the leap. Booted it off as thunder was heard straight above us. Pup stayed below class 4 move and my partner and I summited at different times. Windom: Weirdly my favorite. Boulder hopping up to the notch was tough. Notch up to peak was a blast. Pup needed a couple of butt shoves but besides that was good. Summit block of Windom was a blast. Definitely plenty of class 3 fun (the class 2 rank is just incorrect). Back to the lakes by 5pm. Somehow had no rain fall on us. It felt like there was a force field around the 4 peaks and we were just extremely lucky for a monsoon weekend. Backpacked out 7/3 in 4 hours of rain (finally got us). Fun weekend. To summit all 4 in one day is something else. Would do sunlight again and spend more time at the top. Real calf burner 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 6/30/2022, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: (See Sunlight Peak CR for info about the approach.) Snow is largely avoidable, though there are just enough patches on what appears to be the main path to get your soles wet at potentially inconvenient spots where you'd want to have good grip on your footholds. There might be a way to keep this route strictly Class 2+, but if so, that option is still buried under a snowfield just below the summit, so at least a few Class 3 moves are necessary. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 1/12/2022, By: bmcqueen
Info: Getting to the Windom saddle was trickier than I expected. Lots of snow on northern aspects that were screaming caution. I got to the ridge just after sunset and summited at 6:15 pm. A few steep snow spots, but mostly just rock hopping up the ridge. I then retraced my trench back into the basin, opting for a known commodity vs a quicker descent. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 11/9/2021, By: nicoinco
Info: Copied from Sunlight post: I hiked into Chicago Basin over the weekend via the Purgatory Flats approach. Ended up summiting Sunlight, Windom, and North Eolus, but decided to turn around at the “catwalk” of Eolus due to what appeared to be unconsolidated and sloping snow on the ledges of Eolus. Sunlight was mostly dry and grippy above the gulley. Ended up with just under 45 miles and 13,000ft round trip for the weekend. I brought crampons, microspikes, poles, and an ice axe into the basin with me, but didn't end up using any traction. The poles were helpful for some post-holing at and above Twin Lakes, and I used my axe on Windom for added comfort traversing some short snow slopes towards the top. There was evidence of some sliding on the north face of Windom, so I'd be wary of any further attempts at the crossover from Sunlight with any new snow. Overall, less snow than expected and an excellent weekend alone in the mountains.