Windom Peak

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 6/25/2026, By: wmagnuson7
Info: Largely summer conditions, but still holding a significant amount of snow on the North Face (see photo) and there are short (100 feet?) snow fields in the lower basin. If you take the standard route, I would definitely recommend microspikes and poles. Alternatively, you can take ridge direct if you are comfortable with Class 3 climbing and not bring microspikes and poles. Enjoy! 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 6/13/2026, By: Craig Barlow
Info: Started from Chicago Basin at 4:30am. Crossed 2 snowfields on the way to the Eolus / North Eolus saddle. Snow was still firm as it was 6am, but managed both very easily with trail runners and poles by utilizing previous bootprints. North Eolus summit at 6:35am, Eolus summit at 7:15am. One small snow patch ro cross at base of Eolus with very nice footprints through other. Snow softening on the way down by 8am was great for bootsking and no postholing.

Back to Twin Lakes at 8:35am, then started up Sunlight. Some low angle (almost flat) snowfields with postholing near the edges, still solid in the middles. One very minor snowfield to cross about 100' below the summit which has great footprints through it and this can also be avoided. Sunlight summit at 9:55am.

Large snowfield to cross in the bowl between Sunlight and Windom. Following previous footprints worked OK, but bad postholing otherwise now around 10:45am. A couple tiny snowfields just below Windom summit at 11:45am with good footprints through them.

In summary, you don't really need any traction if you are experienced, imo.

Continued to Jupiter after Windom. The snow up the north face was horrific and I was swimming up to my waist in soft snow. Finally got to a rock rib which saved me and was Class 2. A couple final short steep snowfields before getting to the summit ridge were actually pretty firm and I used the pick of my axe (didn't have crampons) but my trail runners were able to just get enough purchase. No snow on summit ridge or on descent towards Columbine Pass trail. 

Route: North / Widowmaker Couloir
Posted On: 5/26/2026, By: slawrence2011
Info: See my sunlight post for overall context of the trip. Came up the North side around 11 right after skiing sunlight. The couloir went continuously to right below the summit, looked improbable from below. I don't know if it was widowmaker or North couloir, looked like the only option. I didn't get the descent clean as I made one fall and catch during the transition to the rollover to the main couloir from firm to soft. This should hold for a while with the N aspect, looks about the same as Eric's CR 10 days ago. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 5/14/2026, By: ericahlstedt
Info: The trail to to chicago basin and up to twin lakes is pretty much dry and snow free. There is continuous snow at and after twin lakes.

Widowmaker couloir skied nicely from the summit and all the way back to twin lakes. Was sort of recycled pow on the north face and corn down to the lakes.

The standard route up the West Ridge was fairly snowy. It makes logical sense to ski S face of Sunlight first for a corn run and give time for the N face of Windom to soften up.

Me and Joseph Mccarty / Splitboard14ers teamed up for this epic trip into Chicago basin. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 9/25/2025, By: moosifer
Info: Chicago Basin was clear on 9.21.2025. Climbed Windom and Sunshine on 9.23.2025. Snow, grapple, lots of thunder and lightening. Probably 2-3 inches fell overnight with icy conditions. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 9/20/2025, By: 14RBND
Info: Very small amounts of snow and ice up on the final approach to summit when climbed Wednesday morning. I easily avoided it and didn't need micro spikes. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 9/17/2025, By: dakotasmama
Info: Rode the train to Needleton and hiked up to the basin last night, then summitted today. Started at 5am, reached the summit at 8:30, back to camp at 11:30. Route-finding gets pretty wonky at the 13k/Sunlight Peak divergence. Cairns are literally everywhere. It looked like some hikers chose to take an immediate, more direct route from just before the divergence up to the ridge. Luckily the rock is all very stable so going off route meant some weird hopping maneuvers but not certain death. Lots of elevation gain in a very short distance, so be prepared for it to take a lot longer than you expect. Windom is the only one of the three 14ers in the basin whose route isn’t in the sun until afternoon, so it was preeeety chilly. I didn’t bring my spikes and did okay, but there were a handful of snowy/icy spots that I would have felt much more secure if I’d had them. Little to no exposure along the route, but once you get to the final pitch the exposure on the east side is crazy. All of the rock on the final pitch/ridge/summit was very stable. I didn’t plan for this one to be my finisher but that’s how it ended up, and I couldn’t have asked for more beautiful weather or a more surreal, perfect ending to the last five years of hiking. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 8/8/2025, By: JoeDan4th
Info: Crossed a few small snow fields while trying to cut off distance after descending Sunlight. No snow when coming straight from the lakes, and no snow on the ridgeline. Otherwise bone dry, albeit a little smoky 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 7/14/2025, By: zackj99
Info: Pretty much unavoidable snow at about 13,100' but no problem in trail runners with no spikes. Beautiful weekend at Chicago Basin with a ton of hikers out and about! 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 7/7/2025, By: psa954hiker
Info: We climbed Eolus and N Eolus, but took this photo of the saddle between Windom and Sunlight. Some snowfields remain. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 7/2/2025, By: kylefwip
Info: Good bit of snow on the north face on windom, but you can stick to rock bands up to the saddle and only need about 100 ft of low angle snow crossing to get onto the ridge. Some small snow patches going up the ridge near the peak, but avoidable. Start early, post holing is a problem. If you want to glissade down on the north face, ice axe is fairly necessary. I summited with just trekking poles, but an ice axe and microspikes would've been helpful. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 7/3/2025, By: LSchmidt75
Info: Did the Sunlight to Windom combo and the Windom snow field is still significant / unavoidable. We had microspikes and ice axes and were happy to have both; we talked to groups that managed it without, but wouldn't personally recommend if you're going in the next few weeks. The run-out on the snow field is generally safe, which I know well because I took a free ride down after a fall and had to hike back up. Spicy postholing up to our waists when the sun comes out - if you're doing the combo, consider climbing Windom first to hit the snow field early in the morning. Fun and safe glissade down! For the summit push - there is still significant snow at the top and all available routes we found were Class III with significant route finding and bouldering / upper body work. Very achievable but leave yourself time to route-find at the top. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 6/27/2025, By: puckpunk
Info: There is still considerable snow in the valley between Windom & Sunlight. Depending on the direction and pitch, it ranges from solid to waist deep (and maybe bottomless!) postholey. You will encounter snow as soon as you reach Twin Lakes. It is possible to stay above the snow and trail for much of the initial ascent, but you will eventually be crossing a large snowfield to reach the saddle. From there, it appears clear, but there will be more areas of snow on the climb to the summit, and you may have to get creative in your route finding in a few places.

If attempting both Windom and Sunlight, starting with Windom will allow you to glissade from the saddle (whee!) right to the cairn that marks the trail between, and save some steps and time. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 5/15/2025, By: AlpineSplit
Info: Still plenty of good riding to be had on Windom, the Widowmaker is getting a little thin but not bad. It did not warm up until very late in the day. 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 12/23/2024, By: paulbarish
Info: *Copy and pasted from my post in sunlight peak*

Very safe but physically brutal! Took the train to Cascade Wye (much better than hiking from purgatory like I did for Eolus a few winter ago). Expected to be on skis out of the gate but ended up walking in approach shoes until shortly after needle creek when I could FINALLY switch to skinning! Luckily there were plenty of down trees blocking the trail so lots of transitions haha. Camped at 11k. Many running water sources available just above. At least 3 good ones within 20 of the trail. The trail is mixed snow and rock until Twin Lakes where it was hard packed all the way until 13k where you turn onto the south face of sunlight. Then it needed flotation but skied like a sheet of ice (over to Windom). Skinning this section was heinous and Ski crampons would have been awesome. Upper mountain had post holing that could be avoided with extra scrambling. Overall the snow was soft and not very supportive. Summit block was tricky in ski boots, but it was my first time so maybe I could have done it an easier way . I skied from approximately 13700 over to Windom trying to lose as little vert as possible, then stashed skis and took a Rocky rib on the north face to link with the ridge. I skied from 13400 to twin lakes easily then on and off skis until the prominent switchback in the trail around 11800. I took skis on and off probably 30 times in the next few miles and I skied through a lot of stuff that people who care about their skis wouldnt have! Then proceeded to pack up camp and go all the way back to Cascade Wye to catch the train. Overall, I think snowshoes would have been easier and saved a lot of energy, probably in the end faster. More snow will help a lot. Yesterday was a 22.5 hour day and I suffered more than I expected! I hope this helps someone. Happy solstice!!! Pics on the sunlight page