Sunlight Peak - West Ridge

I recently had the opportunity to finally get into Chicago Basin for an awesome peak-bagging backpacking trip. I think we can all agree that the details of a Chicago Basin trip have already been described within innumerable trip reports on 14ers.com, so the purpose of this report will be to detail a less traveled yet classic route on Sunlight Peak - the West Ridge! Besides the Roach book, there's not much other beta available. The only relevant trip report I have found is from 2013, which you can find here: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14133

This is a class 4 alternate to the standard route on Sunlight, very similar in mileage/gain. It entails much more exposure and sustained class 3-4 climbing, some moderate route finding difficulties, and a *choice* loose gully. The primary difficulty is finding the initial exposed class 4 wall and climbing that to the ridge crest. Once the ridge is gained, it is mostly exposed class 2+ and class 3 climbing with little to no route finding. The ridge eventually meets with the standard route at the 'wormhole' rock. I think it is a very reasonable choice for a moderate/advanced alpine scrambler. In difficulty and exposure this felt similar to the standard route on Capitol Peak. However, in stark contrast to Capitol, the rock on this ridge is absolutely BOMBER. Beautiful pink/orange, large grain granite that make the entire ridge feel like one piece of solid continuous rock. No kitty litter business here. Ascending the West Ridge and descending the South Face was a great way to see all the mountain has to offer. A Tour-De-Sunlight as Roach would say. If this sounds like your cup of tea, read on!

We traveled to the basin in a party of six - Mark, Sam, Brandon, Jessica, Hansen, and myself (Adam). We found a beautiful campsite off in solitude, but inevitably our electrolyte-ridden pee attracted the local residents.

For our climb of Sunlight, we initially assumed we would ascend the standard South Face route. However, Brandon told us he was interested in attempting the West Ridge. After reading an inspiring description from Gerry Roach, who describes the scrambling as 'positively primal', we were in! Thanks Brandon for snapping pics of the book! It was decided that Brandon, Sam, Hansen, and I would climb the West Ridge route, while Mark + Jessica would stick with the standard route.

The next morning we were hiking by 5:15am from our camp at 11k. The climb is approached the same as the standard route for Sunlight, except that you will turn off the main trail at around 13k and traverse toward a loose gully to the right of Needle Ridge (see overview picture). You ascend the loose gully to a saddle at 13,300', then ride the West Ridge until its terminus at the standard route.

Once at the split the four of us bid farewell to Jessica and Mark, hoping we would serendipitously meet before the summit.

A few small cairns denote the split just left of the trail, just before the first massive pile of rocks (see picture below). They are not very obvious. The cairns disappear almost immediately and you will have to use your route-finding thinking cap from here on out. Contour along the bench at 13k to a chasm/slot formed by the stream draining from the upper basin. Peer into the abyss, then walk upstream a few yards to where it can be crossed safely. Continue N/NE to the base of the loose gully, don your helmet. It's not nearly as bad as it looks and the 300' goes quickly. Climber's left seemed to be more solid.

Arrive at the saddle at 13,300' (no pics from here) and contemplate the start of the ridge to your right. This will be your primary route-finding difficulty, finding the class 4 wall which gains the ridge. Once on the ridge proper, route-finding is minimal as you can simply follow it to its terminus at the standard route.

Approach the ridge from saddle and climb left through a rock cleft, traversing onto the north side of the ridge. The start of the class 4 wall begins on this side, a series of granite ledges rising 100-200 feet to the ridge crest with significant exposure below. Climb the ledges and rejoice upon solid rock, jug rails, and good ledges for your feet. A few class 4 surprises await as you pick your way through the path of least resistance to the ridge. Brandon thought this part felt similar to the final pitch of climbing on the Crestone Traverse, just substitute Crestone conglomerate for Grade A granite.

Let's let the pictures do the talking:

From here, join the main route having avoided most of the steep dirt that makes up the lower portions. It makes for a wonderful, solid scramble all the way to the summit block. We arrived at the exact same time as Jessica and Mark so we could all summit together. What timing! We then descended the standard route together.

Overall our entire party really enjoyed this route. Out of his 50 14ers, Sam thinks this was his favorite route! For me, it was either this ridge or the Bells Traverse (I also have 50 14ers completed). We will do the Bells Traverse in September, so I'm excited to hear their thoughts/comparison. I'm a bit of a choss junky and the Elks really scratch that itch for me, so there's my bias. That being said, this was certainly the most solid San Juan scramble I've done of all the 14ers in the range, possibly the most solid of ANY 14er route I have ever done.

I hope you enjoyed the read, and hope this TR will serve to help get more folks on this deserving route! Get after it.