2.2 Mile, 1372' Lizard Head Wilderness

June 2 - 4, 2007 Lizard Head 11583’, north 37° 49’ 17”, west 107° 57’ 11” 2.2 mile, 1372’ Lizard Head Wilderness, San Juan National Forest, Dolores County, Colorado The Lizard Head looks to the sky from it’s 12000’ perch twelve miles almost due south of Sawpit, Colorado. You can’t drive there, but if you drive on CO-145 south for 21.6 miles from Sawpit, you can park at the trailhead for Lizard Head Pass Trail, and can see the 13113’ spire. But you still need to walk about four miles in the San Miguel Mountains to touch the old rocky spire. Getting to the top, however, is for experts. One internet climbing site says it’s not safe to climb anymore because it’s rock is rotting and unstable. Another site calls the volcanic pinnacle the state's most dangerous climb. Another calls Lizard Head peak a recommended conditioning or training climb in preparation for other climbs in the area, such as the Mt. Wilson – El Diente Traverse, only three miles west. At a little after 10 am on Saturday morning Kent and I met at the Cross Mountain Trail Head parking lot, about two miles south of Lizard Head Pass on CO-145. One empty vehicle was parked at the trailhead. Another, occupied by a couple of trail runners who had jogged down the trail almost as soon as I arrived, had left a bit before Kent arrived. A cowboy and his horse and dog pulled in while we were getting ready, saddled up and was off on a day ride to Navajo Lake, a popular destination at 11154’ in the valley west of Mt. Wilson. Titan and the cowboy’s dog played while we readied our packs. When the cowboy mounted his horse Titan let off a few warning whoofs . The cowboy started off at about 10:30. Kent and I finished splitting up the food and gear, packing it in our packs, and got on the trail at just about 11 am. It was clear and mild, a good day for a hike in the San Miguels. We hiked up Cross Mountain Trail past the old lumber mill, about a mile from the trailhead. Shortly thereafter the cowboy passed us on his way back down. He had turned back because of snow. He said would try another route to Navajo Lake. We continued on, hitting snowfields on the trail just past the old mill. In the snow we lost the trail and found the trail more than a few times before we made off in our own direction. We walked under the fir canopy and soon were walking in, and breaking through, constant snow. We picked our way through the deep snow trying to find solid ground wherever possible. Almost three hours into the hike we came into the clearings just below timberline. In the clearings the snow had all but melted. We were glad to walk on dirt again. We followed dirt, and the trail, until we came upon timberline at about 11400’, a little over a mile south of Lizard Head Peak. We searched around a bit and found an old campsite at 11583’, north 37º 49.2’ by west 107º 49.3’. The new Garmin GPS, a birthday gift, was working fine. We set up the tent in the same spot as the campers who had last camped there. The camp was probably set the previous winter because there were piles of snow at one end of the tent sized clearing, where there was otherwise no snow. They had cleared a nice flat area under a thick stand of trees. Our two man tent fit perfectly. We put up a kitchen tarp a few yards away and made a surface fire ring. Though we were at timberline, there was quite a bit of dead wood on the ground and we would not need much. Plenty of granite had fallen from the steep rocky slope to the northeast so we easily found rocks for the camp stove. After we were set up we turned to drying out some socks that had seeped water from tromping through deep snow without gaiters. Kent wanted to climb to the ridge to the northeast, but we decided to do it in the morning. Instead we lazed Lizard Head Peak from camp around for the rest of the afternoon.

1 We set up a paper target on a log and shot a couple dozen .44 Specials through my new pistol. It was almost dusk when we finished. Then we heated water for dinner: some potatoes from The Spice Hunter 1 and some Beef Stew from Mountain House 2. We had some rolls, cookies and, of course Tang. After the excellent dinner we stoked up a fire and sat around until dark. Kent was in the tent second, moving the early-to-bed-dog out of the way so he could lay down in his sleeping bag. After the fire died out I joined them, having to push the same dog off of my bag. The next thing we knew it was getting light in the morning. We got up about 8 and ate a breakfast of oatmeal, with Tang and coffee. After cleaning up we readied for a day hike along the ridges near Lizard Head. We took cameras, food and the GPS, and of course some emergency supplies and rain gear. It was a nice spring morning at timberline, crisp and clear and not cold at all. We scrambled up the steep slope to the northeast to a saddle at about 11960’, nearly 400 feet higher than camp. As we approached the saddle we went into sneak mode, just in case there were any animals grazing in the morning sun. As we topped out, the rugged Yellow Mountains skyline came into startling view. We had a splendid view of the snow covered Beattie Peak (13342’, at the south), Fuller Peak (13761’),Vermilion Peak (13894’), Golden Horn (13731’), and Pilot Knob (13738’), making up most of

Yellow Mountains Yellow Mountain. We did not see any animals, but we had a great view, to be sure. We walked to the peak toward the south end of the ridge and identified various areas Kent had been in over the years We could easily see the valley to the southwest, carved out by the Dolores River, and the various valleys to it’s northwest. Kent pointed out the valleys formed by Slate Creek just below us, Coal Creek four miles away, and the West Dolores River nearly ten miles away. To the northwest Cross Mountain (12709’) hides Gladstone Peak (13913’), directly behind it. A sliver of he south ridge of Mount Wilson (14246’) could be seen just left of, and nearly hidden by, Cross Mountain, . All of these peaks held many plenty of snow that would feed the streams and rivers below through the summer. Wilson Meadows lies to the northeast, just north of Black Face, the long black ridge seen from highway CO-145. Kent reminisced about his times in that meadow. In the past the meadow could be reached via a trail from CO-145, north of Lizard Head Pass at Trout Lake. The trail snaked up through a saddle at the northeast end of Black Face and then dropped into the meadow. But the trail has been closed for a number of years and a new trail starts at Lizard Head Pass on CO-145 and follows the slope below Black Face, crossing the ridge in the same saddle. We had hoped to hike into Wilson Meadows and camp, but the amount of snow still on the ground altered our plans. Directly south is Flattop Mountain (12098’), a long slightly sloping mountain above tree line that was still covered in snow. Most of the scene in that direction is dark evergreen forest. Below Flattop we could see most of the areas we had hunted the previous year and the meadow where Cindy’s cabin was situated.

1 The Spice Hunter, San Luis Obispo, California. 800-444-3061 2 Mountain House, a division of Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc., Albany, Oregon. 800-547-0244

2 To the north is Lizard Head, at 13113’, whose peak spires over 400’ above it’s base. The peak resembles a Lizard Head if it is seen from the north, but we would not see the Lizard on this trip. All day long we had been picking our way between snowfields. The snow was hard enough to support our weight in many places, but we would break through in many other places, making walking on the snow difficult. Plenty of snow would make our path to the north side slightly more than difficult. We opted to see the Lizard some other time. Lizard Head, 13110’ As we walked along the ridge toward Lizard Head Peak, Kent spotted some elk across the valley on Cross Mountain. We spied on them with binoculars for a half an hour. There were two cows grazing in the rock , and another maybe a half a mile to the west grazing on a steep slope in some alpine grass. We postulated at least thirty reasons they were there. And we made thirty predictions about where they would spend the night. About then we decided to move north on the ridge and the follow it to the west, in the direction of the elk. Cross Mountain, 12709’ We caught the Cross Mountain Trail where it comes onto the ridgeline south of Lizard Head. We followed the trail north to where Lizard Head Trail meets it on the south slope of Lizard Head Peak. We continued to pick our route between the snowfields and came to the saddle to the west of Lizard Head Peak. Cross Mountain Trail continues over the saddle and down into Bilk Basin. Of the Basin that we could see, all of it was covered in snow, except close to the saddle, where most the snow had blown off, leaving a dark gray tightly The top of Bilk Basin packed volcanic gravel surface. The wind was pretty brisk on the ridge. The GPS would not measure the wind speed, but we loosely estimated it at 432 miles an hour, from the north. And after blowing across all that snow, the wind was

3 cold. After taking in the view of Bilk Basin we retreated to the leeward side of the ridge to escape the cold wind. We walked west, up the ridge toward the crest of Cross Mountain. We stopped about 80’ above the 12000’ elevation and took in some more scenery. We sat just leeward of the ridge to escape what was becoming uncomfortably cold wind. More clouds were filling the clear areas in the sky. We could see snow falling to the west, but none fell on us. As we sat there eating lunch in relative warmth, we discussed climbing the ridge to the east that led right up to the Lizard Head spire. We could then walk around the peak, and then along the ridge toward the north and see the Lizard in the peak. To get to Lizard Head we would have to drop 120 feet and then a climb 700 feet, all in about a half mile. It seemed easy enough. The ridge was smooth, and almost snow-free. But it would be a steep, windy climb. We decided to pass.

We also discussed our return route to camp. We could drop down, crossing a hundred snowfields, and stay above the steep valley that drained into Slate Creek, and then finally climb back up to camp, at the middle, far right of the picture, above. Or we could return about the same way we had come. Along this nearly level ridge we would cross much less snow and not have to climb at all. It seemed like a no brainer. We opted for the ridge route. An hour later we were back at camp. The temperature at camp was noticeably warmer and the wind was merely gusty. Titan almost immediately performed his ritual circling in search of an acceptable place to sleep. He plopped down and was out. Kent and I heated some water for a cup of tea. We had probably walked 3½ to 4 miles on the ridge and it wasn’t long before Kent and I joined Titan on the alpine lawn. Our snoring did not wake each other up, but it kept the whistle pigs in the rock to the northeast awake. However, neither their chirping nor the many singing birds kept us from the task at hand: napping. It felt good lying in the grass under the warm sun. Once we were up again we collected more small wood for the evening’s fire, drank some more hot tea, and munched on some of the goodies we still had. Goodies that we would have to carry down if we did not munch on them. Eventually we heated water for a Beef Stroganoff Mountain House delight and ate. The sky had become mostly cloudy, the wind had picked up and the temperatures had dropped. As the sun set we walked up the hill a bit to get a good view of the sun dropping behind Cross Mountain. When we

4 returned to camp we started the evening campfire. We sat around keeping warm by the fire. We both stayed up a little later that evening. This night we both needed flashlights to move Titan off our bags. I needed the light just to get to the tent from the fire. It was a full moon, but it had not made it over the ridges by the time I was in the sleeping bag and the cloud cover blotted out a good portion of the sky. Only a few stars were to be seen when I doused the fire. I didn’t last in a conscio state more than a few minutes after I settled in. I never did see the full moon on the trip. We had decided we would hike out as soon as we finished breakfast in the morning, so as soon as we stirred in the morning light we got up. Titan was the last dude up. He must be getting old. Kent and I ate a quick breakfast of the old backpacking standby: oatmeal, Tang and coffee. We even had an apple. Then we commenced to breaking down camp and getting the gear into the packs. It was about 7:30 when we scattered ashes, made a final check of the area, and started down. We stayed on the trail nearly the whole time and the trail stayed in the shade of fir nearly the all of the way. Not long after we were on the trail we met an ice skier walking up, skies neatly strapped to his day pack. He was alone and destined for the big snowfields on the other side of the ridge we had walked the previous day. It was early, and the snow was somewhat harder (or so we thought) so we were able to hike on top of the snow, with only an occasional breakthrough. We had also learned that if we hiked in the old cross country ski tracks the snow was packed harder and we would rarely breakthrough. We had to leave the trail only a couple of times because of snow, and about as often for downed trees. Much of the path was clear of snow. It was a quick hike down and we were breaking open the celebratory beer about 8:45 am. As we were putting gear away another day hiker walked up and asked about the trail. He would be hiking around the area below Lizard Head. He had hoped to hike on the other side of the highway, but the snow, and partly cloudy skies and possible late afternoon bad weather made him re-think his plan. He had not been in this area for a number of years and he was not familiar with the area on the southeast side of the highway. He knew the country below Lizard Head though, so that is where he decided to hike. He took off and we finished putting gear in the trucks. We were on the road by 10:15. Kent would check out the campsite we had used for hunting the previous fall. Near where we camped, a gated access road began its winding route through the fir on the west slope of Sheep Mountain. About two miles up the rough road was a cabin at the base of Sheep Mountain. Kent would also check out the lower part of that road as well. We would be returning to the road later in the summer for a weekend at that cabin. I let Titan struggle into the back seat of the truck and then took off north on CO-145 into the Uncomaghre National Forest to CO-62 at Placerville. CO-62 took me east to US-550, offering a splendid view of the

Sneffels Range back to the south from the Dallas Divide. Titan missed the view for sleeping. At Ridgeway I turned north from CO-62 on US-550, then east on US-50 at Montrose. The drive took me through the

5 beautiful country along Blue Creek that rises onto Blue Mesa, about 18 miles east of Cimmaron, Colorado. Ninety miles further east we left US-50 at Salida and continued on US-285 into the Denver area. A lot of driving, but the Lizard Head destination makes one forget about the seven hours on the road.

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