Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Centennial 13er · West Ridge
Overview
Trinity Peak is the middle and highest of the three Trinity summits in the Grenadier Range, a rugged line of quartzite peaks in the Weminuche Wilderness. The trip is a long backpack: from Molas Pass you drop to the Animas River, hike up Elk Creek, then climb the steep, unmaintained Vestal Creek trail to a high camp. From camp you climb West Trinity by its southwest ridge, then traverse east along the ridge to Trinity. By the listed numbers the round trip is about 22.75 miles with about 7,150 feet of gain.
The traverse from West Trinity is the serious part. You follow cairns along ledges on the south side below the ridge cliffs, then climb a short, exposed chimney of about 20 feet and one more brief Class 4 step to regain the crest. The rock on these moves is fairly solid, but a fall would be very serious. Many parties bring a short rope. Going the wrong way along the south side leads onto much more exposed ground.
This climb is for experienced scramblers who are also strong backpackers. Plan on three to four days. The summit day from high camp takes 5 to 8 hours, and the area is far from any help.
Plan of the day
Start by
From the upper Vestal Creek camp, leave by 5 a.m. The saddle, both summits and the traverse are all exposed, and the Class 4 moves are dangerous when wet.
Turnaround
Be on West Trinity's summit by 9:30 a.m. If not, or if storms are building, skip the traverse and head down. Do not start the traverse under darkening skies.
Crux
The traverse from West Trinity: a leaning cairn at the base of a cliff marks a short, exposed chimney of about 20 feet, followed by another brief Class 4 step to a cairn on the crest.
Route-finding
Colorado Trail and Elk Creek trail are clear. The Vestal Creek trail is steep and braided, with fallen logs; stay on the main path along the minor ridge east of the second avalanche chute. On the traverse, follow cairns below the south-side cliffs, but watch for cairns that lead astray. The leaning cairn below the chimney is the key.
Water
Plenty of water in Molas Creek, the Animas River, Elk Creek, the beaver ponds and Vestal Creek. There is none on the ridge once snow is gone. Filter all water.
The Molas trailhead is on US 550 between Silverton and Durango. From Silverton, drive south about 5.3 miles toward Molas Pass; the trailhead is on the left, about 0.6 miles past the Molas Lake turnoff. From Durango, drive north over Coal Bank and Molas Passes; the turnoff is about 1.1 miles past the top of Molas Pass on the right. The dirt lot can be muddy but is fine for any car.
You can also ride the Durango and Silverton train and get off at the Elk Park stop, right where the trail crosses the Animas. This skips the 1,700-foot drop to the river and the climb back up at the end. Check the railroad's current schedule and stop rules before you plan around it. There are campgrounds near Molas Lake and Little Molas Lake if you need a place to stay the night before.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeScramblingExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Molas trailhead 10,630' · 0 mi
Take the connector trail south. It joins the Colorado Trail about half a mile south of Molas Lake.
2
Colorado Trail 10,600' · 0.6 mi
Turn east on the Colorado Trail through open, flowering meadows. The jagged Grenadier Range and the Snowdon peaks fill the view to the south.
3
Start of the big descent 10,400' · 1.3 mi
The trail passes through a stretch of forest, then breaks out and begins a long drop to the Animas River on at least 30 switchbacks. Garfield, Graystone and Electric peaks rise across the valley.
Watch for: Remember this climb for the hike out.
4
Animas River bridge 8,930' · 3 mi
Cross Molas Creek, then a sturdy footbridge over the Animas. Turn south along the railroad tracks and look for the Elk Creek trail climbing the slope on your left.
Watch for: Stay off the tracks when trains run.
5
Elk Creek trail 9,100' · 3.5 mi
The trail switchbacks up, then contours above the tracks over a low ridge into the Elk Creek drainage. It stays on the north side of the creek. A few spots cross eroded, sloping banks.
6
Bench above the creek 9,950' · 6 mi
A little over a mile before the ponds, the trail climbs above the creek, up a side drainage, and onto a flat bench high above Elk Creek. The climbing is done for now.
7
Beaver ponds 9,980' · 6.5 mi
The beaver ponds lie to your right. A trail follows the east shore of the largest pond, below a boulder field, and then goes through willows to a clearing with campsites. Moose are often seen here.
Watch for: Give moose plenty of room.
8
Elk Creek crossing 9,900' · 6.7 mi
Continue south to a steep bank and cross Elk Creek, often on fallen logs. On the far side, follow a bench west briefly, then start the steep climb up the Vestal Creek trail.
Watch for: Logs can be slippery and may shift.
9
Second avalanche chute 10,700' · 7.7 mi
The Vestal trail is steep, braided and crossed by fallen logs. After about a mile you reach the edge of a second avalanche chute. Stay on the main trail up the minor ridge on the east side of the chute. Avoid a branch near the bottom of the chute.
Watch for: Wrong branch leads to a bushwhack.
10
Lower meadow 11,300' · 8.6 mi
The trail drops near the creek at an open meadow with a view up between Electric and Arrow, then returns to the forest and reaches the lower meadow at 11,300 feet.
11
Upper Vestal Creek camp 11,760' · 9 mi
Continue about a third of a mile to camp among the last open trees beside the creek. The Trinities and Vestal Peak loom above.
Watch for: Marmots here destroy gear and food. Protect everything.
12
Vestal and Trinity saddle 12,900' · 9.8 mi
Cross Vestal Creek to the south. A rough trail crosses boulder fields and tundra, then climbs steep, loose ground to the saddle, where a large cairn marks the way. Early in summer this slope may be snow.
Watch for: Loose rock; snow may need an ice axe.
13
West Trinity summit 13,765' · 10.6 mi
Follow the steep southwest ridge about 1,000 feet to West Trinity. It is mostly Class 2+ with some Class 3 steps, sometimes on the north side of the crest. Cairns mark several lines; stick to the easiest one.
Watch for: Some cairns lead onto harder ground.
14
West and Middle Trinity saddle 13,450' · 10.85 mi
Descend West Trinity's east ridge (Class 2+) to the saddle. Look east for a large cairn on a rock rib sticking out from the main ridge. Traverse just below the cliffs on the south side, staying high, following cairns.
Watch for: Do not drop too low on the south side.
15
Leaning cairn and chimney 13,650' · 11.15 mi
Look for a cairn leaning against a cliff wall with a short chimney above it. Climb the chimney straight up for about 20 feet; it feels exposed, but the rock is good. Then follow ledges up and east to one more short, exposed Class 4 step to a cairn on the ridge crest.
Watch for: Exposed Class 4. Going past the leaning cairn leads to severe exposure.
16
Trinity Peak summit 13,816' · 11.375 mi
From the crest, walk on solid rock to the summit. East Trinity lies ahead, Vestal and Arrow are close to the west, and the Needle Mountains rise to the south.
Landmarks to know
The long switchbacks down to the Animas River with views of Garfield and Electric.
The Animas River footbridge at the Elk Park area.
The beaver ponds on Elk Creek below a boulder field.
The second avalanche chute on the Vestal Creek trail.
The upper camp in the last trees near 11,760 feet.
A large cairn at the saddle below West Trinity.
A cairn on a rock rib east of the West and Middle Trinity saddle.
The leaning cairn at the foot of the short chimney.
Getting down
Return the same way. Downclimbing the chimney and the Class 4 step is harder than going up; face in, test holds, and use a rope if anyone is unsure. Once below the chimney, follow the cairns west below the south-side cliffs back to the saddle, then climb back over West Trinity. Do not drop straight down the south side from the traverse; it is cliffy.
From West Trinity, descend the southwest ridge carefully, watching for cairns that lead onto harder ground, then go down the loose slope from the saddle to camp. On the Vestal Creek trail, stay on the main path along the ridge by the avalanche chute. The hike out ends with the long climb back up the switchbacks from the Animas to Molas Pass, unless you have arranged to ride the train from Elk Park.
If things go wrong
West Trinity's summit is the decision point: from there you can go back down its southwest ridge to the saddle and camp without doing the traverse. Once on the traverse, retreat the way you came unless you are past the chimney. If lightning starts, get off the ridge as fast as it is safe to do so; do not rush exposed moves. Camp at 11,760 feet is the nearest shelter. There is no cell coverage to count on, so carry a satellite messenger. If someone is hurt, keep them warm and still, and call 911 or use your messenger; rescue here usually needs a helicopter and can take a long time.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The last stretch out of the Vestal Creek basin is off-trail, with no set trail to follow. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up Trinity Peak we list, with its class.
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Snow, ice, a washed-out road or an afternoon storm can make it a very different climb. Check recent conditions the week you go and turn around when the day tells you to.