San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 351 of the 13ers
South Ridge from the Graystone Saddle
Electric Peak, 13,297'
Class 3 and loose rock
Above the saddle you climb a loose, steep gully, then scramble Class 3 boulders and a short, exposed arete near the south ridge. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 3
Round trip18.5 mi
Elevation gain6,100'
TrailheadMolas Pass - Elk Park
Trailhead elevation9,950'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,297'…
—Summit temp now
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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.
Colorado 13er · South Ridge from the Graystone Saddle
Overview
Electric Peak (also called Electric Peak B) is a Grenadier Range summit west of Arrow Peak, deep in the Weminuche Wilderness. Reaching it is a backpack trip from Molas Pass or the Elk Park train stop.
From the Vestal Creek trail you cross the creek, climb the boulder valley between Arrow and Electric to the saddle with Graystone, and go up a small, loose gully east of the south ridge to a rib with a cairn. From there, either scramble Class 3 boulders up and left toward the south ridge, or cross a big talus bowl at Class 2+ and come out just southwest of the top. The bowl is loose but makes a good way down.
From the beaver ponds it's about 5.5 miles round trip and 3,300 feet. The beaver ponds camp on Elk Creek is about 6.5 miles from the Molas trailhead: the Colorado Trail drops about 1,700 feet on 30-plus switchbacks to a footbridge over the Animas, then the Elk Creek trail climbs gently east to the ponds just below 10,000 feet. Remember that 1,700-foot climb on the way out. From the Molas trailhead the whole trip is about 18.5 miles and 6,100 feet. It pairs well with Graystone and Mount Garfield. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
Camp at the beaver ponds or higher; leave by 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at the Electric-Graystone saddle by 10 a.m.
Crux
The loose gully and the Class 3 scramble near the south ridge.
Route-finding
Moderate. Find the narrow gully just east of the south ridge from the saddle.
Water
Elk Creek, the beaver ponds and Vestal Creek. Little or none up high. Filter it.
From Silverton, drive south on US 550 toward Molas Pass. About 5.3 miles from the Silverton turnoff, and a little past the Molas Lake road, turn left into the Molas trailhead lot. From Durango, cross Coal Bank and Molas passes; the lot is about 1.1 miles past the top of Molas Pass on the right. The dirt lot is fine for any car but can be muddy and have potholes.
You can also ride the Durango and Silverton train to the Elk Park stop and skip the descent from Molas Pass; check the railroad's current schedule and stops. Camping is available near Molas Lake and Little Molas Lake. Protect your food and gear in Vestal Creek: the marmots there are known to chew through tents, packs and anything salty.
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
Beaver ponds camp 9,950' · 0 mi
Follow the path along the east edge of the main pond, below a boulder field, and through willows past the campsites. Drop down a steep bank and cross Elk Creek, often on logs. Follow a bench west to the foot of the Vestal Creek trail.
Watch for: Log crossings change from year to year.
2
Second avalanche chute 10,700' · 1 mi
The Vestal trail climbs steeply south, with several branches and many fallen trees. At the second avalanche chute, stay on the main trail up the small ridge on the chute's east side.
Watch for: A path at the bottom of the chute leads off route.
3
Vestal Creek crossing 11,100' · 1.7 mi
The trail drops close to the creek in an open meadow with a big rotting log beside it. Looking south-southwest you see up the valley between Electric and Arrow. Cross the creek here.
4
Arrow-Electric valley 11,800' · 2.1 mi
Wade through hip-high plants and hidden rocks toward the talus cone at the valley's mouth. Either climb the boulder slope up the middle, or go left up a flowery open slope to a cliff band, then left along a green ramp and over it with one short Class 3 move.
Watch for: Snow may linger in the narrow middle.
5
Electric-Graystone saddle 12,700' · 2.5 mi
Walk south-southwest up the valley over tiresome talus and boulders (snow early in the season can make this faster). Near the head, move to the west side for easier scree and tundra to the saddle.
6
Rib with a cairn 12,900' · 2.55 mi
Just east of the south ridge, climb a small gully of scree and loose rock about 75 feet to a little crest, then bear left up the next part of the gully another 75 to 100 feet to a rock rib with a large cairn.
Watch for: Steep, loose footing.
7
Electric Peak 13,297' · 2.75 mi
Go left and scramble steep but solid boulders toward the south ridge, staying on it or just below it, with more Class 3 and one narrow arete. You reach the ridge close to the south false summit; cross a patch of scree to the bouldery top. Or take the talus bowl straight ahead at Class 2+.
Watch for: Class 3 with some exposure.
Getting down
Go back the same way, or use the wide talus bowl, then rejoin the narrow gully down to the saddle. A ridge north-northeast toward Point 12,174 might also go, but it hasn't been checked.
If things go wrong
The valley below the saddle leads back to Vestal Creek.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The route leaves the Vestal Creek trail at about 11,100 feet and is off-trail above. 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 Electric Peak we list, with its class.
Electric Peak B South Ridgethis routeClass 3 23.5 mi
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.