Is it right for you?
Mount Moss is the rubble summit southeast of Hesperus and Lavender in the La Plata Mountains. It used to be the ranked summit of the pair; Lavender has since taken that spot, but Moss is so close you may as well climb both. Since the route goes over Hesperus: Hesperus Mountain is a sacred mountain to the Navajo (Diné) people. If you go, please treat it with respect: stay quiet, stay on durable rock, and leave nothing behind.
You climb Hesperus, traverse to Lavender, then go down to the saddle and up to Moss. Each leg past Lavender takes about 20 minutes, with nothing but talus. You come back by a steep gully to the north and bushwhack down to the trail.
The loop is about 5.55 miles with 3,172 feet of gain. From Lavender it is about 0.3 mile and 292 feet one way. Plan on around 8 hours for all three.
Plan of the day
By 6:30 a.m.
Leave Hesperus by 11 a.m.
Lavender's summit blocks and the loose gully on the way down.
Moderate. The descent through the basin and trees has no trail.
The North Fork of the West Mancos low on the route. Filter it. None higher up.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
Loading Fetching the forecast for 13,194'…—
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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.
Getting there
Sharkstooth
From Durango, drive west on US 160 to Mancos. At the main signed junction in town, turn right, go about 0.4 mile north, and bear right onto County Road 42. It becomes Forest Road 561 at the national forest line. About 10 miles from town (paved for roughly the first 4) is the junction for Transfer Campground. Go straight 1 mile to the next junction and bear right. In 0.9 mile you pass the Aspen Guard Station turnoff; 0.5 mile beyond it, turn right onto Forest Road 350.
Follow Forest Road 350 about 7 miles east to the Twin Lakes junction and turn right onto Forest Road 346. The last 1.6 miles to the trailhead get rough and slow. Good clearance helps, but 4WD is not needed. Passenger cars can get within about a mile and walk the rest.
Transfer Campground, about halfway in, has around 12 sites, drinking water, a vault toilet and a group site you can reserve. There are primitive spots near Twin Lakes and past them, and you can car camp at the trailhead, though there's little privacy when it's busy.
Base towns and camping for this climb
Coming from out of state? See Lodging & Camping for how free camping works, what is closed this year and where to stay.
Before you go
Check these the week of your climb.
Official forecast
The National Weather Service forecast for the summit area, hour by hour. Look for thunderstorm chances and wind above treeline.
NWS point forecast →Directions to the trailhead
Sharkstooth. Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Get directions →Roads and highways
Closures, construction and winter conditions on the highways that get you there.
COtrip road conditions →Closures and fire rules
Trail closures, fire bans and other alerts from the Forest Service in Colorado. For the latest on your trailhead, call the local ranger district.
Forest Service alerts →Snow on the route?
From fall through early summer, any snow slope can slide. Check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Avalanche forecast →Cell signal
Most trailheads and many summits have little or no signal. Check coverage near the trailhead and carry a satellite messenger or beacon if you can.
FCC coverage map →