West Ridge from the Monitor Saddle

Overview

Peak Twelve is a small, unranked summit between upper Noname Creek and upper Ruby Creek, dwarfed by Monitor Peak and its other neighbors. It's the easiest summit to reach from the upper Noname camps, and the view of Jagged, the Heisspitz, Pigeon, Turret and Monitor is excellent. There is no road; you ride the Durango and Silverton train to Needleton and backpack in.

From camp you cross the east fork, follow a faint path south toward Twin Thumbs Pass, cross the main creek below a narrow gorge, and climb onto a low ridge into the basin below Monitor Peak. A flowery slope with granite outcrops leads to the Peak Twelve and Monitor saddle, and an easy rubble ridge goes east to the top. It is Class 2.

The round trip from Needleton is about 18 miles with 5,100 feet of gain. From the upper camps it's about 3.5 miles and 2,350 feet. The upper camps are about 7.25 miles from Needleton: past the old cabin and a marshy stretch (go around it on the left), to the east end of a long, flat meadow near 10,800 feet where Noname Creek forks. Peak Twelve can also be reached from upper Ruby Creek.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

There is no road access. Take the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and ask to be dropped at the Needleton stop. Train policies on where you can board and get off have changed over the years, so check with the railroad before you plan the trip. Know the pickup time for your return and do not miss it.

From the Needleton stop, cross the Animas River on the footbridge to the east side. The route starts here at about 8,235 feet. There are cabins on private land near the bridge, so stay on the trail until you are past them.

For Noname Creek, turn left (north) after the bridge and walk past the cabins. There is camping in the meadows past Pigeon Creek, beyond the private cabin land. Some years the railroad has let riders board in Silverton, but recent reports say the afternoon southbound train from Silverton only stops at Elk Park, so plan around the railroad's current rules.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Upper Noname camp 10,800' · 0 mi

   Follow the trail southeast to the end of the meadow and into the trees. Cross the east fork of Noname Creek; you may need to go upstream to a big log.

   Watch for: The east fork crossing can be hard.

2. 2

   Willow meadow 10,850' · 0.3 mi

   Head south across a willowy meadow on a faint path toward Twin Thumbs Pass. It climbs the east side of the main creek into tall plants and soon disappears.

3. 3

   Creek below the gorge 11,000' · 0.7 mi

   Where the creek comes out of a narrow gorge, a rough path crosses to the west bank just below it.

4. 4

   Ridge into Monitor Basin 11,600' · 1.1 mi

   Climb a steep bank, then go uphill well above the creek, parallel to it. Game trails lead southeast to a low ridge; cross it into the basin below Monitor Peak.

5. 5

   Peak Twelve and Monitor saddle 12,700' · 1.5 mi

   Walk up the flower-covered slope, working through granite outcrops with tundra benches between them, to the saddle.

   Watch for: Mosquitoes can be fierce here.

6. 6

   Peak Twelve 13,119' · 1.75 mi

   Follow the ridge east about 400 feet on broken rubble, mostly on a clear path. One small notch just below the top is no trouble.

Getting down

Go back the same way.

If things go wrong

The basin below the saddle leads back toward the creek.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Peak Twelve we list, with its class.

• Peak Twelve West Ridge this routeClass 2 18 mi