San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 512 of the 13ers
Northwest Ridge over Amherst and Organ
Pk Twenty Two, 13,107'
Class 3 and 4 on the way
Peak Twenty Two itself is Class 2+, but the loop reaches it over Amherst (Class 4 step or Class 3 gully) and Organ (Class 3). This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 2+
Round trip21.75 mi
Elevation gain4,770'
TrailheadEndlich Mesa
Trailhead elevation10,800'
Less traffic, less margin
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.
Colorado 13er · Northwest Ridge over Amherst and Organ
Is it right for you?
Peak Twenty Two is a low 13er in the southern Weminuche Wilderness, south of Organ Mountain and next to Emerson Mountain. It is the third summit of a four-peak loop from City Reservoir #1.
It is a backpack trip. The Endlich Mesa Trail (#534) runs about 7 miles to a camp at the northeast end of City Reservoir #1, a Durango city water lake where camping is allowed. The trail climbs gently to treeline in about a mile and rolls along open tundra on the mesa for roughly 5 miles (high point about 12,200 feet). Then a left fork drops about 1,400 feet to the lake. At the lake, walk over the dam on its south side and follow the west shore to camp. Save energy for that climb back out. From Organ, you contour south across the top of the Sheep Draw bowl on elk paths, climb a couloir to the saddle with Emerson Mountain, and walk up the northwest ridge. It is Class 2+ with a bouldery finish.
Amherst, Organ, Peak Twenty Two and Sheep Mountain make a loop from camp of roughly 7.75 miles and 3,770 feet; one party took about 9 hours. With the backpack in and out, the whole trip is about 21.75 miles and 4,770 feet. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
Leave camp by 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Organ by 11 a.m.
Crux
Boulders and broken blocks at the top.
Route-finding
Moderate. Stay near 12,400 feet across Sheep Draw and keep above the rock bluff.
Water
Streams near the City Reservoir #1 camp. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,107'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
Today
—
Tomorrow
—
Day three
—
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.
From downtown Durango, follow Main Avenue (US 550) over the Animas River bridge and, a short way past it, turn east on 15th Street. It soon bends northeast and becomes Florida Road (County Road 240). Stay on this paved road just under 12 miles to a junction and turn left on County Road 243. In a little over 4 miles you reach Lemon Reservoir, where the pavement ends.
Drive 5.4 miles up the east side of the reservoir and past its north end to the Florida Campground turnoff. Don't turn; go straight onto Forest Road 597 (East Florida Road). It is a narrow, very rocky road that switchbacks up the mountain for nearly 10 miles to the Endlich Mesa trailhead at about 11,290 feet. The road has gotten rougher over time. Use a high-clearance AWD or 4WD vehicle, drive slowly, and plan on 2 to 2.5 hours from Durango. Conditions change, so check before you go.
There are dispersed campsites along the road and near the trailhead. Sheep graze here in summer, so you may meet livestock trucks on the road.
Trail in the treesTundraScramblingRidgeTalus and screeExposed 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
City Reservoir #1 camp 10,800' · 0 mi
Take the trail north toward Lake Marie, climbing steeply through the forest.
2
Logtown creek crossing 11,200' · 0.8 mi
Near the old Logtown site on the map, cross the creek to the northeast. Look for a cairn where the water runs over rocks.
3
Castilleja Lake creek 11,700' · 1.4 mi
Climb steeply through willows on a horse path that stays east of the creek draining Castilleja Lake. There is a good campsite in the open area higher up.
4
Tarns 12,000' · 2 mi
The path fades, but tundra and grass make for quick walking. Pass three small tarns south of two larger lakes.
5
Amherst basin 12,400' · 2.5 mi
Before the valley drops off to the north, contour east into a big basin that runs toward Amherst. It turns to broken rock near its top.
6
Southwest face 12,700' · 2.75 mi
Choose your line. Easier: climb the reddish gully to the notch on the south ridge (Class 3) and go up the ridge and east side. Harder: go straight up the face, staying left of a dark crack.
Watch for: Loose gravel on ledges.
7
Amherst Mountain 13,164' · 3 mi
On the direct face, a short, almost vertical step above a sloping, gravelly shelf is Class 4. Above it, a ramp leads right to the south ridge and an easy finish.
Watch for: Class 4 step.
8
Amherst-Organ saddle 12,600' · 3.3 mi
Go back southeast along the summit ridge and down Amherst's steep east side on fine granite gravel, flowers and tundra. It takes about 15 minutes.
9
Organ Mountain 13,040' · 3.6 mi
Climb the southwest face and ridge. The first 200 feet are easy. Near the top, circle a bit right into big granite blocks and scramble to the summit block, which fits one person at a time.
Watch for: Class 3 summit block.
10
Sheep Draw bowl 12,400' · 4.1 mi
Return to the saddle and drop south into the top of the Sheep Draw bowl. Cross a small ridge and contour south at about 12,400 feet, using elk paths.
11
Emerson saddle 12,750' · 4.7 mi
Stay above a rock bluff, then climb the couloir to the saddle between Peak Twenty Two and Emerson Mountain.
12
Peak Twenty Two 13,107' · 5.1 mi
Walk southeast up the northwest ridge, staying off the crest until near the top. Finish over boulders and big broken blocks.
Watch for: Brief Class 3 possible.
Getting down
Continue to Sheep Mountain and down to camp (see that page).
If things go wrong
From the Emerson saddle, the Sheep Draw bowl leads back toward Sheep Mountain's west side and the drainage to camp.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past the creek crossing near Logtown the route follows faint paths and then open basins and rock. 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 Pk Twenty Two we list, with its class.