South Twilight itself is easy, but reaching it over Twilight Peak means a short Class 3 gully, and the way down to the gendarme saddle is steep with granite blocks. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip15 mi
Elevation gain3,305'
TrailheadAndrews Lake
Trailhead elevation11,620'
Conditions on the summit
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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 · North-Northwest Ridge from Twilight Peak
Overview
South Twilight Peak is an unranked summit about 0.4 mile southeast of Twilight Peak, in the West Needle Mountains south of Molas Pass. It looks over the 13ers of the Ruby Creek drainage.
From Twilight it's an easy Class 2 walk of about 15 minutes with 200 feet of gain. Getting to Twilight first takes in North Twilight and a Class 3 gully. The top is a good spot to study West Needle Mountain, and the loop back to camp from here doubles as the approach to it.
The loop from Andrews Lake over all three Twilights and back to Crater Lake is about 15 miles with 3,305 feet of gain; from Crater Lake it's about 4.5 miles and 2,055 feet. Twilight, North Twilight and South Twilight are usually done as one loop from a camp at Crater Lake, a 5.25-mile backpack from Andrews Lake on a good trail.
Plan of the day
Start by
Camp at Crater Lake; leave camp by 7 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Twilight Peak by 11 a.m.
Crux
The Class 3 gully on Twilight; the steep drop to the gendarme saddle.
Route-finding
Moderate. On the way back, find the game path below North Twilight's east ridge.
Water
Crater Lake and the streams on the way. Filter it.
Andrews Lake sits just off US 550 between Silverton and Durango. From Silverton, don't go into town; stay on US 550 as it switchbacks up to Molas Pass (10,899 feet, with a big pullout and vault toilets). Keep going 0.9 mile past the pass to the signed Andrews Lake turnoff on the left.
From Durango, drive north on US 550 over Coalbank Pass. The highway drops to a sharp bend near 9,800 feet and climbs again; the signed turnoff is 6.4 miles past Coalbank Pass. If you reach the top of Molas Pass, turn around and go back 0.9 mile.
A narrow paved road leads about 0.6 mile to the lake. The lower lot by the water is for day use. A fork climbs to a much larger upper lot for backpackers, horse groups and other overnight users, with picnic tables and vault toilets. Any car can get here. You can sleep in a vehicle at the upper lot, but tents aren't allowed. Little Molas Lake (Forest Service) and Molas Lake (run by Silverton, with pay showers) have campgrounds just north of the pass.
TundraRidgeTalus 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
Crater Lake camp 11,620' · 0 mi
From a campsite on the west shore, walk around to the lake's south end.
2
Basin south of the lake 12,000' · 0.35 mi
From the south end of the lake, climb straight up through trees into an open basin of grass, low trees and rock outcrops.
3
Climbers' path 12,200' · 0.65 mi
Higher in the basin a path shows up near a ridge that runs northeast. It climbs steeply just east of that ridge and enters a steep gully.
4
North Twilight Peak 13,084' · 1.3 mi
The gully tops out on North Twilight's east ridge near 12,800 feet. Cross a small notch, then a bigger one (step down a bit on its north side and back up), and follow tundra and rock west to the long, flat summit. The high point is near the west end.
Watch for: The big notch can hold snow early in the summer. Carry an ice axe then.
5
Saddle 12,780' · 1.55 mi
Drop about 300 feet south to the saddle, past a big cairn of white quartz, and start up Twilight's north ridge on tundra and small scree.
6
Leave the ridge 12,950' · 1.75 mi
Stop 100 to 150 feet below the big notch in the ridge, where the tundra runs out. A faint path contours right (west) to a rock point above a deep gully. Drop about 75 feet into the gully.
Watch for: The step down into the gully is awkward.
7
Twilight Peak 13,162' · 1.9 mi
A narrow, steep side gully is the only easy way out. Scramble it, about 150 feet of Class 3 on mostly solid rock with small grassy ledges. Near the top either branch works, and an easy slope leads to the summit.
Watch for: Class 3 with some exposure.
8
South Twilight Peak 13,105' · 2.3 mi
Walk southeast down from Twilight and climb about 200 feet to the top. It's easy and takes about 15 minutes.
Getting down
From South Twilight, head southeast down steep slopes and a gully just south of the ridge, over and around granite blocks, to the saddle with a tall gendarme. This is hard Class 2 with maybe some Class 3. From the saddle go north down steep grass and then rock to below 11,800 feet, follow a bench past a small lake, and go down a steep gully to the west side of the lake's outlet stream.
Look for a faint game path that contours northeast below North Twilight's east ridge, through tall grass, toward Watertank Canyon. Stay on the southwest side of the canyon and climb into the open trees above its steep drop to the Animas. Then go north-northwest through trees and low willows to a small pond where Crater Lake comes into view. Don't try to stay high and traverse straight to the saddle southeast of Crater Lake; it is a long, slow slog over loose rock. Cliffs above the lake's south end force a detour if your camp is on the west shore.
If things go wrong
Go back over Twilight and North Twilight to the east ridge.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The route leaves the Crater Lake Trail at Crater Lake 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 South Twilight Peak we list, with its class.
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.