LoJ: #128 (Pre-LiDAR #126) / 13,752' East Trinity

The following summary will apply to all the peaks accessible from Vestal Creek. These include: Peaks Two and Three, The Trinities, Vestal, Arrow, Electric, Graystone, Point Pun (unranked) and Garfield. In describing the routes for all these peaks, we have used the beaver ponds on the Elk Creek trail as the "base camp" starting point. Mileages and elevation gain are measured from there for each. However, for those with the strength and fortitude, you can continue the backpack portion of the trip by heading up the unmaintained and sometimes confusing Vestal Creek Trail. That hike will be included with each summit in this area as part of the "approach." Not only is the Vestal trail confusing at times with multiple tracks to follow, it is very steep and also harbors a large number of fallen logs to cross. The campsites in upper Vestal Creek are also known for their aggressive and camp-destroying marmots. Protect your food supply accordingly and even your gear as well. In 1992, we had marmots chew their way into our tent, then they both slept and defecated on our sleeping bags. In addition, they completely destroyed a pair of shorts we had left outside to air out, chewed on our packs and socks left out and they chewed through one of the tubes for our water filter. In short, they were attracted to anything that had salt on it.

This route description will begin from an assumed campsite at 11,760 ft. in the upper end of Vestal Creek. From that camp, cross Vestal Creek to the south if you have not already. A rough trail in 1992 (probably well-trodden by now) leads up towards the Vestal-Trinity saddle. The sketchy trail continued through both boulder fields and tundra to the climb up to the saddle where a large cairn marked the way up. The hike to the saddle is another steep ascent with plenty of loose rock but is not quite as bad as the Arrow-Vestal saddle, but in early July of 1992, we had to navigate a snowfield by kick-stepping our way up. Ice axe was useful. If you're camped at Vestal Lake, just contour over into the same basin and see if you can locate the trail. Upper campsite to saddle is about one hour.

Follow the SW ridge of West Trinity to the summit., about 1,000 feet above. Though steep, the hiking/scrambling is generally easy and straightforward. Most is Class 2+ with some occasional Class 3 steps. The route follows the ridge for the most part, but we did find ourselves moving onto the north side of the ridge a few more times than anticipated. Numerous cairns marked the way, some leading onto other possibilities. It's possible to stray of course and find yourself on some 4th class if you're not observing your route carefully. From the higher camp at 11,760 ft. to the summit was 2 hours for us. Distance from that camp is 1.25 mile. From the Elk Creek base camp, it's 3.75 miles.

Return by the same route, but almost all peakbaggers will want to continue on to the other two Trinity summits.

For further details about the backpack approach to upper Vestal Creek, from the Molas Trailhead, please go to Graystone Peak and read the approach information there. The route description for Trinity Peak (Middle Trinity) begins from the summit of West Trinity.

First of all, descend the east ridge of West Trinity to the saddle (Class 2+). From this saddle, Garratt & Martin's book suggested climbing Trinity by "ascending east, staying below the ridge crest on the south side," and contouring east until directly below the summit and then ascending directly to the summit. We attempted to follow a route that seemed to better fit Rosebrough's "San Juan Mountains" book. From the saddle, we began an ascent that kept us just below the cliffs that form the ridge on the south side, staying as high as we could. There was a fairly well-established route along here. From a little below and near the saddle, we could spot a large cairn on an exposed rib of rock protruding from the main ridge. From that cairn, we found other cairns that guided us along, generally on the south side of the ridge and below cliffs. A former climbing partner (Bob Alden) who had already done this route advised that we should look for a cairn, leaning up against a cliff wall with a "chimney" above and climb up that short chimney back to the ridge. We found this cairn and did as instructed. The so-called chimney did not allow for chimney technique, but we climbed it directly and for the short 20 or so feet, it felt rather exposed, but the rock was secure enough and we did not use a rope. If we had progressed further east from this leaning cairn, we would have encountered some radical exposure, so it was fairly obvious where to go up. This chimney is likely the one described by Roach as the "crux" of this route.

Once atop the chimney we continued to follow ledges and shelves upward to the east. In a few more minutes, there was another cairn we spotted on the top of the short cliff above us. This involved another briefly exposed, 4th class climb on good rock to reach the cairn and ridge crest. From that location, it was a much easier walk to the summit on good rock with secure footing. Once you arrive, breath a little easier knowing that you've now completed the most difficult part of this traverse.

From the Elk Creek camp to the summit of Trinity peak is 4.25 miles. The traverse from West to Middle Trinity measures as .4 mile, but we'll call it a half mile for rounding purposes. From a high Vestal Creek camp at 11,760 ft., it's about 1.75 mile. The traverse from west to middle took us about 1.5 hours. Gerry & Jennifer Roach have probably one of the best descriptions of this traverse in their book, "Colorado's Thirteeners."