Peak Two combines well with White Dome and Peaks One and Three for a full day of hiking from Kite Lake. Since that's how we did it, this route description for Peak Two begins from the summit of Peak Three. See also White Dome and Peaks One and Three for the remainder of this route description. From the trailhead for Hunchback Pass, you'll need to either drive or walk the remaining half mile to Kite Lake. If driving, this last portion of road will be the roughest. Mileage estimates and total elevation gain provided include going over White Dome, following the ridge SW to Peak One, then heading west to Peak Three. Also included in the estimate is continuing on to Peak Two and then returning to Kite Lake.
There are actually four possible approaches to these peaks. Three of those would involve a backpack trip of several days. The first backpack approach would be to hike in from Molas Lake down to Elk Park and up the Elk Creek/Colorado Trail to Eldorado Lake for a base camp. The second approach would still be from Molas Lake and up Elk Creek, but would turn off at the beaver ponds and head up into Vestal Basin. From the head of Vestal Basin, you could pack over "Trinity Pass" to Trinity Lake for another base camp and could climb White Dome and Peaks One, Two and Three from that location. The third approach could be in from the Highland Mary Lakes or the end of the road in Cunningham Gulch out of Silverton. Passenger cars can make it to a trailhead there where you could either pack up to the lakes and then connect from Verde Lake over to the Continental Divide/Colorado Trail which leads south to Kite Lake, or skip the lakes and hike up directly from the trailhead to the Continental Divide/Colorado Trail and follow to Kite Lake. This third option may be the shortest and easiest backpack option for White Dome and Peaks One, Two and Three. The best map to see all this on is the National Geographic/Trails Illustrated #140, "Weminuche Wilderness." Driving in from either Silverton over Stony Pass and then on to "Beartown" & Kite Lake or up from Rio Grande Reservoir and then "Beartown" to Kite Lake is the only plausible way to do this group as a "day hike."
Continuing north from the summit of Peak Three, follow the gentle but rocky ridge down to a saddle at 12,940 ft. Cross the tundra saddle and walk along the ridge crest to PT.13,392. Along the way, take in the great views of Arrow and Vestal Peaks to the WSW. You'll be on more rocky rubble and boulders most of the way up to the point. A rough section can be avoided on the left side of the ridge, but will make little difference. Lose a small amount of elevation from Pt.13,392 to another saddle, then make the final ascent to Peak Two finishing on more broken rocks that slow your progress. While making this traverse between Peaks Three and Two, make note of the cliffs that seemingly surround much of these summits, especially on the Vestal Basin side. An attempt to climb these summits from either Elk Creek or Vestal Basin by direct ascent would be problematic. Therefore, we would recommend that if you choose to approach from Vestal Creek, that you cross "Trinity Pass" and access from trinity Lake.
For the return trip, drop back south along the ridge, cross back over Pt.13,392 and then a few more hundred yards along the ridge south, drop off the east side of the ridge and descend down into the unnamed basin that sits below Peaks One, Two and Three. There's a small lake in an area of tundra you can head for. On the way down, if you pick the right path, you can find some scree to quickly descend on and save your knees a little. Contour around the lake and then follow a minor drainage with some plants and tundra that make the going easier through a minor cliff band that leads east into a basin between Peak One and Pt.13,453. Once in this minor basin, you'll have a very rocky ascent back to the saddle south of Pt.13,453 and west of White Dome. Higher up, when it becomes steeper, you can try to follow along the base of a sloping rock band for handholds and better footing. In early season, maybe you'll get lucky and find snow to ascend on instead of rocks. From the saddle, go just a little east and then head north down the steep and rock-filled basin toward an unnamed lake SW of Eldorado Lake. If you're early enough in the season or lucky, you'll find some snow to glissade on for several hundred feet. Continue hiking past the unnamed lake following a small drainage down toward the west end of Eldorado Lake on mostly tundra and savor the relief from all the rock. You'll pass a few other small tarns and several good campsites. Follow along the north shore of Eldorado Lake, cross the narrow outlet, hike up to the saddle that separates Eldorado from Kite Lake and return to your vehicle to rest your weary feet. Note: Eldorado Lake is a primo place for high altitude camping.