Starting from our suggested campsite at the end of the "approach," cross Sand Creek and follow the trail to Lower Sand Creek Lake. The route for Tijeras peak can also begin from a campsite location on the east side of Lower Sand Creek Lake. We used the basic route description provided by G&M in their first edition and repeated in the 3rd edition. This climb was completed June 27, 1995 which was a summer that followed one of the snowiest winters in recent records. We had to break through snowbanks to arrive at Music Pass and beyond our suggested campsite at 11,060 feet at the end of the meadow, it was all snow in the trees, all the way up to Lower Sand Creek lake and the NW basin above the lake was almost all snow-filled. This made identifying the trail impossible.
So from the NW end of the long meadow west of Music Pass, locate and then turn off on the trail to Lower Sand Creek Lake. From the 11,060 campsite, the main trail quickly crosses to the west side of the creek, at least when we were there. Make your way to the lake where on the east shore area, there are good campsites if not covered in snow as we found in 1995. Follow trails near the shore around to the north side of the lake and then begin working your way up through the forest to the northwest basin above the lake. Music Mountain is at the head of this basin. On the south side of the basin, there's a long cliff at about the 12,200 to 12,400 foot level that blocks access to the higher terrain below the summit of Tijeras. It will become clearly visible once you hike out of the trees. Continue up basin through willows and watch for breaks in the cliff. G&M reported that there would be "several breaks in the cliff band, but the best one for climbing is approximately centered between sheer cliffs on the right and on the left." We found what we believed G&M meant, but in 1995, there was a waterfall a little right of the ramp that was spraying it profusely. There was also a large gap (bescherung) between the end of the snow and the rock of the ramp that would have required leaping from the snow to the spray-slickened rocks. This uninviting option led us to keep looking for alternatives.
Two more options presented themselves. More toward the up-valley, right end of the cliff band was another ramp/couloir that sloped upward from right to left, and to the far left end of the cliff band was yet another ramp/couloir that sloped similarly that led to a steep tundra and rock slope above. Both of these other ramp/couloirs were filled with snow. We elected to try the one furthest to the right. The bottom of that ramp ended in a large talus cone (if there had been no snow). We ascended the steep ramp/couloir using ice axes and crampons. We figured the angle to be perhaps 50 degrees. It penetrated all the way through the cliff and deposited us on much more gentle slopes below Tijeras. The climb up through here seemed quite "airy" and reminded us of the couloir often used to ascend Cathedral Peak in the Elks.
Once through the cliff band, enjoy strolling across some tundra for a while, aiming for a saddle just SE of PT. 13,290. The tundra will give way to fields of rock. Gain the NW ridge of Tijeras and continue to the summit staying on the ridge crest as much as possible and scrambling over large blocks of rock at times. This can reach 3rd class scrambling. Getting off to either side of the ridge does not make the going any easier. Arrive at the small summit to enjoy the spectacular view that includes the Crestones, Music Mountain and Pico Aislado.
Return as you came. Hopefully you marked the ramp/couloir you came up so you can find it on the way back down. However, for variety, the ramp/couloir mentioned above at the far SE end of the cliff band can also be used. We found this ramp to have less snow than the other and hence, a little easier to descend, but just as steep and a little intimidating. At the base, we had to leap across a gap between the rock and the snow (bescherung). This led to an unplanned glissade and self-arrest. If this basin is snow-filled, you can obtain a very nice glissade back down to the lake.
Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful.