LoJ: #504 (Pre-LiDAR #509) / 13,172' "Stony Pass Peak" Formerly UN 13165

Range › San Juan Range
Quadrangle › Howardsville
Summit Location › Peak Route Icon N 37° 47' 26.37", W 107° 33' 10.18 (Not Field Checked)

Peak Summary

If you need a quick one - this is a good choice. From the top of Stony Pass, "Stony Pass Peak" is a quick jaunt from the pass across the tundra and up a rocky ridge finish with just a little bit of scrambling. 45 minutes tops. Class 2. 4WD or good ground clearance vehicle required. Lidar added 7 feet of elevation.

Stony Pass Pk NE Ridge Route

Class 2+
Short Day // A Wee Little Climb
RT From Stony Pass TH: 2mi / 600'
  • Trailhead
    • Stony Pass TH

      From the Town of Silverton, drive east to where the paved road splits one block past the courthouse and veer right onto blue-signed County Road 2 (set odometer here) for 4.2 miles of nicely graded dirt road to Howardsville. (On Trails Illustrated map #141, this road is labeled #110. Pavement ends after 2 miles.) Turn right onto BLM/FS Road 589 for Cunningham Gulch and Stony Pass. At 4.4 miles, stay right and avoid going up to the "Old Mine Tour." At 5.9 miles driving south, take the left fork for Stony Pass and begin the climb out of Cunningham Gulch. The Stony Pass road is BLM/FS 737. Once you leave Cunningham Gulch, the road will begin to degrade to a 4WD/high clearance status. In 1998, when we made this trip, vehicles like Subaru wagons could have made it to the summit of Stony Pass. In subsequent years, the road has experienced enough traffic and weathering to have some rough spots where a higher clearance vehicle is the safer bet. This road is also quite steep for its short duration of about 3 miles to the summit. Once at the top of the pass, park at a small turnout on the south side of the road.


      Camping

      Best place for overnight camping would be back down in Cunningham Gulch, south of the turnoff for Stony Pass. There are a few at-large campsites before the road in Cunningham ends. Otherwise, it's possible to park and car or tent camp at the pass. We do not recall any camp spots on along the 3 mile drive up to Stony Pass.

    Peak Icon Route Map Photos

    Route Info Stony Pass Pk NE Ridge

    Route Description

    Year Climbed: 1998

    From the summit of Stony Pass and the trailhead parking, walk SW across the tundra and abundant wildflowers towards the ENE ridge of Stony Pass Peak. Ascend along the ridge on tundra to start which gives way to rockier conditions. The final summit ridge has a precipitous drop on the north side and may require a little bit of easy scrambling, depending on the path you choose. Watch for Ptarmigans. They are abundant here.

    Bonus points: Stony Pass Peak could be the 5th stop on a five-summit day that could include Galena, Canby, Sheep, Greenhalgh and Stony for the more ambitious peakbagger. All can be reached from either the summit of Stony Pass or just a little SE of the pass. And one other note: July wildflowers near the summit of the pass, especially on the north side can be very spectacular.


    Additional BETA

    Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful.
"In free governments the rulers are the servants, and the people their superiors and sovereigns." Benjamin Franklin
Warning! Climbing peaks can be dangerous! By using this site and the information contained herein, you're agreeing to use common sense, good judgement, and to not hold us liable nor sue us for any reason. Legal Notice & Terms of Use.
x
Donate to Climb13ers.com ›