Overview
North face of Engineer Mountain in a rare view from Jura Knob
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson Engineer Mountain is the prominent "double" cone which can be seen when driving northbound on US-550 beyond Purgatory in the San Juan National Forest. This is a fun and challenging mountain with awesome panoramic views in all directions from the summit, since it’s nearly 13,000’ and stands alone. The most direct ascent starts at Coal Bank Pass on US-550 and goes up the Pass Creek Trail. An alternate ascent from the west has yet to be documented here on SP. With it's close proximity to Durango, Engineer is a popular hike in the summer. While only 4.4 miles round trip, it's considered a difficult climb due to the narrow ridge, loose talus, and the exposed crux move. Gain is 2,378 feet.
Engineer Mountain was first climbed by a civilian topographic assistant by the name of H.G. Prout in June of 1873.
Getting ThereCoal Bank Pass is 35 miles north of Durango, 13.5 miles south of Silverton, on Route 550. There is a parking area and restroom facility on the east side of the road at Coal Bank Pass (but don't park there). Just north of that, turn onto a road on the west side (opposite the rest area) which goes to the Pass Creek TH in under 200 yards.
See SP member dsnell's route description in the route section.
When To ClimbLate June through early October is the best time to climb the mountain in dry conditions.
Due to the short approach, ridge route, and relative safety from an avalanche incident, a winter ascent of Engineer can be done provided you have experience and proper gear. Engineer also serves as a training ground for winter ascents. See the LINK section for details.
Be sure to check out these amazingly good photos of a winter ascent of this mountain. They do a great job of illustrating the conditions you could encounter when climbing Engineer in the winter.
Climbing Engineer MountainEngineer is climbed by locals all the time. This often leads to a false sense of security about one's climbing abilities. Be sure you and your party members are comfortable on loose rock, tiny holds and rubble covered, exposed terrain before proceeding with a climb of this mountain.
Climbing the crux move on Engineer
 
Ridge Crack and Crux Move climbing
  Crux move climbing
Photos by Aaron Johnson & Ellen Ritt
CampingThe parking lot at the Pass Creek TH is large enough for car camping and some tent camping. No fees are involved. A National Forest access road that encircles Spud Mountain, southeast of Engineer, also offers nice camp spots. Camping is available to the north at Molas and Little Molas (currently closed for rennovation) Lakes.
Mountain ConditionsTelluride/Western San Juan Regional Weather
GOES Western Satellite Image
The summit is obtained via a steep exposed ridge only two inches to four feet wide in places. Experience with loose rock and exposure strongly recommended.
The San Juan weather is known for its unpredictability and violent tendencies. There is no safe retreat other than the ridge route described herein at a measured pace. Much of the rock is loose, there is much exposure and rapid retreat from weather is not feasible. Consider the weather and your party's ability before launching.
Rock GlaciersEngineer Mountain is the home of one of the largest rock glaciers in Colorado. The north side of the mountain is a huge, sprawling pile of rock debris, presumably deposited from a much larger mountain Engineer once was eons ago. Such rock debris is necessary for the formation of rock glaciers, and from a nearby mountain, will have the appearance of pudding poured out upon the land.
Over time, water seeps into the debris pile, which is deposited on a slope. The water freezes into ice, and as the seasons pass, the ices melts and freezes, all the while inching its way down the slope, carrying the debris above with it. Rock glaciers move very fast in geologic terms, with some moving one to two feet per year, depending on slope angle, water and ice content, seasonal temperatures and other erosive factors, such as lakes that drain from above a rock glacier and the runoff runs through the debris, promoting movement via erosion and ice melt. Young rock glaciers are usually unstable and consist of rocks only. Older ones have filled in with dirt and may have patches of tundra filling in the spaces between the rocks.
Rock glaciers are a rare occurence, given how many mountains there are on the planet. Colorado has many text book examples. Young rock glaciers are found in abundance primarily in the San Juan and Elk mountain ranges, where erosion rates are geologically accellerated. Engineer's massive rock glacier is a prime example. Older ones can be found in the Sawatch mountains, a much older mountain range.
For climbers, rock glaciers can be a help or a hinderance, depending primarily on their stability. More importantly, rock glaciers are usually a good source for water. Look for springs at the base of rock glaciers, where water emerges in pristine condition, thanks to mother earth's natural filtering system.
Below is a picture of Engineer's huge rock glacier.
Engineer Mountain's Rock Glacier
By SP member theplugger
External Links Images
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San Juan Range
