Strolling on top of Point 12,739 amidst the splendor of the Sangre De Cristos
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson

Our original intent was to climb Tijeras Peak. We had climbed Mount Lindsey the day before though, so we had hoped to keep the mileage of the climb to a minimum. I did not want to risk beating up my leased Pathfinder on a nasty section of the Music Pass jeep road, so we ended up parking a mile below the end of the road, which meant two miles added to the day for a total of eleven. I knew my ol’ bod and my feet were not up to the task when we arrived at the Music Pass trailhead after an hour’s worth of walking. We decided to proceed to Music Pass and decide what we would do at that point.

Another mile and a quarter later, we were on the pass taking in the stunning view. A glance at the map had me thinking the ridge line to Marble Mountain might offer some stunning views without much effort. It was unlikely we’d make it all the way to Marble’s summit, which was considerably further north and just south of the South Colony Lakes area. But that was okay. We just wanted to get up high without killing ourselves with a second day of grueling climbing.

So we struck out for the south ridge of Point 12,739 to see what we could see. The climb was not complicated by any means, winding our way up through sparse vegetation and an obvious avalanche clearing. Beyond that and timberline, it was a pleasant rock hop along the ridge to the sub summit that is visible from Music Pass and points east. The view of Tijeras and the surrounding mountains of the Sand Creek drainage was spectacular!

Upon arrival at the summit, we were greeted with peaceful solitude and a view that was as stunning as I had ever seen. The southern half of the state was covered in an unusual humidity blanket that obscured most of the view, but luckily the closest peaks could still be plainly seen. The light quality wasn’t that great, but the mountains themselves were responsible for the awe we now experienced.

To the north, seen through a saddle between Marble and Millwaukee mountains, the mighty Crestones stood gallantly, piercing the washed out sky. Shadows would cover the Crestone Needle but illuminate the girth of Crestone Peak behind it. Then the Peak would be in shadow and the Needle would be illuminated. Seeing the Needle in this striking profile was a breathtaking experience. This view clearly illustrated that the Peak is twice the size of the Needle, but both were equal in their ruggedness. Beyond, rugged Columbia Point and the dome of Kit Carson Mountain were also visible. The height difference between them and the Crestones was immediately apparent. Humboldt Peak, with its long, sweeping east ridge was visible just beyond Marble Mountain. For sheer size, Humbodlt is without a doubt one of the biggest (if not the biggest) mountain in the Sangres.

Below us was the gorgeous Sand Creek drainage. More popular with fishermen than climbers (a loss to the climbers for sure), this beautiful area remains as one of Colorado’s most pristine treasures. The time and effort it takes to reach this amazing paradise is certainly worth it. The fishermen and sportsmen have figured it out. I wonder if the climbers ever will.

Our descent went quick and without incident. Despite our shorter day, we were still feeling the effects when we reached the vehicle. After all, we’d been climbing two consecutive days. Now it was time to head for Pueblo and civilization, where a nice, soft bed was waiting to greet my very tired body (Ellen of course was hardly affected and could have climbed Tijeras without much consequence).

Our brief visit to Point 12,739 shot to the top 10 on my list of memorable summits. No people. Peace and quiet. And an unbelieveable view of the mighty Sangre De Cristos! A great way to spend the 4th of July weekend for sure! I highly recommend this obscure peak to anyone. Just be sure you don’t mind the fact that it’s not a high peak, that’s there’s no one else on it and that it has a stunning view that will knock your socks off.

Images