Half Peak rises above the massive Cataract Creek basin, deep in the San Juan mountains. This basin is over run with willows and navigating through this bog would be a nightmare. The East Face Route for Half Peak avoids these marshes. An alternative, seen here, is to circumnavigate the willow bog to approach the mountain, adding about an hour to your day.

San Juan Mountains, Fall, 2006.

Digital photo by Ellen Ritt