The summit of Little Giant rests precariously on a band of yellow sulfur sand and loose stone, giving the impression that it could slide off at any minute. This weakness in the mountain was exploited by miners looking for gold and silver in the early 20th century. A cable from the mining operation is strung across a sinkhole beneath the summit. The actual route avoids the hazardous mined areas by ascending the summit from the right.

Notice the path of loose material that has a fall line directly from the summit. This fall line leads to one of three ominous sinkholes present on the mountain. The sinkholes have formed from the abandoned mines caving in over the past century, largely due to large amounts of snow and water seepage throughout the mountain. Little Giant is a mountain that is falling apart very rapidly.

For more information on this amazing mountain, see Little Giant Peak.

San Juan Mountains, Fall, 2006.

Digtal photo by Ellen Ritt