It's a fun class 3-4 scramble if you stay near the ridge-crest. It was also my introduction to the nasty goats on a day-trip from Purgatory. Trip report.
Hyadventure - Jul 13, 2012 7:18 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2012
Mostly Via the Ridge
I started on the regular route but joined the ridge about half the way up. Solid fun 3rd on the ridge.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2008
Eolus
with Tim, camped in Chicago Basin
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 27, 2010
Suprisingly underated summit
Reminded me more of North Maroon than of the easy talus heap I was expecting.
boisedoc - Sep 5, 2011 12:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2011
Exciting scramble
I thought the east face made for good scrambling. It required a fair amount of route finding to find the easiest route. As others have noted, there are too many cairns on the face that complicates things. Great views of pidgeon peak
seanpeckham - Aug 31, 2011 8:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2011
Day 5 of 6-day solo trip from Elk Park to Needleton
I spent 4 incredible and wet days backpacking around solo with a tiny tarp and a bivy sac (at times hooking up with some great people I encountered, but at other times having whole drainages to myself) from Elk Park to Chicago Basin, climbed Eolus on day 5, and on day 6 did Sunlight and Windom and went down to the train, which was delayed indefinitely (but turned out to only be a couple hours) due to two rock/mudslides. Eolus intimidated me when I first saw it from Columbine Pass, partly because I had been sick and slept poorly on my trip, but that just made it worth travelling all that way to do it. I loved the climb, the scrambling and routefinding were a good match for my abilities or lack thereof. The views were some of the best I've ever had.
catullus - Aug 18, 2011 7:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2011
standard route
Climbed with my dad. This was his first 14er. Catwalk great exposure. Ledges a bit loose and spooky, with too many cairns. All-and-all a great trip. Lots of mountain goats!
Sarah Simon - Jul 19, 2011 9:55 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2011
Standard Chicago Basin Route
The approach up the upper basin after leaving Twin Lakes was a little messy (wet gravel, cruddy snow) but once we got above the initial ledges to the Catwalk...MAN, I love this mountain. From the Catwalk on, this peak is non-stop fun, views and beauty. One of our party celebrated his 54th Fourteener on this summit. We all hugged him and almost knocked him off the top! What a great day.
myrone - Jul 18, 2011 11:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2011
3rd Peak of the Chicago Basin 4
Started up from camp in the Chicago Basin with my friend Bob at 6:02AM. Reached an empty summit at 9:32 after joining a young couple (Eric & Whitney) near the "catwalk" with windy, foreboding skies moving-in. Stayed only briefly before heading over to N. Eolus Peak at 9:45. My 57th 14'er.........Sweet!
REM - Jun 6, 2011 4:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 1982
From Chicago Basin
Bailed at the "Sidewalk in the Sky."
Jeremy Hakes - Jan 21, 2011 11:11 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2001
A fav.
Not many better than this.
Matt Miller - Dec 11, 2010 1:33 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2008
Eolus, Sunlight and Windom from Purgatory TH
42 mile day from Purgatory TH with Eric Lee. Got all three 14ers (Eolus, Sunlight and Windom) and North Eolus. Great day!
shanrickv - Nov 10, 2010 8:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2010
Close Call
Great climb with John Little and friends, but had a close call with a rock giving on me on the way down from the summit.
Phil 4:13
billscherz - Sep 27, 2010 11:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2006
Great Sunrise
Nice morning from a high camp in Chicago Basin. Catwalk was fun, after that it's loose.
Climbed Mount Eolus from the camp in the upper Chicago Basin. From the saddle, climbed directly to the summit staying on the NE ridge crest. Continued on to Sunlight and Windom Peaks. Gorgeous weather, fun scramble, great views!
Ken Dammen - Sep 5, 2010 2:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2010
Last of the Day
Climbed after finishing Sunlight, Windom, North Eolus. Weather was not good. Low clouds, moist conditions made route finding a little difficult. Finally located the summit. All of the cairnes a little confusing. Lots of exposure makes this a little nerve racking especially when the conditions are damp. #33 of #58.
Brad Snider - Aug 29, 2010 8:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2010
From Purgatory
Too many cairns. Good views of the remote San Juans.
theREALCarpeDM - Apr 8, 2010 6:43 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2009
A favorite!
The catwalk and summit pitch were loads of fun! Had perfect weather in Chicago Basin!
altitude14er - Sep 17, 2009 1:05 am Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2009
Route Climbed: All "4" in a long day!
Hiked in from the Purgatory Trailhead! Brutal but fun! Got Eolus, North Eolus, Sunlight & Windom in one summit push!
pyerger - Sep 9, 2009 9:56 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2008
Eolus
Great mountain.Some snow made for interesting climb.
seano - Jul 20, 2012 9:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2012
Standard routeIt's a fun class 3-4 scramble if you stay near the ridge-crest. It was also my introduction to the nasty goats on a day-trip from Purgatory. Trip report.
Hyadventure - Jul 13, 2012 7:18 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2012
Mostly Via the RidgeI started on the regular route but joined the ridge about half the way up. Solid fun 3rd on the ridge.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2008
Eoluswith Tim, camped in Chicago Basin
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 27, 2010
Suprisingly underated summitReminded me more of North Maroon than of the easy talus heap I was expecting.
boisedoc - Sep 5, 2011 12:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2011
Exciting scrambleI thought the east face made for good scrambling. It required a fair amount of route finding to find the easiest route. As others have noted, there are too many cairns on the face that complicates things. Great views of pidgeon peak
seanpeckham - Aug 31, 2011 8:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2011
Day 5 of 6-day solo trip from Elk Park to NeedletonI spent 4 incredible and wet days backpacking around solo with a tiny tarp and a bivy sac (at times hooking up with some great people I encountered, but at other times having whole drainages to myself) from Elk Park to Chicago Basin, climbed Eolus on day 5, and on day 6 did Sunlight and Windom and went down to the train, which was delayed indefinitely (but turned out to only be a couple hours) due to two rock/mudslides. Eolus intimidated me when I first saw it from Columbine Pass, partly because I had been sick and slept poorly on my trip, but that just made it worth travelling all that way to do it. I loved the climb, the scrambling and routefinding were a good match for my abilities or lack thereof. The views were some of the best I've ever had.
catullus - Aug 18, 2011 7:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2011
standard routeClimbed with my dad. This was his first 14er. Catwalk great exposure. Ledges a bit loose and spooky, with too many cairns. All-and-all a great trip. Lots of mountain goats!
Sarah Simon - Jul 19, 2011 9:55 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2011
Standard Chicago Basin RouteThe approach up the upper basin after leaving Twin Lakes was a little messy (wet gravel, cruddy snow) but once we got above the initial ledges to the Catwalk...MAN, I love this mountain. From the Catwalk on, this peak is non-stop fun, views and beauty. One of our party celebrated his 54th Fourteener on this summit. We all hugged him and almost knocked him off the top! What a great day.
myrone - Jul 18, 2011 11:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2011
3rd Peak of the Chicago Basin 4Started up from camp in the Chicago Basin with my friend Bob at 6:02AM. Reached an empty summit at 9:32 after joining a young couple (Eric & Whitney) near the "catwalk" with windy, foreboding skies moving-in. Stayed only briefly before heading over to N. Eolus Peak at 9:45. My 57th 14'er.........Sweet!
REM - Jun 6, 2011 4:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 1982
From Chicago BasinBailed at the "Sidewalk in the Sky."
Jeremy Hakes - Jan 21, 2011 11:11 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2001
A fav.Not many better than this.
Matt Miller - Dec 11, 2010 1:33 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2008
Eolus, Sunlight and Windom from Purgatory TH42 mile day from Purgatory TH with Eric Lee. Got all three 14ers (Eolus, Sunlight and Windom) and North Eolus. Great day!
shanrickv - Nov 10, 2010 8:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2010
Close CallGreat climb with John Little and friends, but had a close call with a rock giving on me on the way down from the summit.
Phil 4:13
billscherz - Sep 27, 2010 11:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2006
Great SunriseNice morning from a high camp in Chicago Basin. Catwalk was fun, after that it's loose.
strudolyubov - Sep 20, 2010 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2010
N. Eolus-Eolus-Sunlight-WindomClimbed Mount Eolus from the camp in the upper Chicago Basin. From the saddle, climbed directly to the summit staying on the NE ridge crest. Continued on to Sunlight and Windom Peaks. Gorgeous weather, fun scramble, great views!
Ken Dammen - Sep 5, 2010 2:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2010
Last of the DayClimbed after finishing Sunlight, Windom, North Eolus. Weather was not good. Low clouds, moist conditions made route finding a little difficult. Finally located the summit. All of the cairnes a little confusing. Lots of exposure makes this a little nerve racking especially when the conditions are damp. #33 of #58.
Brad Snider - Aug 29, 2010 8:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2010
From PurgatoryToo many cairns. Good views of the remote San Juans.
theREALCarpeDM - Apr 8, 2010 6:43 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2009
A favorite!The catwalk and summit pitch were loads of fun! Had perfect weather in Chicago Basin!
altitude14er - Sep 17, 2009 1:05 am Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2009
Route Climbed: All "4" in a long day!Hiked in from the Purgatory Trailhead! Brutal but fun! Got Eolus, North Eolus, Sunlight & Windom in one summit push!
pyerger - Sep 9, 2009 9:56 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2008
EolusGreat mountain.Some snow made for interesting climb.