Peak 6100

Overview

Peak 6100

Peak 6100

Peak 6100 is a beautiful peak located at the entry to the Main Canyon of the Book Cliffs. The peak is easily approachable from US Interstate 70 and offers a nice scrambling opportunity. It is easier to summit peak under dry conditions since the ledges are exposed and slippery. With good route finding skills, you can keep the difficulty at class 3, possibly class 4 sections. 

The Main Canyon is a popular destination for those who want to have a relatively easy hike and view wild mustangs. See SP page here. Both outings: Peak 6100 and hike into Main Canyon combine nicely together and use the same trailhead. This section of Book Cliffs is specifically designated for wild horses. 

The Book Cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western Colorado and eastern Utah. The name comes from many south-facing buttes that appear similar to a shelf of books. This range stretches nearly 200 miles.

Parent Lineage: Mount Lincoln

Class: 3

Quad: Cameo

Rise: 1000 feet

Saddle: 5,100 feet

Getting There

From Grand Junction drive northeast on Interstate 70 and take the Cameo exit (exit # 46). The exit is well marked for Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range. 

Route

Peak 6100

Peak 6100

Follow the trail into the Main Canyon and as soon as you hit the saddle of Peak 6100, follow its west ridge to just below the cliffs. Try to find the easiest passage. There should be a trail here and there.

Once you see the steep cliffs, continue below those on the north side of the Peak 6100, going until you see a weakness in the cliffs and ascend this higher up on small ledges. There are several possible routes and we explored several. We found snow covering the small cairns and trail but still were able to find the route without difficulties and even some options with a fixed rope.

See the Gaia map below for our journey. The summit has great views of Grand Mesa and into the Palisade Valley and over Colorado River. There were a small cairn and summit register. 

The outing is pretty short - could be done in 2 hrs. We had more challenging conditions with the snow and slippery sandstone slab. The trip could be done in less than 2 hrs. 

Red Tape

Camping, hiking, horseback riding, and hunting are permitted throughout the Wild Horse Range. The trails are designated only for foot and horse travel. Motorized vehicles and mountain bikes are not allowed inside the Main Canyon. 

Pet should be leashed or under voice control, so they don't tend to chase wild mustangs. 

The land is public land managed by BLM. It is designed to protect wild horses. Livestock grazing is not permitted within the horse range. 

 

For further information about the range or adopting wild horses, contact: 

Bureau of Land Management

Grand Junction Field Office

2815 H Road

Grand Junction, Colorado 81506

(970) 244-3000

or

National Wild Horse and Burro Program

www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov

1-800-417-9647

When to Climb

Summer can be hot. Spring and autumn are probably the best choices, winter would be fine too as long as the route is dry. We did it with fresh snow and later mud on the descent. The ledges face north and snow can make it very slippery. 

Camping

Disperse primitive camping is primitive. You could sleep in the parking lot. The parking lot is a large and great place to even park a trailer. 

External Links

• 6100 on List of John
• The Book Cliffs
• The Main Canyon
• The Little Book Cliffs Wilderness Study Area
• Friends of Mustangs