Windom Peak

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/24/2023, By: andlours
Info: Snow started above 13k near the climb to the saddle. A lot of it could be avoided with rock hopping, but micro spikes were really helpful near the summit. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/3/2023, By: Briere
Info: Full summer conditions still; one very minor snow crossing by the lake but no traction or anything is needed. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/3/2023, By: bryanf
Info: Met up with the West Ridge route at the saddle between Windom and Peak 18, after shortcutting laterally across the basin from the bottom of the Sunlight chute. From this point up, the route is straightforward and easy until the notch. From the notch onwards, you must be very careful with route-finding. I think more careful than the class dictates, as the ridge is actually quite thin and it's easy to get too low. On the way down, we scrambled down the boulder field of the main route to meet up with the Sunlight-Windom fork. This section was mixed thin scree and boulders. No snow on this route depending on how you make your way from the fork to the saddle. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 8/19/2023, By: Snommed1
Info: Windom/Sunlight...90% summer conditions. One snowfield to cross (~50yd, see picture) with no easy go-around. If this is still frozen solid from overnight, can be a sketchy traverse. Easy crossing once the snow has softened. Mosquitoes have abated in Chicago Basin. None to speak of. Not a lot of Needle Creek water access points up to Chicago Basin if you had planned to filter water along the way. Wear sunscreen. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/26/2023, By: nrobsaihttam
Info: Entered Sunday, left Tuesday 7/25. Awesome hike, bugs were tolerable in the basin. No need for spikes on the couple hundred feet of snow patches for Windom/Sunlight if you just use your hiking poles and follow footprints. About 20-something people went into the basin each day. Campsites weren't too hard to find. One of the coolest 14er experiences yet. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/17/2023, By: 815WM
Info: Started from Vallecito Creek TH on 7/13 and camped in Chicago Basin on 7/14. The next day, the 15th, I started at 4:30am and soloed all four 14ers: Eolus - North Eolus - Sunlight - Windom. I summited the last peak at 12:30 pm on a perfectly clear bluebird day. None of the peaks have snow on the summit ridges. You still need to climb a bit of snow to gain each saddle. You can get away with just poles or an axe, but I still highly recommend spikes. The most(and steepest) snow field is still encountered gaining the ridge for Eolus. I met a group as I was coming back down from Windom that summited Eolus and N Eolus without spikes or poles! Sunlight and Windom still required snowfield crossings as well. I was glad I had my spikes and poles but these two are easier if you don't have the gear. After summiting the grand slam, I took a nap back in the basin before packing out over Columbine pass and all the way down to Vallecito Creek for a total of just over 18 miles on the day. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/8/2023, By: colekics
Info: Started from Purgatory TH and camped in Chicago Basin. The next day, the 6th, Three other guys and I hit up all four 14ers: Sunlight -> Windom -> North Eolus -> Eolus. Essentially, none of the peaks have snow on the summit ridges. You just need to climb a bit of snow to gain each saddle. You can get away with just poles or an axe, multiple guys in our group never used spikes but they can add comfort. Started moving at 3:30 but coming down from Windom saddle around 8:15, the snow began to soften just enough to glissade. Then the snow was softer going up to the Eolus saddle, and once we came down we got some really great glissading in. The most snow climbing exists going up the Eolus saddle. We also found a fully packed pack on the ridge direct of Eolus, so if someone left it please let me know. Just a reminder: STAY ON THE STANDARD ROUTES. We were climbing Sunlight when we watched a group of five people try to climb the FACE of windom from the saddle between Windom and Sunlight Spire. They were just in spikes, trying to cross 60 degree side hill hard snow to reach a continuous rocky outcropping to the top. I thought I was about to watch them slide into a rocky runout and we'd have to call SOS. They then proceeded to climb loose, steep Class 5 rock to the top. We met them at the top of Windom and talked to them. Just make sure to follow your GPS up there, know which saddles to gain in order to climb safely. Pictures will be on the Sunlight post. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/17/2023, By: chrisbroyles
Info: My group of five climbed Windom Peak (14,089 ft) on July 3rd starting at 5 am from Chicago Basin near 12,000 feet. After getting to Twin Lakes, we traversed intermittent snow using crampons for almost a mile before ascending a snow slope upward for about 300 feet. We needed crampons and ski poles to make this steep snow climb to the saddle. Snow conditions were on par with early June. From the saddle (13,450 feet), we ascended class 2 rock up to a second but smaller saddle near 13,800 feet. The route becomes considerably steep above the second saddle (solid class 3), and my son made the remark that it reminded him of the climbing gym back home. The remaining 300 feet is practically all class 3 climbing. There is no way to make it without pulling up with your hands. In fact, information online suggests that this route on Windom Peak is difficult class 2. In our view, which is in agreement with several other climber posts, this route should be rated class 3. We thought the route was slightly more difficult than the class 3 southwest ridge route on Mount Sneffels (14,155 ft). In addition, it can be easy to move up slightly to the right of the main climber's ridge at 13, 700 feet, quickly exposing yourself to Class 3+ rock. I thought this route was going to be easy, but I was surprised at the unexpected difficulty. For that reason, I wasn't quite mentally prepared to make the climb. If you are going this route, prepare for a more difficult climb than what is suggested online, especially for safety reasons. If your goal is to stay on Class 2 routes due to your climbing ability, then I would suggest avoiding Windom Peak. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: mjordan
Info: Summited all 4 peaks on July 1st starting with Windom. The lake was still 90% frozen. Snow starts at the lake but the 1.5 miles up from Chicago Basin is clear. I only used micro spikes and trekking poles. A lot of people had crampons and ice axes but after this weekend I think thats overkill and not worth the extra weight. From the saddle up its totally dry and straight forward climbing on the ridge. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 6/20/2023, By: tjvanfossen
Info: Very little snow on approach to Twin Lakes, no traction needed up to there. Near continuous snow from lakes to summit block if you so choose. We just picked a line and went with the direct-to-summit option. Low 40s slope angle max. Cannot speak to the ridge proper other than hearing that it comfortably goes with spikes only until you hit snow toward the summit. Final summit block is mostly bare rock. Axe and crampons recommended, but can probably leave snowshoes at home (although may become post-holey as things warm up). 

Route: Chicago Basin Approach
Posted On: 5/18/2023, By: Kya Cav
Info: Chicago Basin 5/11/23-5/13/23 Dry trail about 3.5-4 miles in. Then solid snow coverage rest of the way up. We camped at 11,000 feet and basically at the end of the flat valley. All peaks still in for summit ski decents but will definitely fade away after a week or so of sunny skies. Go getr done! 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/29/2022, By: scott_s
Info: From the notch around 13800' to the summit is starting to accumulate snow, barely a factor right now but it won't be long. Probably could have used traction for a few steps but I didn't bother. Otherwise summer conditions on the rest of the route 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/20/2022, By: Buckie06
Info: Small patches of snow here and there, totally avoidable though. Basically summer conditions. We had microspikes but never had to use them 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/16/2022, By: jtfoss1
Info: We cut over from Sunlight and made a direct line for Windom's ridgeline. We ascended some mostly solid class 3 directly up to the ridge about 1/4 of the way up from the saddle with Peak 18. This seemed like a very easy way to combo the two. We saw some people working their way around to the left to avoid losing elevation but that seemed far worse than what we did. This peak is class 3 in my opinion, and not even in the gray area between 2 and 3. There is some exposure on various parts of the route, including at the super funky summit. Overall, a really fun mountain. 

Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 9/5/2022, By: shapovalovm
Info: Did the whole CBasin from Purgatory: Day 1: Started at 9:10. Parking was full, so I had to park near the community center (lots of additional parking there). Got to the basin by 2:45. Lots of people! Camped at 11200 Day 2: started 5:10, did 4 peaks, back to camp by 1pm. Started down at 1:30, back to the car by 6:50pm Peaks (in order): 1) Eolus: class 2 to the notch, perfectly cairned, no issues with navigation even in pitch dark. The catwalk is nothing to be afraid of, if you can walk in a straight line (it's like 3-4 feet wide at worst). Scramble up is easy. 2) N Eolus. A tiny baby scramble from the notch. Overall from Eolus it took me 25 min to get there 3) Sunlight: shit shute until 13800, horrible experience. But from there it's a ton of fun. No way it is class 4, though, even the summit block. The fall from there is to the nearest rock which is like 5 feet below. I understand it may be scary to people, but so may be the catwalk, but we don't call it class 4 do we? 4) Windom. Having done 3 peaks, this one felt hard. The views are fantastic though. Also, again, I don't think the rating is right. Haven't seen a single person who managed to summit it with no scrambling above the saddle, so should be class 3. If Sneffels and Kit Carson are class 3, this one definitely must be class 3 as well