Sunlight Peak

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/18/2018, By: dcruz654
Info: See Eolus report 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/21/2018, By: alyannkar
Info: Summer conditions. I backpacked into Chicago Basin from the Purgatory Trailhead the afternoon of 7/19 and then summitted all four peaks the morning of 7/20 and backpacked out later that afternoon. Not quite sure why the longer route to the basin gets a bad rap. It was a gorgeous and mellow trail, easy hiking. There are several trees down towards the end of the Animas River Trail in the mile before the bridge and register where the trail intersects with the Needle Creek Trail and the train stop. The Needle Creek Trail has even more trees down. Otherwise, both trails are in great condition. In Chicago Basin, insects and goats are in full swing. The lower you camp in the basin (or just before the basin), the less you will have to deal with the goats swarming. The trail up to Twin Lakes is beautiful (thanks Colorado Fourteeners Initiative!) and is in summer conditions, as well. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/24/2018, By: Beas
Info: The entire route is in summer condition. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/8/2018, By: RWSchaffer
Info: There is no snow below Twin Lakes. There are significant snow fields above Twin Lakes, but the trail is still more clear than not as it climbs the basin. Once you begin ascending Sunlight, only occasional patches of snow are encountered, and they do not materially obstruct the route; see picture taken from Windom Peak's west ridge. I used ice axe and spikes in the basin but not on the peak itself. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/15/2017, By: chicagostylehotdog
Info: Clear weather all day on Wednesday. Routes were dry on Eolus, N. Eolus, Windom, and Sunlight, with the exception of a tiny amount of snow blocking the trail between the lakes and the headwall leading to Windom and Sunlight. Thursday was good weather until noon when the clouds started spitting at us. Driving out Thursday afternoon you could see the storm rolling in. Ominous black clouds. With snow in the forecast, we may have seen the last of the dry, summer conditions in Chicago Basin. Only saw 3 goats, all together around 12,000' on the trail. One was digging at a wet spot where somebody had probably peed. Please keep your peeing off trail and on rocks so the goats don't destroy vegetation or the trail. Bagged all 4 14ers in Chicago basin in 9.5h camp to camp (camped at 11k). Leaves are starting to turn. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/9/2017, By: kayleenann8
Info: Dry and clear to the summit! Wear a helmet. Worst part to me was the loose steep trail to the summit ridge. Try to stay on the cairns trail there to minimize trail spread. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/5/2017, By: STIBungy
Info: No snow to worry about on the way. The rocks are solid and trail well defined. Did the traverse over to Windom by staying near the green band of rocks. The snowfields along the way are easily avoidable. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 8/21/2017, By: Marmot96
Info: The remaining snowfields are so small that they are of no concern and no extra gear is needed. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/19/2017, By: metalmountain
Info: Besides a couple of small flat snowfields around the Twin lakes and in the basin between Sunlight and Windom there is no snow to speak of on the route. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/7/2017, By: glenmiz
Info: Still a lot of snow. Once out of the basin, dry up the gully and climbing on the boulders except for a few patches of snow that are easy to bypass. Coming down to the lakes is a slog through soft, sun-cupped, snow-filled basin and down the headwall was a little tricky as it got steeper and slipperier. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/29/2017, By: pmeadco
Info: The bottom of the official route is still covered with snow but it is easy to go up the red line on the east side of the face. There is a small patch of snow below the class 3 crux near the summit, but it is fairly flat so not a problem, otherwise the high part of the route is dry. Still lots of snow in the bowl from Twin Lakes up to the south face. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 10/3/2016, By: restlesslegs8
Info: Southern aspects dry in Chicago Basin. Snow holding on North Faces. West ridge up Windom had managable snow. No snow on standard route up Sunlight (frozen dirt and scree which was nice!). Eolus route looks dry from across the basin. A little more precip today maybe, but conditions will return quickly unless significant snowfall occurs. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/4/2016, By: Beekman
Info: No snow on the entire route. Frost has hit the basin killing most of the skunk cabbage. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/21/2016, By: MountainMo
Info: Summer conditions for Sunlight/Windom and Eolus/N. Eolus. Minor/short snowfields in upper basin of Sunlight/Windom, both for going up towards Sunlight and crossing basin from Sunlight over to Windom. All flat to low angle snowfields, no axe or traction needed. Eolus/N. Eolus, dry entire way (ramp has no snow or ice, typical wet areas from snow runoff and rain). First time in the Basin for me and it was magical: wildflowers, waterfalls, views, and the trail construction is art work. Great time with a couple different climbing groups as well, thanks to all. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/3/2016, By: thebeave7
Info: Climbed the South face after descending the NW face of Windom. See that condition report for the approach in the basin. The bottom of the South face was solid snow, but about half way up to the saddle I encountered a fair bit of postholing so veered right onto gravel (8-9a). The upper slope/scramble was mostly snow free and I didn't use any of the snow gear to get to the summit from the saddle. I descended the slabs to the climbers left of the normal South face line and was able to zigzag down the slope on class 2-3 avoiding almost all the snow. I then descended the snow in the basin back to Twin Lakes, with minimal postholing if I stayed toward the south side of the basin. The North side of the basin (sees earlier sun) had a fair amount of soft knee to waist deep postholing through the 1-2" ice layer, causing a fair bit of pain and scratching.