Niagara Peak

Route: Burns Gulch-Jones saddle
Posted On: 7/7/2025, By: jfm3
Info: There is some running water on the 4WD road up Burns Gulch. There are some snowfields on the talus below the Jones-Niagara saddle. These were very firm with a tacky surface and could be entirely avoided if desired. The trail from the Jones-Niagara saddle to the top of Niagara is completely dry. 

Route: East Ridge-American Pie
Posted On: 6/24/2024, By: mjlucarelli
Info: I started at Cuba Gulch. Jones's south ridge is snow free and all snowfields on Niagara's east ridge are avoidable. I descended off the Niagara/Jones saddle on some snowfields getting back to the trailhead but you can avoid the snow if you want to go around. It is muddy and wet with all the snow melt in the basin right now. 

Route: American/Jones/Niagara Combo from American Basin
Posted On: 6/25/2024, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Snow fields are avoidable going up the peak from the connecting ridge to Jones Mtn. Didn't get a good look at the south ridge but imagine those snow fields are avoidable as well. 

Route: Northeast Face
Posted On: 5/26/2024, By: Chicago Transplant
Info: Patchy snow on Burns Gulch road that mostly doesn't cover the entire road. Can't really consistently skin until maybe like 11,300? I didn't have anything tracking so not sure. Actually dropped just off the road into the gulch itself. All snow from there. Booted up the face before finishing on the ridge. This is your best bet, the saddle with Jones is corniced. The ridge gets interesting near the top, steep and narrow snow. Skied back down, leaving early to cut to the Jones saddle and go up Jones too. Snow wasn't great with the clouds but it was decent enough. With a bit of sun the route would be really fun! 

Route: Burns Gulch
Posted On: 9/28/2023, By: NotTimid
Info: Frost and a dusting of snow on the rocks/route starting just below 13K on the ascent, but this had all melted away by the time I was descending. In the upper basin as you are ascending the switchbacks through the cliff bands below the Jones-Niagara saddle, there were some patches of snow that persisted into the afternoon, but are manageable/avoidable. Above the saddle, there are patches of snow that cover sections of the trail in some spots and can't be avoided. These are manageable, just take extra care especially on the descent if the snow has gotten more slushy and slippery. Wet dirt from melted snow made rocks a bit looser than usual. 

Route: From Burns Gulch
Posted On: 8/21/2023, By: dr_j
Info: Completely dry route, full summer conditions, with decent wildflowers. We hiked the Niagara / Jones / American combo starting up from about 3/4 of the way up Burns Gulch Road, up to the Niagara / Jones saddle. We summited Niagara first, a bit loose, but nothing exceeds Class 2+. The traverse to Jones is in good shape and is very clear, and there is a path to the top of Jones. The descent from Jones to the Jones / American saddle is steep and loose, and after an initial climb up towards American, the trail stays fairly level, look for cairns, and choose your own adventure to the summit of American. The descent back towards Burns Gulch from the saddle is quite loose (thanks you San Juans), look for cairns, and follow a very faint overgrown road back towards the trailhead. I do not recommend ascending the Jones / American saddle, best to summit Niagara - Jones - American in that order. 

Route: American-Jones-Niagara
Posted On: 7/16/2023, By: cloudkicker
Info: The traverse between American, Jones, and Niagara is in summer conditions. Other than a patch of flat snow on American-Jones saddle, and a patch of flat snow on Jones-Niagara saddle, all snow can be avoided on the traverse. The routes up American are a different story (see my separate conditions report) American summit register nice and intact No summit registers on Jones or Niagara 

Route: North Face Couloirs
Posted On: 6/4/2023, By: Tim A
Info: Natalie (SnowAlien) put this on my radar with her CR a few weeks ago and Im glad she did. Really fun snow climb in a very scenic part of the San Juans. Caught it after the first clear night in a week and enjoyed perfect snow conditions from the bottom of Burns Gulch to the spicy summit pitch. Most of the road is dry but theres a big snowbank not far above the start so dont bother trying to drive higher. At 12K its possible to stay on snow all the way to the summit. Started at 3am, summit at 630, hung out up there until 9am waiting for the face to soften a bit before descending. Ended up overcooking it, the final summit pitch was complete slop and completely unsupportive. After a hairy descent from there, the walk out through the basin was still solid late-morning. Leave the snowshoes at home if you get an early start and can catch a cloud-free night. 

Route: From Burns gulch, East face ski descent
Posted On: 5/18/2023, By: SnowAlien
Info: To my pleasant surprise, the road was cleared past Eureka and still reasonable in a Subaru, although ATVs have discovered it already. Avalanche debris from multiple slides looked impressive. Animas river is raging, but a small section is still under snow, so I was able to fund a snow bridge crossing. Took the road (still snow covered) up Burns gulch. Skinned to about 13k and booted the rest. Skied the East face of Niagara towards Jones (surprisingly steep for a couple turns at the top). Continued to Jones. 

Route: Grouse/Burns Gulch
Posted On: 8/26/2022, By: JasonKline
Info: Summer conditions. No snow or ice. 

Route: Northeast Face
Posted On: 5/31/2022, By: CheapCigarMan
Info: Made it up Grouse-Burns Gulch 4WD road to about 11,200' before hitting the first impassable snow drift. About 5 more after that. Clear morning. The sky hazed up later that morning into a weird hazy reddish color. Then windy and cloudy on the descent. No snowshoes, very firm and consolidated snow. Dave Cooper's Northeast Face took a minute for me to figure out. Specifically which gully he was referring to. As he mentions you can't see this from the road. But once you are in the upper basin as you approach the Jones / Niagara saddle it's apparent. But it doesn't look like much, which was a little confusing for me. As you see all of Niagara's more impressive gullies this one is small and tame. Though, I did not encounter any, there is evidence of rock fall in the gully. Once out of the gully it dog leg's right which parallels it's East Ridge route. Used crampons and ice axe. Snow was sun cupped. Most extreme sun cupping I've seen. Beautiful formations. Beautiful views of the San Juans with RGP and Chicago Basin next door calling your name. With all the talk on ice axes I thought I'd get and post my first ice axe selfie taken just a few feet below the summit. 

Route: East Ridge from Burns Gulch
Posted On: 8/30/2020, By: supranihilest
Info: Easy road up high into Burns Gulch. Not much of a trail through the upper basin, but once you get close to the Jones/Niagara saddle a use trail up through the mild cliff bands becomes apparent. This was about the only Class 2+ on the entire route. From the saddle take the use trail up Niagara. The trail splits at some points but there shouldn't be anything harder than Class 2. 

Route: E ridge, from Snare Stairs approach
Posted On: 6/27/2020, By: d_baker
Info: I drove to Cuba Gulch TH on Friday afternoon and slept there that night. Road is in decent shape. I started at 6:30am, summit by 10:30a. Back to car by 1:30p. Snare Stairs bone dry, other than streams in a couple spots. Road around 12,910 (seen on a topo) mostly dry, with a couple snow strips that can be walked by. Basin below Niagara mostly melted out. I crossed a couple of low angle snow slopes on road to upper lake below Niagara/Jones saddle. Going to that saddle, I crossed a couple more steeper snow sections but I was comfortable with just my poles and boots. Had axe, but didn't want it. Snow was soft enough to walk on, with soft kick to feel secure. Ridge to summit in good shape, with one strip of snow near top but trail goes to the left of it. Easy to follow trail from saddle to summit. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/22/2020, By: Alrightmax
Info: East face is still holding quite a bit of snow. You won't be able to summit without crossing at least one field beneath the summit. Bring an ice axe. 

Route: Burns Gulch approach
Posted On: 9/28/2019, By: Tweedie
Info: No access to the Burns Gulch road due to avalanche debris at the turn off. There are also still some trees over the road. So the hike was longer than expected. There is a Small patch of snow just below the Jones-Niagara saddle that is easily avoidable, but loose talus in both sides. Rest of the route was dry. It was a great hike and some great views.