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Peak(s)  Tabeguache Peak  -  14,158 feet
Date Posted  07/07/2024
Modified  07/06/2025
Date Climbed   07/06/2024
Author  Tommy Burke
 Tabeguache - West Ridge   

The drive up the Jennings Creek is def 4WD. I have a Tacoma TRD. For reference it is not as bad as South Colony Lakes (Humboldt) or 277 Baldwin Creek (Antero). There is no "Tabeguache" trail marker. You just need to use GPS and track 3.8 miles from the camp ground. If you are alone, like I was, it's hard to 4WD AND look for the trail marker. I passed it and had to come back about 100 yds. The picture from the route information is best you'll get. https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=tabe3w There is a marker in the woods barely visible from the road.

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Trail Marker barely visible from the road.

The trail through the trees is dim, but visible. Reminds me of doing a 13er. Once you reach the top, the tarn is right there you cannot miss it or the left turn up Jennings Creek

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Tarn
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Start of trail up Jennings Creek

The trail up Jennings Creek comes and goes, but your destination is pretty obvious. Once you get high enough you will see a path in the left corner of the canyon.

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Jennings Creek trail


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Looking back as you near the ridge
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Looking forward. Trail up to ridge is straight up to left.

The trail up the ridge is very loose. Poles were very helpful.

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On the ridge looking back at the loose trail up.
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First view looking North over the the ridge.
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Looking up at 13,936

The entire trek across the ridge is mostly loose scree or talus. There are a few place where the talus is stable, but it is the exception. There are lots of ups and downs but of course going out is mostly up. I really noticed how loose it was coming back. Poles are very helpful. Also, the ridge has cliffs on the left (going out) and talus fields on the right. I generally stayed right. There is no trail on the ridge. Just bits and pieces.

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From saddle after 13,936 forward
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Summit looking North

When you are coming back, it is very easy to get disoriented and start, inadvertently, to head Southwest or into McCoy gulch. There are so many ups and downs you'll forget which one is the 13,936. And you can see trails running down and out both of the ridges that you need to bypass. Fortunately, my Garmin kept me on track. I think this is why the route description has so much emphasis on going back the same way you came out - not because you are a daredevil, but because it is easy to screw it up. I think as a rule, know that you must stay right. You cannot go too far to the right. You'd eventually start climbing Carbonate - pretty sure know one does that accidentally!

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On the way back looking Northwest

My dog and I took 7:45 minutes round trip. 4 hours up, 3:45 back down. My garmin-measured/strava-corrected shows 10.46 miles, 4081ft. The first and last 2.8 miles is very easy. The ridge, 2.5 miles each way, is not.



My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):




Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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