14ers.com • Peak Condition Update

Peak:	Jagged Mountain (13er)
Route:	Sunlight Creek Approach from Beartown
Range:	San Juan
Posted By:	supranihilest
Date of Info:	07/19/2020
Date Posted:	07/19/2020

Details
We began at Beartown and hiked over Hunchback Pass to the Vallecito Creek trail and past Nebo Creek. We spent a few days climbing in Rock Creek, but otherwise we could have just continued down the Vallecito Creek trail to an area southeast of Sunlight Creek. There's a mid-sized cairn just off the trail marking the turn off for Sunlight Creek, but otherwise there's no signage or indications to turn. The trail took us to the Vallecito, which we crossed, and then took an OK and increasingly awful trail up the drainage. The trail first paralleled Sunlight Creek and was OK, just tons of deadfall, and eventually it led into a nightmare of man-eating willows and wet boulders that felt more like a minotaur's labyrinth than an actual trail. Fortunately this section is short, though time consuming, and the trail afterwards is OK for a while. Continue up Sunlight Creek and make a couple of creek crossings. Eventually you'll be on the south side of the creek and at a split where a very faint trail goes southwest towards Greylock and a better trail goes northwest towards Jagged Mountain. We took the northwest branch and it fades out in some willows near the creek below a massive cube shaped block of granite. We got a bit lost here, but continue with the willow bashing and eventually you'll find switchbacks that go up a slope south of the cube block. The trail is excellent here, surprisingly, and leads to a nice camp with the creek nearby. From here trails go towards Jagged Mountain, Knife Point, and Sunlight Lake. Photos: 1) the big granite cube. Go to the left of it. NOTE: Since this was ascended a while ago and I'm just now getting back to internet, I've put today's date for visibility, since there hasn't otherwise been recent updates for the peak. I'll backdate this CR in a couple of days. Photos (click for slideshow):

Details

We began at Beartown and hiked over Hunchback Pass to the Vallecito Creek trail and past Nebo Creek. We spent a few days climbing in Rock Creek, but otherwise we could have just continued down the Vallecito Creek trail to an area southeast of Sunlight Creek. There's a mid-sized cairn just off the trail marking the turn off for Sunlight Creek, but otherwise there's no signage or indications to turn. The trail took us to the Vallecito, which we crossed, and then took an OK and increasingly awful trail up the drainage. The trail first paralleled Sunlight Creek and was OK, just tons of deadfall, and eventually it led into a nightmare of man-eating willows and wet boulders that felt more like a minotaur's labyrinth than an actual trail. Fortunately this section is short, though time consuming, and the trail afterwards is OK for a while. Continue up Sunlight Creek and make a couple of creek crossings. Eventually you'll be on the south side of the creek and at a split where a very faint trail goes southwest towards Greylock and a better trail goes northwest towards Jagged Mountain. We took the northwest branch and it fades out in some willows near the creek below a massive cube shaped block of granite. We got a bit lost here, but continue with the willow bashing and eventually you'll find switchbacks that go up a slope south of the cube block. The trail is excellent here, surprisingly, and leads to a nice camp with the creek nearby. From here trails go towards Jagged Mountain, Knife Point, and Sunlight Lake.

Photos: 1) the big granite cube. Go to the left of it.

NOTE: Since this was ascended a while ago and I'm just now getting back to internet, I've put today's date for visibility, since there hasn't otherwise been recent updates for the peak. I'll backdate this CR in a couple of days.

Photos (click for slideshow):

Comments or Questions
Using your forum id/password. Not registered? Click Here