14ers.com • Peak Condition Update

Peak:	Amherst Mountain (13er)
Route:	From \"Emerson Pass\"
Range:	San Juan
Posted By:	supranihilest
Date of Info:	09/06/2020
Date Posted:	09/07/2020

Details
The pass between Emerson Mountain and "Peak Twenty Two" is colloquially called "Emerson Pass". This is the key to getting to Organ Mountain A and Amherst Mountain. This is the key to getting to Organ Mountain A and Amherst Mountain. From this pass descend steeply east down loose gravel switchbacks until the game/pack trail shoots north. Follow it or one of its offshots as it crosses the spectacular basin south of Organ/southeast of Amherst. The first bit of trail down from the pass is the hardest, the remainder is easy. Aim for the Amherst/Organ saddle, then ascend southwest up Amherst's awful kitty litter slopes. A gully in the middle of the face may suck you in, but beware - we went into it and it requires an extremely exposed, extremely loose Class 3 traverse above a no-fall death gully and then an extremely loose and steep Class 2+ climb up kitty litter and talus above that same no-fall death gully. We turned back just a few feet up the gully, returned across the traverse, and continued slightly south and then directly up steep kitty litter slopes with a few random boulders embedded in it. This wasn't fun but it was vastly safer. The slope is consistent in angle and crappy quality until the summit. There are two summits on Amherst, both look higher until you're on them and then the other looks higher, so tag both to be safe. Return the way you came being mindful of the steep, loose slopes.

Details

The pass between Emerson Mountain and "Peak Twenty Two" is colloquially called "Emerson Pass". This is the key to getting to Organ Mountain A and Amherst Mountain. This is the key to getting to Organ Mountain A and Amherst Mountain. From this pass descend steeply east down loose gravel switchbacks until the game/pack trail shoots north. Follow it or one of its offshots as it crosses the spectacular basin south of Organ/southeast of Amherst. The first bit of trail down from the pass is the hardest, the remainder is easy. Aim for the Amherst/Organ saddle, then ascend southwest up Amherst's awful kitty litter slopes. A gully in the middle of the face may suck you in, but beware - we went into it and it requires an extremely exposed, extremely loose Class 3 traverse above a no-fall death gully and then an extremely loose and steep Class 2+ climb up kitty litter and talus above that same no-fall death gully. We turned back just a few feet up the gully, returned across the traverse, and continued slightly south and then directly up steep kitty litter slopes with a few random boulders embedded in it. This wasn't fun but it was vastly safer. The slope is consistent in angle and crappy quality until the summit. There are two summits on Amherst, both look higher until you're on them and then the other looks higher, so tag both to be safe. Return the way you came being mindful of the steep, loose slopes.

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