Lonesome in the San Juans

There’s a lonesome, cone-shaped peak on the edge of the San Juans, near the Utah–Colorado border.

It’s a landmark that always stands out when you look east from the high points of SE Utah or SW Colorado. It’s a peak that Joan and I have eyed over the horizon for years.

Joan and I have talked about hiking it for a while, but the timing never quite worked out. Then, on Friday, the universe gave me a nudge in the form of a kaput freezer.

While prepping for a weekend trip, I noticed all the ice had melted. Getting an appliance repaired in Moab is a logistical feat, since only a couple of folks do that kind of work, and they’re always booked. (Reminded me of my job over the years, but I digress.)

Miraculously, the same guy who fixed our stove months ago was available and had the right part in his truck. An electrical component related to the compressor had gone kaput. He swapped it out, got things running again, and the only casualty was some melted chocolate ice cream. (I joked that if this happened at work, someone would expect me to fix it. “It plugs in and has lights; must be IT’s problem!” But I digress again.)

With the weekend plans up in the air and Joan still on the Colorado Trail, I took the opportunity to check out that peak finally. I loaded up the truck, hit the backroads, and enjoyed a peaceful 2.5-hour drive through scenic canyon country, along the river, and into the mountains.

The trail was quiet with just me and some avian company.

I made my way through the alpine tundra and talus, eventually reaching the summit and soaking in sweeping views of the San Juan range.

I considered making it a lollipop hike by scrambling down a Class 3 or 4 spine, but since I was solo and scouting for a future trip with Joan, I stuck to a more relaxed out-and-back.

The pines and alpine air made for a refreshing contrast to the red rock desert I’d left behind that morning.

I found a dispersed camp near the trailhead, sacked out in the back of the truck, and enjoyed a quiet night capped off by a view of the same peak I’d just climbed.

And on Monday? I picked up my favorite hiking partner at the Moab airport after her 350+ miles on The Colorado Trail.

I look forward to more trips to the San Juans in the weeks ahead.