Uncompahgre Wilderness

We are headed to the San Juans for a long weekend to tackle two scenic 14ers, Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn. We will depart Los Alamos on Friday afternoon and establish a camp in the Matterhorn Creek Basin near timberline. This central location allows us to tackle both peaks from a single high camp. On Saturday, we will take on the broad, majestic slopes of Uncompahgre Peak. On Sunday morning, we will climb the more technical Wetterhorn Peak before packing out and returning home.

Itinerary
• Friday: Depart Los Alamos in the morning. Drive approximately 6-7 hours to the Matterhorn Creek Trailhead. Hike in roughly 2 miles to establish basecamp near timberline (~11,400’).
• Saturday: Uncompahgre Peak. A long day of hiking (~10 miles RT from camp, 3,000' gain). We will follow the standard south ridge route.
• Sunday: Wetterhorn Peak. An early alpine start to climb the technical SE Ridge (~4 miles RT from camp, 3,000' gain). This involves Class 3 scrambling with some exposure along the southeast ridge. We will return to camp, break down our site, and hike the 2 miles back to the cars for the drive home. Plan to arrive back in Los Alamos that evening.

Difficulty & Requirements
• Technical Skill: Uncompahgre is a Class 2 hike, but Wetterhorn requires comfortable Class 3 scrambling skills and a steady head for exposure near the summit. Helmets are required for Sunday.
• Fitness: Participants should be in good physical condition for back-to-back 3,000' gain days at high altitude. We also need to make good progress to summit early in the day.
• Gear: Self-sufficient backpacking gear, boots or approach shoes, climbing helmet, and layers suitable for variable June weather in the San Juans. If the weather turns on us, we will revise plans accordingly.
• Logistics: The road to the upper trailhead requires high-clearance 4WD. We will coordinate carpooling to ensure we have enough capable vehicles.

Logistics
• Group Size: Limited to due to camping footprint and to manage safety on the scramble.
• Water: Available at Matterhorn Creek (must be filtered).
• Food Storage: Bear canisters or scent-proof hanging systems are required for all participants.
Once the group is finalized, we will plan at least one get-together to review plans, assess readiness, and coordinate as needed.