I have come to enjoy climbing Colorado 13ers probably more than 14ers. The lack of crowds and fun of figuring out a route when there's (usually) no trail are two major advantages. And honestly, the views on 13ers are probably just as good as 14ers.

Today I climbed Weston Peak and Ptarmigan Peak, both located in the Mosquito Range, starting at Weston Pass. The nearest towns are Twin Lakes, Leadville and Fairplay.

How To Get There: I traveled to Weston Pass from the Park County side. Note that an ordinary passenger vehicle like mine can make it on the east side of the pass, but there are spots with rocks and potholes that require driving with care. I have never driven west of Weston Pass, but signs imply a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle is recommended.

-Steve
Buena Vista, Colorado

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Weston Peak As Seen From Weston Pass The actual summit is not in sight, but above is a great view showing the proximity of Weston Peak from Weston Pass.

Click any image to view it at a larger size. A new window will open.	The Climb To Weston Peak I climbed north from Weston Pass. This is very steep grade mainly covered in grassy tundra - a straight shot to the ridge between Weston Peak and Ptarmigan Peak. No trail exists.
	I'm not kidding ... the ascent is steep! Slightly below the center, you can see the Weston Pass parking lot and my car. This was a quite a workout!
	Arrival on the ridge. Weston Peak is the upper peak on the left.
	Hiking on the ridge, the rocky face of Point 13,525' comes into view.
	Approaching the summit.
	Summit of Weston Peak, Colorado Myself wearing my Arkansas hoodie. Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive are in the background.
	TOP: Facing north. Ah the slew of mountains that can be seen: Point 13,525', Ptarmigan Peak, Horseshoe Mountain, Mt. Sheridan, Dyer Mountain and Mt. Sherman. So many mountains, so little time! SECOND: A closer view of Mt. Sherman. Phil Ladden and I hiked this "easy" 14er last week: Mt. Sherman Hike 2010.
	Facing northeast with Lamb Mountain (12,438') and Sheep Mountain (12,818') in the foreground. Also, Mt. Silverheels can be seen closer with Grays Peak, Torreys Peak and Mt. Bierstadt in view if you know what you're looking for.
	Facing east, the grand view of Pikes Peak approximately 80 miles away.
	I enjoyed this beautiful view of the Buffalo Peaks, located south of Weston Peak.
	The southwestern view of the mighty Sawatch Range.
	Facing west. They are tough to identify, but La Plata Peak, Quail Mountain and Huron Peak are all out there.

My Hike To Ptarmigan Peak I decided to bag another 13er in Ptarmigan Peak. This mountain is not to be confused with Ptarmigan Lake, located west of Buena Vista. My destination is the pointed peak on the right.
Coming closer.
Large rocks near the summit.
Ptarmigan Peak Summit This mountain's elevation was higher. So I suppose I should make a larger fuss about this peak over Weston. ;)
Facing south, Weston Peak is the arc-shaped slope on the left. The Buffalo Peaks are in the distance on the right.
A better look toward Mt. Sherman.
I had this beautiful view of Twin Lakes, Colorado.
The marker at Ptarmigan Peak. Other pages in this region: Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Bross Mt. Sherman (2004) Two Points (Park County) Antero Reservoir Trout Creek Pass Town of Hartsel Hoosier Pass
As I started my descent, I snapped this Colorado scenery photo. It is so easy to become spoiled living in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

	Extra Mountain Scenery A pretty view of the Buffalo Peaks as I traveled toward Weston Pass on the Park County side.
	Scenery that includes Mt. Sherman. Photo taken near Highway 285.
	One last photo of Weston Peak as I began my drive back down. If you enjoy my website, let's stay connected on Facebook... ColoradoGuy.com on Facebook

Video At Weston Pass