Twining Peak - 13711' - Class 2
​Point 13500 - Class 2
June 2011

Twining Peak on the left from Deer Mountain - Photo by Kane

Twining Peak summit view to the south

Descend snowfields back to the road - La Plata Peak in the distance

I did this peak solo the day after Mandy and I did Antero and Cronin. The morning was looking questionable weather-wise so I decided to climb something quick. There was still lots of lingering snow on the slopes to Point 13,500 just above Independence Pass and I didn't have snowshoes yet. Mandy decided to wait in the car and I was off wallowing through knee deep wet snow with swamps below. My feet were soaked from the very beginning. I made it out of the willows though and was soon on bare ground headed up to Point 13,500. I made the top of this peak in good time under overcast skies. I had great views to La Plata Peak the whole way up though and the Elk Mountains to the west were in and out of view. I got a quick glance of the traverse to Twining Peak and realized it was going to take a little longer than I had thought. I studied the clouds and decided to give it a shot. I made the short descent to the saddle by dropping around some small towers and started up the final few hundred feet to the summit. It actually went much easier than it looked and I was quickly on the summit just as I noticed the clouds getting darker to the west and the Elks becoming darker. I didn't stay long and I began running down back to the saddle and instead of re-climbing Point 13,500 I continued down to the right (west) side of the peak and descended easy snowfields and ended up hitting the road slightly to the west of the pass itself. Since there was so much post-holing and I didn't have gaiters once I hit the road I just took my shoes and socks off and walked the final quarter mile back to the pass where Mandy was waiting. Just my good luck, right as i arrived at the car there was a very loud clap of thunder and the rain started to really come down! We drove into Aspen for a much needed food stop.

Twining Peak summit view to the west