August 11th - 14th, 2005

How do you top a previous excursion to the Chicago Basin where you climbed Mount Eolus, Sunlight Peak, and Windom Peak in one day? Throw in North Eolus and try for four fourteeners in a day, and then, if you’re still not satisfied, throw in one of Colorado’s 100 highest peaks as well, Jupiter Mountain. That was the plan for our latest trip into the very beautiful Chicago Basin, buried deep within in Colorado’s spectacular San Juan Range. Would Mother Nature cooperate was a whole other story.

The Chicago Basin provides access to Colorado's most remote 14ers located in the heart of the spectacular San Juan Mountain Range. Mt. Eolus, Sunlight Peak and Windom Peak are 15 miles southeast of Silverton. They are most commonly hiked from the Needleton Trailhead and is the route we chose for our trip.