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The day before starting the La Plata Enchilada, I did a short acclimation hike up Engineer Mountain located just north of Durango. This was a pretty chill excursion, taking only a few hours round trip from Coal Bank Pass which I had camped at the night before in order to sleep above 10,000 ft. There were several good spots to set up a tent just past the main parking area for the Pass Creek Trail.
Peaks climbed
| Peak | Elevation | Topographic Prominence | Summit Coordinates (lat/lon) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer Mountain | 12,980 ft | 1,430 ft | 37.69920, -107.80656 |
Total Stats
6.2 miles
2,300 ft gain/loss
I got a leisurely start up the Pass Creek Trail, setting out after 8am. The trail initially headed northeast, wrapping around a broad ridge before veering back west and towards the east ridge of Engineer Mountain.
About 2.3 miles after departing the trailhead, I left the trail and aimed straight for Engineer, initially plodding through a short section of alpine tundra to reach the first rocky parts of the east ridge. A short and enjoyable class 3 section came just after the start of the grey rock, then some more plodding across easy clinky talus ridge brought me to the summit with expansive views in all directions. Since this mountain stood relatively alone among several larger ranges, it gave a very good overview of the greater region.
I reversed my route back to the trailhead, taking note of the light snow showers which had began falling to the north. Besides a few unexpected slips in mud which had thawed out since I had come through that morning, it was an uneventful hike back.
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