JohnnyCO - Jun 10, 2013 9:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2013
Been Looking at this for a while
Standard route from Cordova pass. Easy route finding. A good first summit of the season. Two hours flat from car to summit. The dikes are amazing!!
Fletch - Dec 28, 2012 5:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2012
w/ ranger
steep but quick
theREALCarpeDM - Dec 1, 2012 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Dec 1, 2012
SW ridge route
Climbed the SW ridge route from Cordova Pass with Shawn and our dogs. Nice day! It was supposed to be windy across most of the state, but we found a pretty good spot today. Encountered more snow on the road from Cuchara Pass than we did on the route - both were essentially snow free. The restroom was locked, and the fee station had no envelopes.
milan - Oct 22, 2012 5:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2011
Another awesome 13er
This is one of the prettiest areas in Colorado. A great trip to both Spanish Peaks. I even found fossils in the saddle.
Scott - Sep 19, 2012 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
West Spanish
Both Kessler and I had a cold and as mentioned on the Mt Lindsey log we decided to spend some time outdoors rather than stay home and infect everyone.
We got a late start for West Spanish Peak and didn’t leave the trailhead until 9:15 AM. We made our way as quickly as we could up the mountain and summited at 11:35 AM, which wasn’t too bad considering that Kessler is 10 and we both had colds. It was slightly windy on top, but not nearly as much as the day before. It was still a bit hazy from the forest fires as well.
We met two other people on the summit (one of which we passed on the way up) and ate a good lunch before heading back down. We made our way quickly down the mountain since it was a long drive back home.
This was my first attempt at climbing any mountain, but have been vacationing in Cuchara for years and the massive mountain could not be ignored. We left the trail head at 7:20 and got to the treeline at 9:00, taking time for brunch. The attack to the summit was daunting. It took us 2.5 hours to summit, being passed by a couple of others. As noted by prior poster, stay left as you near the top. We veered off to the right and got dicey with a lot of loose rocks. The walk down was equally as challenging for the knees/thighs as opposed to the lungs. It was quite an accomplishment for for this flat lander and my daughter to turn 15 tomorrow. Incredible hike, wonderful views, awesome challenge!
Ruvicha - Apr 13, 2012 1:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2011
Special
The setting, the geology, and the abrupt rise of the mountain -- from the plain below, and then from the point where the real climb begins above the treeline -- make this a special hike.
Climbed it again on August 2, 2017. A bit more challenging this time around, but just as worthwhile.
stinkycheezman33 - Feb 1, 2012 4:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2011
great hike
beautiful hike!
ErikaRN - Oct 5, 2011 12:15 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2011
WOW!!
What a beautiful beast of a mountain! We got 3/4 the way up the west ridge and were chased off by rain! And it was only 8:30 in the morning-It was still spectacular to stand on the shoulder of this giant! I will be back...
Jztmiller - Sep 18, 2011 8:58 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2011
fun hike
3 middle aged gals (2 being flatlanders from wi) summited in 2.5 hours, and made the trip down in 1.5 hours. Great hike and enjoyed the challenge and great views!
Jeremy Hakes - Sep 5, 2011 6:33 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2011
Outstanding!
What a great peak! Unique rocks. Very, very, very quiet camping at the pass as well.
Started from Cordova Pass around 9:30am, reached treeline around 10:30am, summit at 12:30pm and back to car at 3:30pm. Smoke from the NM fires made things a bit hazy. While heading down it got cold, windy and ice pellets fell heavily at times. Descending the talus felt numbingly slow as I wanted to get out from being a lightning rod. Also the cell service is great throughout the climb.
REM - Jun 25, 2011 7:43 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2003
From Cordova Pass
Soloed
astrobassman - Jun 20, 2011 12:22 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2011
Mystical Area
Hiked up West Spanish Peak over a Memorial Day holiday with my dad and Doug Nash. The stories of how the Spanish Peaks came into being were quite interesting. Extremely windy on top, but the completely dry trail helped my companions. This was an unforgettable day for me.
Iconicj - Oct 23, 2010 3:12 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2010
First summit
I'm thinking now that this was a bad mountain to try a first summit of. Oh well, I made it with determination of my friends. Plesant drive and hike through the trees up to the mountain, then the real assent begins. It is a very peaceful area.
jm141302 - Oct 22, 2010 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2010
Great day
Camped and paid to sleep on the hard gravel sites(gross). Left at 7am got to the top by 11ish. I made it to the top but my girlfriend stopped at 13,000. Beautiful weather, but very windy. Could have stayed up there all day. Only one other person made it that day. I think this one was just as hard as ESP but, I started ESP from the saddle. The views of the dikes are great from the top.
Alex Wood - Jun 15, 2010 10:30 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2010
Stormed Off
Tried this the day after doing Lindsey. Started before 10:00am and reached tree line about an hour later. Some thick dark clouds started rolling in and I called off that summit bid due to my experience on Mt. Lindsey the day before. So I went back to the parking area only to see that it cleared up. So I just hiked around the area for a few and did Peak 11563 and went up to Vista PT. West Spanish is still on the to do list.
sevenvii - Jun 14, 2010 11:06 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2010
From Cordova TH
Great bluebird day, clouds came in and covered up my view shortly after summit but still good conditions overall. Left TH at 6a.m. summit at 9.
MBS1017 - Dec 19, 2009 4:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2005
From Cordova
This mountain is very special to me as I used to live in Cuchara and La Veta. It was more than just an itch I had to scratch. It beckoned for years. Spectacular.
JohnnyCO - Jun 10, 2013 9:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2013
Been Looking at this for a whileStandard route from Cordova pass. Easy route finding. A good first summit of the season. Two hours flat from car to summit. The dikes are amazing!!
Fletch - Dec 28, 2012 5:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2012
w/ rangersteep but quick
theREALCarpeDM - Dec 1, 2012 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Dec 1, 2012
SW ridge routeClimbed the SW ridge route from Cordova Pass with Shawn and our dogs. Nice day! It was supposed to be windy across most of the state, but we found a pretty good spot today. Encountered more snow on the road from Cuchara Pass than we did on the route - both were essentially snow free. The restroom was locked, and the fee station had no envelopes.
milan - Oct 22, 2012 5:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2011
Another awesome 13erThis is one of the prettiest areas in Colorado. A great trip to both Spanish Peaks. I even found fossils in the saddle.
Kessler - Sep 19, 2012 4:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
W Spanish9-16-2012
Scott - Sep 19, 2012 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
West SpanishBoth Kessler and I had a cold and as mentioned on the Mt Lindsey log we decided to spend some time outdoors rather than stay home and infect everyone.
We got a late start for West Spanish Peak and didn’t leave the trailhead until 9:15 AM. We made our way as quickly as we could up the mountain and summited at 11:35 AM, which wasn’t too bad considering that Kessler is 10 and we both had colds. It was slightly windy on top, but not nearly as much as the day before. It was still a bit hazy from the forest fires as well.
We met two other people on the summit (one of which we passed on the way up) and ate a good lunch before heading back down. We made our way quickly down the mountain since it was a long drive back home.
It was a nice little trip.
zorro - Jul 12, 2012 8:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2012
First 13er -West Spanish PeakThis was my first attempt at climbing any mountain, but have been vacationing in Cuchara for years and the massive mountain could not be ignored. We left the trail head at 7:20 and got to the treeline at 9:00, taking time for brunch. The attack to the summit was daunting. It took us 2.5 hours to summit, being passed by a couple of others. As noted by prior poster, stay left as you near the top. We veered off to the right and got dicey with a lot of loose rocks. The walk down was equally as challenging for the knees/thighs as opposed to the lungs. It was quite an accomplishment for for this flat lander and my daughter to turn 15 tomorrow. Incredible hike, wonderful views, awesome challenge!
Ruvicha - Apr 13, 2012 1:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2011
SpecialThe setting, the geology, and the abrupt rise of the mountain -- from the plain below, and then from the point where the real climb begins above the treeline -- make this a special hike.
Climbed it again on August 2, 2017. A bit more challenging this time around, but just as worthwhile.
stinkycheezman33 - Feb 1, 2012 4:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2011
great hikebeautiful hike!
ErikaRN - Oct 5, 2011 12:15 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2011
WOW!!What a beautiful beast of a mountain! We got 3/4 the way up the west ridge and were chased off by rain! And it was only 8:30 in the morning-It was still spectacular to stand on the shoulder of this giant! I will be back...
Jztmiller - Sep 18, 2011 8:58 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2011
fun hike3 middle aged gals (2 being flatlanders from wi) summited in 2.5 hours, and made the trip down in 1.5 hours. Great hike and enjoyed the challenge and great views!
Jeremy Hakes - Sep 5, 2011 6:33 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2011
Outstanding!What a great peak! Unique rocks. Very, very, very quiet camping at the pass as well.
aggiegeog - Jul 4, 2011 11:50 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2011
Made itStarted from Cordova Pass around 9:30am, reached treeline around 10:30am, summit at 12:30pm and back to car at 3:30pm. Smoke from the NM fires made things a bit hazy. While heading down it got cold, windy and ice pellets fell heavily at times. Descending the talus felt numbingly slow as I wanted to get out from being a lightning rod. Also the cell service is great throughout the climb.
REM - Jun 25, 2011 7:43 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2003
From Cordova PassSoloed
astrobassman - Jun 20, 2011 12:22 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2011
Mystical AreaHiked up West Spanish Peak over a Memorial Day holiday with my dad and Doug Nash. The stories of how the Spanish Peaks came into being were quite interesting. Extremely windy on top, but the completely dry trail helped my companions. This was an unforgettable day for me.
Iconicj - Oct 23, 2010 3:12 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2010
First summitI'm thinking now that this was a bad mountain to try a first summit of. Oh well, I made it with determination of my friends. Plesant drive and hike through the trees up to the mountain, then the real assent begins. It is a very peaceful area.
jm141302 - Oct 22, 2010 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2010
Great dayCamped and paid to sleep on the hard gravel sites(gross). Left at 7am got to the top by 11ish. I made it to the top but my girlfriend stopped at 13,000. Beautiful weather, but very windy. Could have stayed up there all day. Only one other person made it that day. I think this one was just as hard as ESP but, I started ESP from the saddle. The views of the dikes are great from the top.
Alex Wood - Jun 15, 2010 10:30 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2010
Stormed OffTried this the day after doing Lindsey. Started before 10:00am and reached tree line about an hour later. Some thick dark clouds started rolling in and I called off that summit bid due to my experience on Mt. Lindsey the day before. So I went back to the parking area only to see that it cleared up. So I just hiked around the area for a few and did Peak 11563 and went up to Vista PT. West Spanish is still on the to do list.
sevenvii - Jun 14, 2010 11:06 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2010
From Cordova THGreat bluebird day, clouds came in and covered up my view shortly after summit but still good conditions overall. Left TH at 6a.m. summit at 9.
MBS1017 - Dec 19, 2009 4:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2005
From CordovaThis mountain is very special to me as I used to live in Cuchara and La Veta. It was more than just an itch I had to scratch. It beckoned for years. Spectacular.