Cross Mountain Summit Trail – Base of Lizard Head Traverse

Cross Mountain Summit Trail – Base of Lizard Head Traverse

While erosion has had its way with the rock spewed forth from Lizard Head (which looks remarkably like a giant Atari joystick), the granite pipes that siphoned magma from the center of the earth have defiantly remained intact. As a result, this amazing tower is visible from many places in the San Juans (I could clearly make it out from the far-away summit of Redcloud). Fewer people have reached its summit than have climbed Mount Everest. The technical climb to the top is only graded class 5.7–5.8, but the entire edifice is falling apart, making every handhold suspect and placements for protective gear purely ornamental. A trip to the base of Lizard Head will give you a gander at the intimidating tower from up close, and a new appreciation for Ellingwood and Hoag’s first ascent—in 1920! Cross Mountain has a different feeling than any mountain I have ever climbed. It’s a fun scramble in its own right, and the views from the top are incredible. If I had a say, I would rename it “the Altar” for the way it pays homage to nearby high peaks. I wish everyone could have the experience I did when climbing the peak: a full-grown bald eagle lifted off from the summit when I was less than 20 feet away.

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