By 9:30 am, we had made it to the summit of Sunshine Peak and began our descent via a different route. The descent trail, made up mostly of sharp, spiky talus, played havoc on Scout’s paws. Even with the protective booties he would nurse blisters for several days. After one tricky section, we made good time on the descent and arrived back at the Jeep by 12:00 pm, just as the thunder and lightning of an afternoon rainstorm began to threaten.
The decision to cut our trip short and begin our trip home the next day was made on our ride back to the RV. Even though Scout was willing, his paws were much too sore for any more mountain climbing. Come to think of it, our paws were pretty sore as well. The three of us agreed it had been a very successful trip and we look forward to saving the mountains we missed climbing for our next trip. This area is highly recommended for the novice off-highway adventurer and the novice mountain climber. So grab your map and Jeep and head for the mighty San Juan Mountains. You won’t be disappointed.
Related – JPFreek Rocks da Rockies!
* Published by JPFreek Jeep Adventure Magazine – The leader in Jeep and adventure enthusiast publications.