Wetterhorn Peak
Wetterhorn Peak is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Uncompahgre Wilderness of the northern San Juan Mountains, in northwestern Hinsdale County and southeastern Ouray County, east of the town of Ouray. It lies west of Uncompahgre Peak.
Wetterhorn Peak, and its neighbor Matterhorn Peak,, are named after the Wetterhorn and the Matterhorn, two famous peaks in the Swiss Alps. Both Colorado peaks are pointed rock spires, whose shapes contrast with the broad bulk of the higher Uncompahgre Peak.
The first recorded ascent of the peak was made in 1906 by George Barnard, C. Smedley, W. P. Smedley, and D. Utter, but a previous ascent by miners working in the area in the 19th century is likely.
The standard, and only common, route on Wetterhorn Peak is the southeast ridge, which is accessed via the Matterhorn Creek drainage on the south side of the mountain. The trailhead is on the Henson Creek Road, accessible from Lake City. The route involves of ascent from the trailhead and some exposed scrambling on the ridge itself. The nearby east face is considered a high-quality advanced snow climb or extreme ski descent.
