Arrow Peak is a sharp wedge of quartzite in the Grenadier Range, deep in the Weminuche Wilderness roughly 8.7 miles south-southeast of Silverton. It shares its rock and its basin with Vestal Peak, and the pair forms one of the classic skylines of the Grenadiers. William Cooper and John Hubbard made the first ascent in 1908.
Getting there is half the adventure. Most parties start at the Molas Pass/Elk Park trailhead, follow the Colorado Trail down to the Animas River, continue up Elk Creek, and turn onto the unmaintained Vestal Creek trail to camps near 11,700 feet. From camp, the East Ramp route climbs well over 1,000 feet of steep, slabby ramp at Class 3, with an optional chimney variation and Class 4 alternatives. The full trip from Molas runs about 24 miles and 6,700 feet of gain; the summit day from upper camp is about 6 miles round trip and 3,800 feet.
The quartzite is polished in places and turns slick when wet, so time the ramp for dry rock and carry microspikes and an axe early in the season, when snow lingers. Marmots at the Vestal Creek camps will chew anything. Many parties combine Arrow with Vestal and the Trinity peaks over a few days, and recent trip reports help with current conditions.
