Twin Rocks Mountain

Cindy McCloskey and myself set out from the Sunset Picnic Area in the Wichita Mountains intent on linking up Twin Rocks Mountain, Mount Lincoln, and Elk Mountain.  However, an immediate route finding error made on my part at the trailhead caused us to waste too much time hiking through the backcountry, and we only bagged Twin Rocks.  We made our way across the grasslands and prairie located between Sunset Peak and Elk Mountain, encountering deer, elk, bison, and the occasional tarantula.  We ascended one rocky summit southeast of Sunset Peak, then headed south-southeast toward a canyon that leads to the Charons Garden Mountains area.  We then reached the western headwall of Twin Rocks Mountain.  We climbed up a gully filled with giant boulders the size of small houses, then ascended granite slabs to the top of a small subsidiary peak located immediately west of Twin Rocks.  We made our way down a steep ridge, then headed east through the gully located between Twin Rocks and Granite Mountain.  Immediately east of the col connecting Twin Rocks and Granite, we ascended a 50 degree gully up to the summit of Twin Rocks.  It took us 4 hours to obtain the summit, due to my route finding error, as well as prolonged bushwhacking through sections of ravines.  So, after a short rest, we descended the easy eastern ridge of Twin Rocks and then took the Charons Garden Trail back to the Sunset Picnic Area parking lot.  Despite missing out on Mount Lincoln and Elk Mountain, the sustained route finding and scrambling/climbing turned this day into a worthy endeavor.