Route Description

The directions shown here assume you are coming from the north. If you are coming from the San Luis Valley area, drive north on Colorado 114 to Dome Lakes, turn left onto the "15-GG" road and follow the directions from the 15-GG road:
- Take U.S. 50 to the junction of Colorado 114 just east of Gunnison. It is approximately 47 miles to the trailhead from this intersection.
- Turn south onto Colorado 114.
- Drive about 20 miles and turn right onto the NN-14 road.
- Drive 6.7 miles to Dome Lakes and turn right onto the 15-GG dirt road (also known as FR 794 when you reach National Forest).
- The road briefly goes around the lake where there is a small junction. Stay left on the main road.
- From the start of the 15-GG road, drive 15.7 miles to an intersection where there are signs.
- Follow the sign for the Stewart Creek trailhead by continuing straight on the 794 road.
- Drive 4.2 miles to the trailhead.
- Be alert for the signed trailhead. Take a sharp right down into the small parking area.

Details:

Photo #1 and Photo #2 show the view of Stewart Creek from the trailhead. Follow the excellent trail as it parallels Stewart Creek through a large meadow. Enter the forest and continue on the trail. After 2 miles on the trail, pass an old log building. After 3 miles, cross Stewart Creek to the south side and later cross back to the north side. After 4 miles (and near 12,000'), the trail leaves the trees and enters a large meadow - Photo #3. Organ Mountain (13,801') is to your left and Baldy Alto (13,698') is up to your right. Continue on the trail as it weaves through bushes and willows toward the basin ahead. Directly ahead (southwest) is a pyramid-shaped point (Photo #4) on San Luis' Northeast Ridge. The route will soon turn left and climb the slope to the left of the point - Photo #5.

The trail leads back down to the creek and crosses to the south side - Photo #5. Follow the creek for a bit to the base of the slope that leads to the saddle between Organ Mountain and San Luis. Photo #6 shows the slope. From the creek, it is approximately 0.6 mile and 900' of elevation gain to reach the saddle. Begin your hike up the slope. The trail is in good shape and there are some small switchbacks in the steeper sections - Photo #7, Photo #8 and Photo #9. The trail reaches the saddle at 13,090' and San Luis is now visible to the southwest - Photo #10. You can also see most of the remaining route (Photo #11) as it climbs up onto the Northeast Ridge before heading to the summit.

There is a trail all the way to the summit. Hike west across the saddle and continue onto the left side of the rounded peak on the end of the Northeast Ridge - Photo #11 and Photo #12. Gradually hike through sharp rock below the ridge crest. Photo #13, Photo #14 and Photo #15 show the traverse to the ridge. The summit is up to your left. Near 13,750', the trail reaches the ridge crest and crosses to the west side - Photo #16 and Photo #17. Follow the trail as it climbs through broken rock, regains the ridge (Photo #18), and climbs to the summit - Photo #19 and Photo #20. Photo #21 looks down on the route and Stewart Creek.