San Luis Peak

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/16/2025, By: kcwins
Info: Conditions were great; snowshoes/spikes were not needed. There were a few small snow patches close to the summit, but there were pretty packed down footprints. Road to get to trailhead was not bad at all, there were two river crossings, my mazda cx5 made it through both fine. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/12/2025, By: ILnoise
Info: Basically summer conditions. A few snow crossings lower, but only several steps each and inconsequential. One snow crossing on approach to the summit ridge was more annoying. Probably 30ish steps across. It was a bit firmer than expected but still posted into the snow in most places, making spikes unnecessary. Was glad my partner had poles and I borrowed one for this crossing. Probably would be fine without, depends on the hiker. As mentioned before the rest of the trail is fully summer conditions. Wore trail runners. Noted the approach trail is rather narrow, so if it rains the night before as it did for us your shoes will be getting wet from the long grass alongside the trail. Not sure if that matters but hey more beta. Regarding the creek crossings required to get to the trailhead: the Nutras creek (2nd crossing) is definitely partially higher due to a nearby beaver dam. I had my partner take a video of us crossing in a stock Jeep Renegade, and took a few more pics and videos of the area for people to better see what's going on. All this to say, we met a pair along the trail who had crossed in their sprinter van earlier that morning. Edit: here's a short video of me panning around the nutras creek crossing, followed by us driving across it. Hope this helps. https://youtu.be/IysvpPPvmGU?si=Z9X05ZCyEroszoTR 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 6/11/2025, By: Matthew Holliman
Info: Patchy snow along the trail (some avoidable, some not), with postholing even before 8am, even when using the existing bootpack. South Ridge is clear. Annoying in places, but no need for any snow gear. I returned along the ridge over Peak 13,155 to avoid the worst snow. Adds a little extra gain, but less tedious than the hike in. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: tbonesaredelicious
Info: My 14er finisher, and I can’t recommend this route enough. Driving from lake city, i took a route that was pretty much directly to the east on forest service roads that were largely on soft dirt. Very enjoyable and beautiful. The nutras creek crossing is not likely to be too high, but rather there’s a beaver dam just downstream. I took out a big chunk which brought it down from mid calf to 6-8” deep. The trail is in great shape and snow free until the ridge ascent near 12300. Several snow crossings on the way up to the ridge were prepostholed and made for relatively easy travel without traction, flotation, or gaiters. There are a couple other snow crossings on the ridge towards the top, but again and even without T F or G, my non waterproof shoes stayed dry. I laughed cried and danced on the summit. Glissade around noon down most of the couloir that bisects the ridge ascent trail, which was perfect. Started at 7:30, down about 1:30. 10/10 would recommend this trail to a friend. Drove out to Highway 114 the standard way, which could be doable in a civic with some more work on the nutras creek beaver dam. Exceptionally beautiful and pristine area of the state, didn’t think this would be one of my favorites but it was. Cheers 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: zg_hiker
Info: I recommend snowshoes and an early start. The trail to the final saddle is fairly trafficked with the CDT hikers, so many of the snow patches are broken in. But there were some snow crossings in the final half mile to the saddle that were pretty deep and soft and were mostly passable on our way up without snowshoes, but on the way back down we needed snowshoes and still postholed. We started at 3:30 am, summited at 8 due to the slog of navigating snow and stopping to put on/take off snowshoes. The way back was extra slow postholing through the softer snow patches and doing the snowshoe dance. Back to the car around 12:15 pm. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/27/2025, By: ckaplan5
Info: First creek crossing was OK; Nutras seemed to be flowing too high to attempt. I (Rav4) and two others (4Runner and Xterra) stayed at the Nutras campsites, which added 2mi each way to the approach to Stewart Crk TH. Trail was dry until about midway up the beaver pond section of the valley, to about 12.5. At the end of the valley, the willows and the slope approach up to the saddle had snow fields, including over the trail. Everything held weight nicely on the approach to the saddle around 8am. As I came down around 11, everything was granular and even with flotation, I was up to my hips. Met two others who came up South Ridge, which was holding more snow than the NE. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/18/2025, By: Will_E
Info: Did San Luis and the 3 13'ers to the south Saturday (13,308, 13,179, 13,166). I loosely followed ToyotaSupraNihilist's GPX (he's my hero). I made it to 13,308' without needing snow shoes or traction, had no ambition to try and get across the ridge to 13,179, I descended a steep snow slope using crampons and axe, then stayed as high as I could until regaining the ridge to the east of 13,179', worked pretty well. Took crampons off there and didn't need them again. Getting to 13,166' was a little spicier than I expected, wasn't expecting the finish to 13,166' either (maybe I should read ToyotaSupra's reports in addition to using his GPX;). After descending to the San Luis saddle I dropped snowshoes, the ridge is mostly dry. After getting up/down San Luis I put snowshoes on and went mostly across the standard route, snow was pretty good. I didn't drop all the way to treeline, I went back up towards 13,308' on return and found a rock outcropping to ascend, put me very nearly back at 13,308' summit. From there went back the same way I came in, GPS track attached. Road is dry to the Equity mine, I started there. A couple of 4 wheelers made it all the way to the 4WD TH, I talked to them for a minute while one of them was getting himself unstuck. No vehicles have made it all the way, there are some pretty big snow sections. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 4/21/2025, By: AlpineSplit
Info: Not much snow on San Luis, Yawners are barely skiable. The road is closed at the 503/504 junction, and requires walking the dirt road until about at the mine. I was able to skin from the mine all the way to the saddle at 12k, and then skin the summer trail around the basin and up the ridge. The ski line from the summit was fun although not great snow, hopefully this last storm has it looking a bit better but I wouldn't imagine there is much more coverage. The skin back up to the saddle was absolutely horrendous, isothermic snow punching three feet deep. Some of the worst conditions I have ever seen and it took three times longer than it should have to get back up and out. Same snow returning down the road, total muck. 10hrs car to car. 

Route: west ridge
Posted On: 1/26/2025, By: jacolc
Info: Summited San Luis Pk starting at winter TH at end of Bachelor Rd=CR504 via Spring Creek/West Ridge. My trench at Spring Creek ready for repeats. More soon. Edited: GPX file at Library. Winter solo 16m 6.2k' 19h via West Ridge. Skinning to CD, snowshoe to 11770 on SW slope , spike up and down from summit, snowshoe to Equity Mine, skiing to car. If you chose bivi, good spot is 0.4m and 450' down from CD just below summer trail. Flat and covered at forest, 5.7m from winter TH/park. Summit is 4.8m 3.7k' RT via West Ridge according to my GPX. From this bivi spot is possible take summer route via CDTrail 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 10/25/2024, By: olgav100
Info: I made it to San Luis peak! My individual 14-er #30, and with that the season is done and over. It was 19F at the start. By a very dumb mistake (habit is a virtue not always welcomed), since I parked at Eddysville TH, I just started up Colorado trail (which I've throughhiked a couple of times or few). The snow on the trail started by mile 3, and by 4 it was solid. By 5 miles I was like: how's the trip 6.5M one way, and I'm still not gaining elevation? Duh, CT is NOT Stewart trail! I sucked it up, and kept breaking the snow to the ridge, got the peak, and dropped down Stewart trail - which, again, was full chocked of snow! So, I postholed and broke the way in both directions, unnecessary, although it made for a pretty loop on the map 16.5 miles total trip. The road to the TH, those last 8 miles are snowed in and icy in the morning, and sliding melting snow/dirt in the afternoon. Also, the second creek crossing - I broke the ice on the way in at 7 am. Yikes! 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 10/15/2024, By: ColoNativeGal
Info: Great way to get this peak. Summer conditions for now. Some ice on stream crossings in early morning. No traction needed. Some frost on the tundra as well (early morning), which made the trail wet/slightly muddy in the afternoon (no issue). Shoulder-season requiring layers - hot/cold & icy winds. Saw one other person on the trail ahead of us and we think he summited and went down the std route; not 100% sure, never saw him again. 2 other people on the summit when we arrived. Colorado Trail makes this a nice way to cover some distance quick. The uphill on the way out is not as bad, nothing like regaining Half Moon Pass on Holy Cross. Great fall day. Rd to TH std 4x4, will post an update there. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 10/8/2024, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: A little mud to deal while crossing the marshes and a few of the willows near treeline once things thaw out in the afternoon, but unless you are hiking barefoot, barely noticeable. Two tiny patches of ice/snow touching the trail up high, but it would be easier to avoid them than make contact. Smoky/hazy yesterday; not sure whether that was from the prescribed burn near Salida or some other cause, but was the one damper in an otherwise splendid day. Still a delightful peak, absolutely worth (re)visiting while the road is still open. 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 10/4/2024, By: Novicewhofailsmore
Info: Beautiful day. This was one of my favorite hikes. Long route. Serious commitment needed in my opinion. Beautiful scenery. Started at 6:30 from 4X4 TH. Summited at 11:30. Left peak at 12:00. Returned to vehicle at 5. 12 miles total. This took me 10 hours but I have not attempted a 14er since I did Blanca on August 12th. I was not in shape for this hike. I thought it would be easy. It wasnt. Beautiful mtn and views. I only saw two other people. I dont know why more people dont hike this 14er. Not hard. Just long but great exercise. False summits for sure but follow your compass for elevation readouts and you wont be caught off guard. This is no 12 for me this year. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/29/2024, By: Briere
Info: Summer conditions; some snow at the top but easily avoidable. 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 9/29/2024, By: RRanger1996
Info: Perfect conditions, completely dry. If taking the south ridge, be aware that it's easy to miss the turn to the trailhead after you reascend the CDT from the "forest", so be on the look out.