Sleeping Sexton

Route: East Ridge to Secret Ledge
Posted On: 8/9/2024, By: supranihilest
Info: From Maroon Lake we took the Crater Lake trail then the Minnehaha Gulch trail to the North Maroon Peak trail (unmarked junction) then left the trail at 11,600 feet. Grass and some talus took us north to the toe of Sexton's east ridge which we gained on steep grass and dirt. In dry conditions this dirt would be rock hard and traction would be difficult. From this point on every single movement requires care. Everything is some combination of scrambling and/or loose and/or exposed. Put those cat feet on. On the ridge we just scrambled basically straight up for about 800 feet on Class 2+ downsloping grass and dirt with broken rock everywhere. We didn't enter the white gully itself, the scrambling on the ridge was more solid. From the top of the white gully the rock transitions to the typical maroon mudstone of the area and rock quality improves. We again scrambled basically right up the ridge, bypassing cliffs mostly to climber's left. The bypasses were Class 3, otherwise the entire ridge to the false summit is sustained Class 2+. The large cornice on the summit doesn't actually block anything, just walk around it. From the false summit we descended towards the first gully to the south. Don't descend the first gully. We crossed over the top on a nice ledge and crossed the second gully then scrambled down about 100 feet. Once at an obvious spot to traverse to descender's left (everything above is sheer cliffs or very difficult climbing) turn left and join the secret ledge. We built some cairns here. The secret ledge is certainly exposed by mostly a Class 2 walk. About two thirds of the way across an awkward vertical rib sticks out on the ledge, it's a couple of extremely exposed Class 2+ moves around it. You could down climb like Furthermore did but that's much harder and riskier. Past the rib it's again Class 2 to the saddle. From this saddle we made an ascending traverse under the northern cliffs on the true summit until they relented then scrambled up loose Class 2+ to the summit. We carefully reversed the entire route with exception of the last 100 feet or so of the east ridge, where we traversed north under cliffs on steep dirt towards Point 13,048 - conditions report continued there. 

Route: White Gully/NE ridge
Posted On: 7/14/2024, By: VeraUndertow
Info: Started from Maroon lake and went up the N Maroon trail to get into the upper basin. It's loose rocks and hardpan dirt to gain the ridge to sneak into the white gully. Once in the white gully it's decent class 3 scrambling in places and loose in most, up to 12600 where you gain the ridge crest. The route stays pretty near the ridge the whole way up to the Sexton's forehead but drops to the west initially to bypass some difficulties and then to the east higher up to bypass more. Once above the second bypass, there was a little field of low angle snow I crossed with no spikes, but could have been avoided by dropping 10 feet or so. Above this, the route reminded me of a lower angle pyramid, a lot of smaller cliff bands that could be kept at class 3 by going slightly right or left. There was another low angle snow field I walked across with no traction right below the top of the forehead section. From here the route drops to the west side, but is well cairned so should be easy enough to follow as you go across one gully and around a tower, then drop down the second gully about 100 feet to get to the "secret ledge", which I found a little underwhelming but the exposure is real. None of the climbing was harder than class 3 in my opinion to get to the summit block. I climbed a class 4 chimney on the way up with some slimy moss in it right where I wanted to put my foot initially, but on the way down I climbed down the easier way off the summit block on the east side of the notch. There was a cool little split in the rock that I walked between to get back to the secret ledge gully. One note to make is that Caltopo and potentially other maps have the summit marked in the wrong location which threw me off and I went around the summit block at first to look at what caltopo has marked as the summit, but it was way lower, so double check you know where the actual summit is not the map marked summit if they differ. The summit register is signed first from 1994 which is cool, but it is in a cracked plastic Tupperware container and in two plastic bags that both had water in them. I left a pencil and new ziplock bag, but this register deserves a way better container than it is in currently if someone heads up and can bring one. I was the first signature from this year but I don't think the pen would write on the damp paper well so others may have been up and not been able to sign. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/16/2023, By: Camden7
Info: Full summer conditions. Despite very snowy peaks nearby, no ice axe or traction needed for the Sexton. There is one 30 foot deep cornice choking a notch around 13,000, but it can be bypassed on 4th class terrain to the south side of the ridge. Otherwise the route is dry and open for business. The "secret ledge" is super neat and not nearly as scary as it looks in pics. Overall, a really great route that I would highly recommend, with the understanding that the rock is characteristic of the Elks and you have to be ok with it. Besides that, this is a great route for honing route-finding skills and rockfall/terrain management. The summit reg is cool, too. Will post pictures once I go through them. 

Route: From 13039
Posted On: 7/17/2022, By: yaktoleft13
Info: Did 13039 and sleeping sexton. Went to buckskin pass, went straight up to 13039. Goes with some mild scrambling, maybe 20 ft of 4th class sprinkled in. Traverse from 13039 to sexton is long and loose. Protip: the last bump before the saddle and the first tower after the saddle can be traversed on the R side, as you'd have to give up that elevation anyway. Ascent up the face of sexton's false summit was very loose as well until hitting the upper ridge. Backside of sexton's routefinding wasn't too bad. Fairly intuitive where to go next. Secret ledge is wider than it looks in photos, maybe 3-5 feet, except at one duck-under and one narrow step-around. Goes easier than it looks. Descended the east ridge to the white gully. Ridge was fun, gully was not. 

Route: NE Ridge ascent, Buckskin Pass descent
Posted On: 7/14/2022, By: colin j
Info: Summer conditions; one snowfield lingers on the false summit but the path of least resistance avoids this. Do note that you must make a pretty significant descent to reach the secret ledge; it really is class 2+; any other options quickly get really sketchy. 

Route: from Buckskin pass
Posted On: 9/23/2021, By: SnowAlien
Info: Combined with UN 13,039 for a nice loop, descended East ridge. New snow wasn't much of an issue (yet), just had to take it slow in a couple shady spots on the traverse. UN 13,039 has a few moves of C4 (I went straight), traverse to SS was fun, albeit a bit loose in spots. SS route is well cairned, and the exposure on the ledge is real. A bit sleek getting to the summit from the notch. Descend of East ridge was great and fairly sustained for 1,200 ft, also very well cairned. Added a new zip lock bag to the glass jar register. 

Route: Standard
Posted On: 7/19/2021, By: angry
Info: Summer conditions. There were two sad cairns leading down the gully so I added to them for better visibility. The secret ledges aren't much of a secret, easily identifiable. Summit register is in a broken grey poupon jar placed in a ripped ziploc bag. Perhaps next visitor can bring a new container as replacement. Amazing views, perfect weather and zero people made for a great day trip. 

Route: east ridge
Posted On: 7/3/2021, By: marksilas
Info: summer conditions; a few small patches of snow that you can avoid if you want to, but they aren't an issue. the "secret ledge" is dry.