From the 4WD parking area, walk a few feet to a sharp corner on the road and start north up the marked trail -
1. Turn northeast, cross a couple of small streams and follow the trail up a hill, heading toward a rocky point -
2. A short distance up the hill, you'll reach a junction - leave the main trail and stay right on an old road -
3. Follow the road/trail northeast out of the trees and toward the rocky point -
4. At 12,350', reach a ridge crest on the right side of the point -
5. The old road ends here. Walk a short distance to your left and locate a faint trail that drops off north off the ridge (
6) and follow it down 100' to intersect the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), also the Colorado Trail.
Turn right to see the remaining route -
7. In short, you'll cross Spring Creek basin, hike over a ridge south of Point 12,562' and cross another basin to reach San Luis' south ridge. Now, continue east on the CDT, drop 250' and enter a dead spruce forest -
8. After exiting the forest, continue southeast across upper Spring Creek basin -
9. Near 12,100' and 1/2 way to the summit, you'll pass a sign for Bondholder Meadows. Turn left and continue toward a saddle on the south ridge of Point 12,562' -
10.
Cross over the saddle and continue east into another basin and toward Unnamed 13,155' -
11. On the east side of the basin, ascends to the saddle between San Luis and Unnamed 13,155' -
12. From the broad, 12,600-foot saddle, leave the CDT and walk left (north) on San Luis' south ridge trail -
13. Hike northeast and east as the trail swings to the east side of the ridge before regaining it, near 13,100' -
14. Follow the well-cairned trail up the ridge and to the summit -
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16 and
17.