From your parking spot, hike up the road and pass the gate at 12,000' -
1. Continue to the Dauntless Mine at 12,300' -
2. Near 12,500', turn right at a junction and stay on the main road -
3. Walk east and then north as the road passes a pond and crosses a large flat area below the Hilltop Mine -
4. Follow the road (
5) and, at 12,800', turn left as you approach the upper mine area
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6. Now on a flat area near 12,900', you can see the saddle between Mt. Sheridan and Mt. Sherman ahead -
7. Stay on the road until it passes a gray-colored gravel pile. Shortly after, look for cairns and a trail that leaves the mine area and heads toward the slope below the saddle -
8. Follow the cairned trail as it switchbacks toward the left side of the saddle. In early summer, you may have to maneuver past sections of snow along this pitch - look for cairns and try to stay on the defined trail -
9.
When you reach the 13,150-foot saddle
, turn right to see Sherman's southwest ridge -
10. The start of the ridge appears to have several trail options but try to stay on the cairned trail and start up the ridge -
11. For the first few hundred feet, follow the right side of the ridge -
12. Near 13,600', regain the ridge crest at a notch and continue along the ridge crest -
13. The remaining ridge hike quickly comes into view as you reach the most difficult portion - a narrowing ridge with somewhat loose rock on the trail -
14 and
15. Continue to the final pitch along the ridge (
16) and ascend to the south end of the Sherman's summit ridge -
17. Walk another 0.2 miles to reach the true summit
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18. On your descent, be sure to stay on the same route and avoid the temptation to take a shortcut to the Hilltop Mine area -
19.