Northwest Ridge from Stewart Creek

Overview

Organ Mountain is a high 13er just east of San Luis Peak in a remote part of the La Garita Mountains. Rock pillars on one side of the summit look like organ pipes. Organ Mountain, Baldy Alto, nearby Stewart Peak and San Luis Peak all make sense from one short backpack trip up Stewart Creek.

This is best done as a backpack. You hike about 5 miles up the Stewart Creek trail to a camp on the South Fork, then climb the northwest ridge on grass, tundra and rock set in the ground, cut over to the saddle north of the summit, and finish on bigger boulders. It is Class 2 with no exposure. Kids of 10 and 12 have done it from camp.

The round trip is about 12.6 miles with 3,335 feet of gain from the trailhead. From camp, the summit is about 1.3 miles and 1,685 feet up.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

Take Highway 114 south from US 50, about 7.5 miles east of Gunnison. Drive 20 miles and turn right on NN14 (BLM 3083). From Saguache over North Pass, this turn is about 7.5 miles below the pass. Follow good gravel about 7 miles to the south end of the Dome Lakes and turn right. Reset your odometer here.

This road is County Road 2166 (also signed 15GG or BLM 3086). It loops around the lake and runs north along its west side for about a mile; turn left to stay on 2166. Keep right at about 4.2 miles, where it becomes 14DD. Between miles 6 and 7 you enter national forest, the road becomes Forest Road 794, and it gets rougher. Stay on 794 to the Stewart Creek trailhead, just under 21 miles from Dome Lakes. Older books send you by Forest Roads 788 and 790; this way is quicker and simpler.

All told it's close to 30 miles of dirt. Some cars make it, but rain can rut the road, so a crossover or anything with more clearance is the better choice. There is a little camping at the trailhead and a larger area a short way east down the road at the next sharp right bend. The Eddiesville trailhead, with a toilet, is about half a mile east.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Stewart Creek trailhead 10,480' · 0 mi

   Take the trail west up the valley. It stays on the north side of the creek, above beaver ponds and boggy ground, first through meadow and then along the edge of the forest. This is good moose country; walk quietly. Look for beaver and wild iris too.

2. 2

   Easy grade ends 11,400' · 3.2 mi

   The trail stays gentle for the first three miles or so, then starts to climb harder out of the trees.

3. 3

   Last tree camps 11,700' · 4 mi

   Where the trail rises well above the creek, you pass the last good camps in the trees. Above, the upper basin below San Luis Peak is full of willows.

4. 4

   South Fork camp 12,115' · 5 mi

   Where the south fork joins Stewart Creek, cross the main creek and follow the south fork upstream on its west bank into low willows. There are some fairly flat spots to camp here, sheltered only by willows.

   Watch for: Exposed camp. Pick a spot with care in storms.

5. 5

   Northwest ridge 12,600' · 5.4 mi

   Recross the south fork to its east bank and climb onto Organ's northwest ridge.

6. 6

   Saddle north of the summit 13,500' · 6.1 mi

   Go up the ridge on grass and embedded rock. Before you reach the higher point where it meets the north ridge (about 13,540 feet), slant up and across to the saddle north of the summit. This avoids a rocky patch where the north ridge begins.

7. 7

   Summit 13,808' · 6.3 mi

   Walk south over larger boulders to the top. San Luis Peak, Baldy Alto and Stewart Peak are all in view.

Getting down

Return the same way, or drop west from the summit's north saddle on scree and tundra into the Stewart Creek basin.

If things go wrong

The South Fork camp is in sight below most of the ridge.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Organ Mountain we list, with its class.

• Organ Mountain NW Ridge this routeClass 2 12.6 mi