North Face from the V 9 - Rolling Saddle

Overview

V 10 is a remote, rugged summit west of the head of Cascade Creek, between V 9 and Grizzly Peak. It is one of the harder peaks in its ranking group, with a lot of route-finding and loose rock.

From the South Fork of Mineral Creek you cross the V 9 - Rolling saddle, drop about 1,000 feet into the Cascade Creek basin, and climb a steep slope of rubble and shifting plates to a notch on the summit ridge. The last stretch along the crest is Class 3 with big drops on both sides. A longer approach from the south starts at the Cascade Creek trailhead used for Grizzly Peak.

From the Bandora Mine split, the round trip is about 9 miles with about 4,950 feet of gain, including regaining the saddle on the way out. Starting from the campground makes it about 14.6 miles and 5,800 feet. V 9 is a short side trip from the saddle.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From the US 550 junction at the west edge of Silverton, go north on US 550 a little more than 2 miles and turn left (west) on Forest Road 585, the South Mineral Creek road. Coming from Ouray, cross Red Mountain Pass and the turn is on your right before Silverton. The graded dirt road reaches South Mineral Campground and the Ice Lake trailhead lot in about 4.7 miles. Cars can do this part; the last mile is a bit rougher.

Do not turn into the campground. Keep going straight as the road curves left and climbs southwest above it. In just under a mile it gets steep, rocky and slow, and a stock 4WD is the right tool from here; heavy summer traffic keeps wearing it down, so conditions change. Past the trees, the road crosses open, flowery slopes below Fuller Peak.

The road splits below the Bandora Mine at about 10,700 feet. The right fork is closed to vehicles, but there's space to park two or so cars at its start. If it's full, drop a little way down the left fork to find a spot.

The campground has about 26 first-come, first-served sites with water and vault toilets. Dispersed camping along Forest Road 585 is allowed only at designated sites, and summer weekends are crowded. The Ice Lake lot is full by dawn on weekends.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Bandora Mine split 10,700' · 0 mi

   Walk up the closed right fork, an old road heading southwest toward the pass above Hope Lake. About 0.75 mile up, look hard for a switchback. If you miss it you'll end up side-hilling through forest, willows and corn lilies.

   Watch for: Easy to miss the switchback.

2. 2

   Old cabin 12,000' · 2 mi

   The fading road climbs out of the trees into a big, flowery basin with an old miner's cabin. From the cabin, head southwest across the meadow toward the ridge joining V 9 and Rolling Mountain.

3. 3

   Base of the cliff band 12,600' · 2.5 mi

   The grass thins and the slope turns to rock, then to steep, loose sand where you slide back with each step. A cliff about 100 feet tall blocks the saddle. Well before you reach it, look to the right for a faint ramp that angles up along the base of the cliffs, just right of a big couloir that splits the cliff.

   Watch for: Loose sand and gravel.

4. 4

   V 9 - Rolling saddle 12,863' · 2.8 mi

   Climb the sloping, sandy ramp. One spot means stepping carefully across a tilted slab with few holds for a few feet. Above it, loose rock leads onto the saddle, which looks down into the vast upper Cascade Creek basin. Mark the top of the ramp well so you can find it on the way down.

   Watch for: One delicate step on the ramp.

5. 5

   Cascade Creek tarns 11,820' · 3.7 mi

   Descend west into the upper Cascade Creek basin. Losing the 1,000 feet to a few small tarns on a flat area about a mile away is quicker than a high traverse.

6. 6

   Basin north of V 10 12,660' · 4.1 mi

   Climb west up a steep slope into the upper basin, with a ridge off Grizzly Peak on your left. Cross rubble and talus until you're nearly below the summit ridge, a little east of it.

7. 7

   Notch on the summit ridge 13,360' · 4.35 mi

   Pick out a V-shaped gap in the ridge and head for it, or just to its right. The 700-foot climb starts on rubble, then on flat plates that slide underfoot as the slope steepens.

   Watch for: Rockfall. Don't climb below others.

8. 8

   Summit 13,480' · 4.5 mi

   Scramble west-northwest along the crest, staying on top as much as you can. When forced off, it's nearly always to the west side, sometimes dropping into steep gullies and climbing back up. Grizzly Peak stands to the south-southeast.

   Watch for: Exposure on both sides.

Getting down

Retrace your steps to the V 9 - Rolling saddle and down the ramp. The north face is too unstable to scree-ski, so go slowly.

If things go wrong

Turn back at the notch if the ridge looks like too much. The tarns are the last easy water and resting spot before the climb back to the saddle.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up V 10 we list, with its class.

• V. 10 North Face this routeClass 3 14.6 mi