Northwest Ridge from Sultan Mountain

Is it right for you?

Grand Turk is the next summit south of Sultan Mountain, southwest of Silverton. It's usually climbed with Sultan.

From Sultan, you walk south down the ridge to a saddle near 12,776 feet and climb about 400 feet of tundra, scree and rubble. The true high point is hard to tell, so tag both bumps. The return heads south over Point 13,087 and down the southeast ridge into a basin and Sultan Creek. It is all Class 2.

The loop is about 7.5 miles with 3,500 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates.

Plan of the day

This week on the summit

Getting there

From the junction of US 550 and the road into Silverton, drive south on US 550 toward Molas Pass, past the gas station. The highway first runs northwest to a switchback, then mostly south. About 4.5 miles from the junction, just after the cliffs on the right end and the land opens up, turn right (west) onto an unmarked dirt road. Skip a different 4WD track that turns off just before it. If you reach the Molas Lake turnoff, you've gone 1.3 miles too far. From Durango, cross Coal Bank and Molas passes and look for the road on the left 1.3 miles past the Molas Lake turnoff.

Any car can make it. The dirt road has a few primitive camp spots and goes on north as a jeep track. Older approaches that crossed the highway farther north are now posted as private property; watch for signs and respect them.

Little Molas Lake has a Forest Service fee campground (vault toilets, no water), and the town of Silverton runs a large campground with showers at Molas Lake. There are also primitive spots near Molas Lake and on South Mineral Creek.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Trailhead 10,470' · 0 mi

   Walk north on the jeep track along the edge of the trees, with a power line to your left. The track passes under the line where it jogs east.

2. 2

   Avalanche path 10,600' · 0.8 mi

   Soon a wide avalanche path comes in from the left. Turn west and climb about 325 feet up the open slope to a bench.

3. 3

   Deadwood Gulch 11,000' · 1.3 mi

   Walk north along the open bench, then into the trees to a spot overlooking Deadwood Gulch. Don't cross it and don't hike up the gulch itself. Turn west and climb steeply along the forest edge above it.

   Watch for: Heavy deadfall and a short scree scramble.

4. 4

   Game trail 11,550' · 1.9 mi

   Just below 11,600 feet, where the gulch flattens a little, find a clear game trail heading north.

5. 5

   East ridge 12,300' · 2.4 mi

   Follow it, then climb steeply to Sultan's east ridge.

6. 6

   Sultan Mountain 13,375' · 3.3 mi

   Walk up the ridge on tundra that gets rockier near the top.

7. 7

   Saddle 12,776' · 3.7 mi

   Walk south down the connecting ridge on tundra, scree and rubble.

8. 8

   Summit 13,167' · 4.1 mi

   An easy walk-up. Visit both high points to be sure.

Getting down

Go south to Point 13,087 (about 15 minutes) and down its southeast ridge on small scree, then tundra. Near 11,900 feet, drop off the north side into a flat basin (you can also contour into this basin from about 12,600 feet). Go around a group of trees to the north, then east-southeast down grassy slopes to Sultan Creek. Near 10,500 feet, head north and then east through the trees, under the power line, to the jeep track, and walk south to your car.

If things go wrong

Go back north over Sultan, or down the southeast ridge.

Last step: check in before you go →

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Grand Turk we list, with its class.

• Grand Turk NW Ridge this routeClass 2 6.6 mi

Check in before you go

Send someone your peak, route, trailhead and when you’ll be back. If you’re late, they know where to send help.