San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 454 of the 13ers
South Ridge from S 8
S 9, 13,169'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip15.2 mi
Elevation gain4,855'
TrailheadSheep Creek-Deep Creek
Trailhead elevation9,100'
Conditions on the summit
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Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · South Ridge from S 8
Overview
S 9 is a remote summit on the Dallas Divide northwest of Telluride, at the head of the main fork of Deep Creek. The upper basin feels far from anything. Newer survey data made it 35 feet taller.
The usual plan climbs S 8 first by its west ridge, then follows the connecting ridge north to S 9. The ridge drops a bit over 300 feet and climbs about 350. Small cliff bands guard the summit block; scramble through them from the southwest. It is Class 2 overall, with a long trail approach, a few vague stretches of trail and steep, loose scree.
The full loop is about 15.2 miles with 4,855 feet of gain. From S 8 to S 9 is about 0.9 mile and 355 feet each way. The Corpse (UN 13,025, also listed as S 10) is a further Class 2 walk from S 9. Step miles below are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on S 8 by 11 a.m.
Crux
Steep, loose scree and chip rock on the S 8 west ridge.
Route-finding
Moderate. Many trails cross near Sheep Creek, and the Deep Creek trail is faint in spots higher up. Watch for cairns.
Water
Sheep Creek and the forks of Deep Creek. Filter it.
From Highway 145 at Society Junction, about 4 miles west of Telluride, go a short way east on 145 and turn left (north) on Airport Road. Maps call it the Last Dollar Road, Forest Road 638. Climb the hill, round a sharp bend at the head of a drainage, and keep west past the Aldasoro Ranch entrance.
Where the spur to the Telluride airport turns off, bear right. Keep going northwest for less than a mile to a parking lot with a small corral on the right side of the road. This is the start of trail 418. Passenger cars are fine. There is private land across the road.
Car camping at the trailhead is not allowed, and the private land nearby makes it a bad idea anyway. The nearest campgrounds are Town Park at the east end of Telluride and Sunshine, south of Society Junction on 145; both fill fast. Other options are farther west on 145 near the Silver Pick road (County Road 60M) or several miles south of Ilium on County Road 63L/63J.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeScramblingExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Sheep Creek-Deep Creek trailhead 9,100' · 0 mi
Switchback up the open slope on trail 418 to an old irrigation ditch. Follow the ditch north, step across small Sheep Creek, then keep west along the ditch.
2
Whipple trail sign 9,300' · 1.5 mi
At the sign for the Whipple trail, leave the ditch and go down a ridge covered in scrub oak. The trail then bends north and drops to a log bridge over the east fork of Deep Creek, below Mears Peak.
3
Private land sign 9,400' · 2.6 mi
Climb a little, head west, then follow an old road bed down to a sign for private land. Here the trail leaves the road bed and runs north to northwest, well up on the east slope above the main fork of Deep Creek.
Watch for: Stay on the trail past the private land.
4
Trail 418/419 junction 9,900' · 4 mi
Pass a worn wilderness sign, cross to the west side of the creek, walk through a grassy meadow and switchback up through aspens to a sloping meadow with a junction sign. Go straight into the forest.
5
Side creek at the last trees 10,800' · 5.8 mi
Climb a steep hill (stay on the main path, not the shortcuts), drop to cross Deep Creek back to its east side, and follow cairns north through meadows and aspen. A faint stretch in thick forest stays well above the creek. Cross the side creek that drains the basin between Ruffner Mountain and S 8 at a cairn.
Watch for: The trail is faint in the forest; keep heading north.
6
S 8 13,268' · 7 mi
Climb the steep grassy slope ahead, pass through a small rock band, and work up much steeper ground to the west ridge. The footing turns to small, loose rock and stays steep all the way to the top.
Watch for: Loose chip rock.
7
S 9 13,169' · 7.9 mi
Follow the ridge north, losing a bit over 300 feet and gaining about 350. Scramble through the small cliff bands from the southwest side to the rocky top.
Watch for: Easy scrambling at the summit block.
Getting down
Come off the summit block the same way, then head southwest down a huge slope of small, loose rock into the upper east drainage of Deep Creek. It is awful to climb but fine to descend. Follow faint game paths west past a camp spot in the last trees to the side creek crossing, and take the trail out. In the aspen benches, keep to the upper trail.
If things go wrong
From S 8, the grassy slope below the west ridge leads back to the trail. The scree slopes into the upper basin are faster but very loose.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The Deep Creek trail fades in the upper basin, and the ridges above are trailless. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.