San Luis Peak (14,014) by Brian Schultz Saturday July 25, 1998
After the enjoyable afternoon in Lake City yesterday I drove to the Stewart Creek trailhead for the next peak on the list. San Luis is way out in a desolate area and one fellow's report on the net complained about finding the trailhead but I thought Roach's directions were perfect. One other truck was in the parking lot and its owners, Chuck and Cindy from Colorado Springs, were going to film the hike on San Luis, hoping to market a video on fourteeners after completing them all.
It rained steadily in the evening but the morning was nice and sunny. I left at 6:10 and kept a good pace on the great trail. It's a long six miles to the summit but the gain is easy. When I got to the saddle between Organ Mtn and San Luis, the sunny weather turned into a gray overcast. Just below the summit, a couple in fully loaded backpacks asked if I was returning to the Stewart Creek trailhead. They were looking for a ride back to their car, which was parked at the other end of the road I drove in on from Lake City. I was going out that way and had room so I told them to meet me at the trailhead. By the time I reached the summit at 9:45, visibility was limited to perhaps a hundred feet.
I stayed a bit but couldn't see much so I left. Several others were nearing the summit, including Chuck and Cindy. His video of the summit probably wouldn't be much to look at with the heavy cloud cover. I got back to the truck at 12:45 and the backpacking couple, Will and his wife Sue, were waiting. I enjoyed their company and hearing of their encounter with none other than Gerry Roach in the backcountry. He told them he was working on another guidebook- on Colorado thirteeners. After I dropped them off at their car I stopped for dinner in Poncha Springs. I was looking forward to meeting Tim Briese and two of his friends but not the drive up to South Colony Lakes.
San Luis was a pleasant easy hike- a nice break before Crestone Peak.
Total hike time- 6 hours 35 minutes