Mount Sneffels: South Slopes, SW Ridge, and North Face

Mount Sneffels is the monarch of our local area. It dominates the skyline as you drive down to Ouray from Montrose. Viewed from the North it is a symmetrical peak that beckos to all alpine adventurers. Each aspect holds different challenges for everyone. Named after the iconic peak in Jules Verne's novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth, our own mountain is also a very special place that holds its own grand adventures for everyone with an adventurous spirit!

South Slopes Route Class 3
Mt Sneffels standard route from Yankee Boy Basin is a popular scramble for 14ers aspirants and local tourists alike. Despite its popularity, it is not to be underestimted. There is plenty of hands on movement and a slip in the wrong place could have serious consequences. We guide lots of folks up this classic climb every summer, and everyone is very grateful for the rope, helmet, and intimate knowledge of the route that our guides provide.

Southwest Ridge Class 4+, with a couple 5.2 rock moves.
The SW ridge of Mt. Sneffels is a super high quality ridge climb soaring up above Blue Lakes Pass. It involves some tricky routefinding and low 5th class moves. Earlier in the season the direct start to the SW ridge is a beautiful snow couloir leading directly to the rock crux and avoiding large amounts of circuitous talus navigation. Once on the ridge itself, exposure and grand views dominate every direction. Fun scrambling on or near the crest leads dramatically to the summit. This is one of the greatest routes in the San Juans and a perfect introduction to more challenging mountaineering.

North Buttress and Snake Couloir Routes Class 5.6, 60 degree snow and ice.
The North side of Mt Sneffels is a very different place than the well traveled South side. Poised majestically over Blaine Basin, The North Face is well guarded from any easy ascent. The most popular route on the North side is the Snake or "Dogleg" Couloir, thus named for its dramatic left turn around 13,000ft. The snake is over 2000ft of steep snow and ice with a challenging rock climbing finish directly onto the summit block. Scramblers on the summit are often surprised when we come popping up out of the depths of the North onto the top!

All the routes on Mount Sneffels are doable in a day from Ouray, though many folks opt to camp in Blaine Basin when attempting North Face routes.