The Sleeping Sexton, 13,457 ft., is different from your typical 13er. It’s more of a ridge with multiple summits than a well-defined mountain. To its south lies the Maroon Bells– which every Colorado peak bagger knows well. Yet despite the proximity of the Sleeping Sexton to those famous mountains, few seem to notice it.

But it’s a really interesting mountain, and any climb of the Sleeping Sexton will be a lot of fun. The common way to climb to the highest summit requires you to travel over several lower ridge points first, and between the backdrop of North Maroon Peak or the panoramic views of the Elk Mountains, the entire experience is pretty cool.

One of the first challenges is to make your way up to the ridge. Some start at Buckskin Pass, but that makes for a long day, and the extended time on the ridge by following that route should only be attempted during ideal weather.

I found it easier to follow the Buckskin Pass trail to near treeline, and then leave the trail and head cross-country up a grassy valley to gain the ridge at a saddle. From there, you can climb up and over three ridge highpoints before you start the final segment and go to the true summit.

None of the terrain is looser or sketchier than that on the Bells or Pyramid. Careful looking around will often reveal good options for minimizing the difficulty.

But it’s important to know that in order to reach the true summit, you must descend on the west side for a short ways because a dramatic notch stands between you and the summit. After descending a bit, to a point level with the notch, look for an obvious ledge to traverse on level (though narrow) ground to the notch. From there, easier ground will lead to the summit.

Take in the views, sign the old register, and retrace your route back home. For additional route info, check out the Sleeping Sexton page on climb13ers.com here.