Wilson group logistics

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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TravelingMatt
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Joined: 6/29/2005
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Re: Wilson group logistics

Post by TravelingMatt »

I like the Navajo Basin approach, it's very pretty. Silver Pick up to RoA saddle is an endless ocean of scree where you seem to go for miles without gaining much elevation.

I'm not sure there's an "easy" route up the Mt. Wilson massif, but I did North Buttress last September and the route was pretty solid. Unless I was doing it wrong, your options narrow considerably on the last couple hundred feet below near the ridge. You may have to so some brief stemming, but if you're completely at a wall it's time to back up. Study the retreat before committing to a move near the ridge.

One suggestion if you're doing the traverse, and discover on summit day that you packed directions for the wrong mountain. That southeast-facing chute that starts near the summit of El Diente is NOT the way up, through, around, over or especially down. You mostly stay within 100 feet of the ridge, usually on the south side. There are cairns, look for them.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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nyker
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Re: Wilson group logistics

Post by nyker »

There are many options you can look at to get all three from any of the trailheads, but some are logistically easier than others. My one suggestion would be not to bother to try and do all three peaks from one TH and just split them up into two trips. This way, the trips are easier to plan, more enjoyable, safer since you're not trying to beat a clock and don't need to arrange a car at two trailheads.

The strategy we decided upon was to climb Wilson Peak separately from Silver Pick, then do El Diente and Mount Wilson from Kilpacker.

We hiked up Kilpacker and set up camp on the first afternoon below treeline, above but near the stream and first waterfall; then hit the trail early the next morning towards ED first, then conditions and body permitting, we would traverse to MW. As Jim Davies mentioned, the upper end of Kilpacker IS a diant debris field! Note that once we summited ED, we first dropped down, then crossed over the debris fields up the southern slopes of Mt Wilson. This area has a few dead ends, so you need to pay attention to where to do your final ascent and up the correct gulley. We then moved to the standard Crux -which is a no-fall area. While there was some minor snow on El Diente above 13,700, there was none on Mount Wilson by the time we got there, which would have made the summit moves *interesting*.

Our ED-MW trip report is here for some more details:
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wilson Peak here: (note on this route, I did not find any potable water higher up, so make sure you carry enough and don't count on finding anything you can drink).

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... m=tripuser" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck!
leggaj5
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Re: Wilson group logistics

Post by leggaj5 »

Does anyone have an opinion on el diente north slopes route as a snow climb? In general, if there was enough snow on the slope to climb, how does it affect the summit ridge and traverse?
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