Wilson peak confusion...

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GeorgiaTyler
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Wilson peak confusion...

Post by GeorgiaTyler »

So i'm getting conflicting reports.. From the silver pick trailhead (or as far as we can drive a pathfinder) is it 7 miles RT to summit of Wilson or is it 15 RT? thx
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by highpilgrim »

GeorgiaTyler wrote:So i'm getting conflicting reports.. From the silver pick trailhead (or as far as we can drive a pathfinder) is it 7 miles RT to summit of Wilson or is it 15 RT? thx
With our meanderings, we had it about 8 miles RT. We weren't as direct as we could have been. :lol:
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by ameristrat »

I got 10 miles on my GPS the other day from silver pick. We were on route all day... Weird.
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by highpilgrim »

ameristrat wrote:I got 10 miles on my GPS the other day from silver pick. We were on route all day... Weird.
You're right: I went back and looked at mine and it was above 10 from the meandering...but to the OP, it was certainly not 15, even with our scenic route. :-D
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by ameristrat »

Glad to know my GPS isn't crazy!
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know. - Rene Daumal
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by GeorgiaTyler »

good to know, thx guys. I looked at some TReports and didn't find my answer. We are leaving today from DGO and we want to hike in a few hours today and camp, any recommendations on how to best split up the miles? thx a ton guys
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by highpilgrim »

GeorgiaTyler wrote:any recommendations on how to best split up the miles?
There aren't a lot of good places to camp in Upper Silver Pick. At least on public lands.

The best that I think is available is just after picture 3 in Bill's route description on the Rock of Ages approach. Just after you slog up that scree trail to the ridge, the trail goes back into the timber as it crosses over to the other side. In this area there are a number of places you could camp. Anything above there would be pretty exposed and on desolate ground.

That's my nickel's worth.

In the pic below, you can see the only grass in the entire basin, which is on private property and is posted as such. The area likely useful for camping is well down to the left where the trail crosses back over to Elk Basin.
upper silver pick.jpg
upper silver pick.jpg (302.81 KiB) Viewed 758 times
Last edited by highpilgrim on Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

Silver Pick was moved a few years back and that trailhead is now officially known as the Rock of Ages (ROA) trailhead. For Wilson Peak, it's ~10 miles RT from the ROA trailhead.

If you were to use the Navajo Lake approach, mileage is different and that's where the confusion might come from. Check out the route description for more info on mileage and elevation gain using different trailheads:

http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?rout ... iente+Peak
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by GeorgiaTyler »

Man, that grassy knoll looks very inviting... but off limits. I am cross referencing Roach's 14er book and I guess that is where my confusion lies (with the TH). Now we are back on track. Thanks for the input guys.
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by Jim Davies »

Roach 2nd edition is obsolete. 3rd edition is supposedly up-to-date, but I'd trust Bill's numbers over Roach's based on experience with other routes.

We just hiked this route Friday, and I think the last place you could possibly camp without trespassing would be at the top of the ridge where you cross over to Silver Pick Basin. It's flattish and treed there, but I don't recall any water being available anywhere nearby. There is a creek running down the middle of Silver Pick Basin, but it looks dangerous - white deposits on the rocks. There are also a few snowfields near the rock house that you could potentially use as water sources, plus one small snow patch on the descent from the ridge into the basin. Before you reach the ridgeline there is a long stretch of ugly talus, and camping before that would only put you a mile or so from the trailhead, so probably not worthwhile packing in. We camped at one of the designated roadside spots, of which there are about seven.
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by mtn_nut »

did it yesterday, measured just over 8 miles round trip.
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Re: Wilson peak confusion...

Post by MountainSlayer »

Jim Davies wrote:Roach 2nd edition is obsolete.
Heretic! Burn him at the stake!

I digress, and must be having a case of the Mondays.
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