| Peak(s): |
El Diente Peak - 14,175 feet Mt. Wilson - 14,256 feet Wilson Peak - 14,021 feet |
| Date Posted: | 09/24/2016 |
| Date Climbed: | 09/04/2016 |
| Author: | youngk2844 |
| Peak(s): |
El Diente Peak - 14,175 feet Mt. Wilson - 14,256 feet Wilson Peak - 14,021 feet |
| Date Posted: | 09/24/2016 |
| Date Climbed: | 09/04/2016 |
| Author: | youngk2844 |
| El Diente - North Buttress, Traverse to Mount Wilson |
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Hopefully, this trip report will provide some helpful information for those interested in climbing El Diente's North Buttress. I've included my gpx track which may help some. September has been a good climbing month for me with two trips to the San Juan mountains so far. On Labor Day Weekend, I climbed three 14ers surrounding Navajo Lake Basin in the Lizard Head Wilderness (Wilson Peak, El Diente, and Mount Wilson). The weather for this trip started out rainy and overcast and steadily got better each day!  Thursday, the 1st of September, after work, I made the 6-hour drive from Pueblo to the Navajo Lake Trailhead. I arrived around 2 am and got settled in at the Subaru Hotel. It rained pretty much all night and was still raining lightly when I got up at 6 am for the 6-mile hike up to Navajo Lake.  The trail was a bit muddy but the overcast sky was keeping the temps comfortable and the weather was steadily improving.  The trail up to Navajo Lake is very good and the San Juan scenery helped make the miles and 2,800' of elevation gain go by without effort. Blue skies!  I reached the lake around 10 am and headed for the trees on the far side to set up my basecamp. Navajo Lake basin is a very beautiful place tucked away in the San Juan Mountains at 11,200'. Gladstone Peak can be seen right of center. Wilson Peak is hidden by the ridge left of center and El Diente Peak and Mount Wilson are up the basin atop the ridge on the right side of the image.  I was the only one in the basin (so far) and had my pick of the best camp spots. The wind had picked up and was blowing vigorously. The wind would continue to blow all day AND night for the next two days. The trees definitely offered a good buffer against the wind. The wind did provide a nice rocking motion while I took a long afternoon nap in my hammock.  Dinner was early, and consisted of only the finest in freeze dried food. Umm... I'd skip the Banana Cream Pie desert next time. It had a very chemical-like taste. I ate it anyway... That night, the ear plugs had to go in due to the constant noise from the wind.  Next morning, I was up at first light, made a quick breakfast in my outdoor kitchen and was off for Wilson Peak.  As I headed up the basin towards Wilson Peak, I looked back on Navajo Lake enjoying the view. The trail leading into the upper basin is a very good trail.  The upper basin was very breezy and beautiful.  At around 13,000' the trail passes by some old mining debris. It made me wonder how all that stuff was hauled up the mountain.  And, it made me think that these miners must have been tough SOBs to live in a little shack at 13,000'.  On the ridge, at the upper left of the basin (Rock of Ages saddle), I was able to get a view of Wilson Peak (the point on the far left).  Here's another view of Wilson Peak from a different angle. This shot was actually taken the next day from high up on the north slopes of Mount Wilson. The previous shot was taken from the saddle on the ridge that runs off the left side of the image.  The last push to the summit of Wilson Peak is fairly challenging, especially the down climb off the false summit. I was glad most of the snow and ice had melted off from the storm earlier in the week.  I stood on the summit (14,017') about 10:15 am as the clouds were still partially obscuring the views. At least the wind had let up a bit. I met Hart and Michelle on the summit and found out they too were going to climb El Diente the next day.  What I could see from the summit was stunning. The pastel colors of the rock in the San Juans reminds me of New Mexico.  As I followed my tracks back towards basecamp, the clouds lifted off of the ridge behind me allowing a glimpse of El Diente Peak (far right) and Mount Wilson (far left), the peaks I'd be climbing the next day. It looked like there was enough snow to make it interesting.  I love hiking through high basins even when the wind is blowing like hell. The still photos don't allow you to fully appreciate how brisk the wind was actually blowing... Back at camp, I had a bit of hammock time and took some photos of various fungi that were pushing up around the basin.  This one looked like a perfectly roasted marshmallow. That night the wind kept up a ferocious attack on the basin. Even with ear plugs, I could hear the freight train sound that preceded the next powerful gust of wind blowing up the basin. I always make sure there are no dead trees or trees with large dead limbs near where I set up my tent. But, the wind was blowing so hard that night, I had to work hard mentally in order to keep my mind from dwelling on thoughts of a tree top snapping off and crashing down on my tent.  I survived the night and was heading back up the basin this time to bear right, climb the North Buttress of El Diente, turn left and traverse the ridge to Mount Wilson, descend Mount Wilsons north slopes high in the basin, and then close the loop as I hiked back down basin towards basecamp. The photo above shows the North Buttress route (the left most rib) to the summit of El Diente. The photo was actually taken after the climbs, when the lighting was better, during my trek back to basecamp.  I've overlaid my gpx track onto a Google Earth image of El Diente's north slopes to clearly show which rib is the North Buttress. The North Buttress is to the left of the rib I call the "Lobster Claw". Both ribs are prominent and I suppose it could be possible to accidently head up the wrong rib.  This shot is about half-way up the climb. There were a few cairns to mark the route but I basically just followed the rib. The entire climb of 2,000' is pretty much sustained class 3 and 4 climbing fun!  This photo was taken by J. Hart from the summit of El Diente as I was making my way up the top part of the North Buttress. It actually felt as steep as it looks. The tiny red speck in the center of the photo is me.  The North Buttress tops out on the summit ridge about 70 yards from the summit. Once again, photo by J. Hart (Hart, thanks again for the perspective shots!).  I reached the top just before noon with the sun breaking through the clouds. The clouds added their dramatic flair to the summit views. It was great seeing Hart and Michelle again. We spent a bit of time talking and then they headed back down the south slopes while I began the traverse towards Mt Wilson.  Hart and Michelle heading off the summit of El Diente.  I began the traverse east along the ridge towards Mount Wilson. The route hugs the base of the gendarme (high point in photo) along it's right (south) side, then angles back up onto the ridge.  The final summit push along the curving ridge to Mount Wilson (high point in photo) requires focus. There's significant exposure on both sides of the ridge. And then, there's final crux...  Rick and John were following me along the traverse and I was able to get this shot of them approaching crux.  It was about 2 pm when I stood atop Mount Wilson (14,246'). The El Diente - Mount Wilson traverse is one of the "Four Great Colorado Traverses" and looking back at the ridge towards El Diente I had a feeling of euphoria (mostly relief...) knowing I had just completed it.  The hike off Mount Wilson's north slopes was a whole lot of what you see in the photo above. Another hiker in blue, Rick I think, can be seen near the center of the frame. It was during the descent of this boulder strewn slope that I stepped on a large, rocking boulder and ended up with a bruise on my left butt cheek that turned several vibrant colors over the next several days. The wind was still blowing hard as I reached basecamp and headed straight for my hammock. The loop was only 6 miles, but it was a hard six miles and it felt good to be off my feet.  Here's another overlay of the entire loop on a Google Earth image that identifies the turn off point for the North Buttress and also shows the route off of Mt Wilson. The next morning was spent leisurely packing up and hiking out with a bluebird sky above. Other than the wind, a colorful bruise, and awful tasting banana cream pie, the trip was excellent. The drive back to Pueblo through Labor Day traffic was definitely the most dangerous part. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow): 
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