How Many Days for Wilson Group?

[Kevo]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times, but I couldn't find anything when searching.

How many days is realistic to climb the Wilson group? Can it be done in 2 days while avoiding the N side of El Diente? Is there a generally agreed upon itinerary for doing all 3 in 2 days? Is 3 days more realistic?

Thanks!

[wildlobo71]

My standard recommendation is:

Day 1 - Wilson Peak from Silverpick Basin TH; drive out to Kilpacker afterwards, sleep.
Day 2 - El Diente and Wilson from Kilpacker Basin, traverse (or drop and forego the traverse).

[Kevo]

My standard recommendation is:

Day 1 - Wilson Peak from Silverpick Basin TH; drive out to Kilpacker afterwards, sleep.
Day 2 - El Diente and Wilson from Kilpacker Basin, traverse (or drop and forego the traverse).

Thanks!

Does that require backtracking back on the traverse (El D->Wilson->El D->Down) or is there a way back to Kilpacker from Wilson? I doesn't appear that there is a way down Wilson to Kilpacker on the overview map.

[mtgirl]

My standard recommendation is:

Day 1 - Wilson Peak from Silverpick Basin TH; drive out to Kilpacker afterwards, sleep.
Day 2 - El Diente and Wilson from Kilpacker Basin, traverse (or drop and forego the traverse).

I did this but switched day 1 and 2. Wanted to do the traverse fresh.
Day 1. Slept at Kilpacker TH, El Diente to Mt. Wilson traverse, drive to Silver Pick and sleep along road to TH
Day 2. Wilson Peak from Silver Pick.

[mtgirl]

My standard recommendation is:

Day 1 - Wilson Peak from Silverpick Basin TH; drive out to Kilpacker afterwards, sleep.
Day 2 - El Diente and Wilson from Kilpacker Basin, traverse (or drop and forego the traverse).

Thanks!

Does that require backtracking back on the traverse (El D->Wilson->El D->Down) or is there a way back to Kilpacker from Wilson? I doesn't appear that there is a way down Wilson to Kilpacker on the overview map.

No backtracking over the traverse necessary. I climbed the summit block crux on Mt Wilson, went over the summit and went down the gully immediately after the summit. Wasn't horribly loose for Wilson's standards.

[Mtnman200]

Here's what I did last summer:

Day 1 - Backpack over Rock of Ages saddle; left our backpacks in the Tiltin' Hilton; climbed Wilson Peak and Gladstone Peak; then camped in Navajo Basin.
Day 2 - Climbed El Diente via the North Buttress and traversed to Mt. Wilson.
Day 3 - Slept in and then packed out.

The North Buttress was very direct and lots of fun, and the traverse was fun too and much easier than expected.

[wildlobo71]

I do believe the OP was avoiding the north side of El Diente... call me flippant, but let's discuss his wants here.

You certainly don't have to actually traverse to get both peaks - just a whole lot of downclimbing the talus, and then upclimbing what I felt was the worst talus in the basin - to gain the saddle west of Mt. Wilson. It's a lot, a lot, and a lot, of talus... broken up by some pretty cool waterfalls.