Mt. Wilson Conditions?

[TakeMeToYourSummit]

Some friends and I were looking to climb/snowboard Mt. Wilson via the Cross Mountain Trailhead in the next couple of weeks. Just curious if anyone had been up that way since benners lovely TR? We are bringing full avalanche gear and expect to start at first light. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[cjw]

I have Silver Pick basin to Rock of Ages Saddle info. We went in Friday (4/26) and set up camp at 11,700 in Silver Pick. It got very cold Friday night. All aspects in Silver Pick were 2" of crust over unconsolidated (this is very different from what we found in Yankee Boy basin two days later), this includes information from a party who skied the Northwest aspect of Wilson Peak. We made it to Rock of Ages Saddle where we had a binding failure that turned us around. Navajo Basin looked similar, boiler plate.

[mtnmaneric]

How far did you make it up the road to the Silver Pick TH?

[cjw]

about a 1/4-1/2 mile short of the Wilson Mesa trailhead.

[swbackcountry]

I skied the Slate Creek side Sat.

<12000 is dusty and degrading into isothermic slush. Like the previous post's pics, on the Slate Creek side things >12200 are variable, but a spring corn crust is forming.

In the pic below you can see that the crust isn't that thick yet. I was glad to have skies.

[TakeMeToYourSummit]

Hey Dan!

Nice meeting you at the bottom of Gladstone Peak. Your advice on the upper section was very helpful. Luke and I used your bootpack then cut lookers right to rejoin the standard ridge route. Lots of snow on the left of the crux forced us up the right.... a little scary for sure! Props to anyone that has done this in ski boots! After some time on the summit we rode down the col to the top of the Boxcar. 15 - 20 feet of rocks blocks a continuous ride... but after unstrapping and restrapping... SO worth it! ;P Fairly solid snow for the most part. Some signs of runnels forming through the lower cirque... and then a soggy mess back through the trees.

My 14th 14er...
Luke's 4th!

Overall a great day in the San Juans!

*EDIT: added pictures*

[Gueza]

Anyone got a pic of Wilson Peak's NE (Coors) Face?

[swbackcountry]

Hey Dan!

Nice meeting you at the bottom of Gladstone Peak. Your advice on the upper section was very helpful. Luke and I used your bootpack then cut lookers right to rejoin the standard ridge route. Lots of snow on the left of the crux forced us up the right.... a little scary for sure! Props to anyone that has done this in ski boots! After some time on the summit we rode down the col to the top of the Boxcar. 15 - 20 feet of rocks blocks a continuous ride... but after unstrapping and restrapping... SO worth it! ;P Fairly solid snow for the most part. Some signs of runnels forming through the lower cirque... and then a soggy mess back through the trees.

My 14th 14er...
Luke's 4th!

Overall a great day in the San Juans!

*EDIT: added pictures*

Nice work Gents! Glad to hear you got the glory pitch.

[cjw]

Wilson Peak picture.

[TakeMeToYourSummit]

Nice work Gents! Glad to hear you got the glory pitch.[/quote]

Yeah it turned out to be a really fun line. Thanks again for the skin and bootpacks to ease our work!

The San Juans are just so damn beautiful!