Wilson Peak

From Ridgway, leave U.S. 550 and take Colorado 62 toward Telluride. Drive over Dallas Divide, down to Placerville and turn left onto Colorado 145. Drive 6.7 miles and turn right onto the Silver Pick road (dirt). From here, it's 8.5 miles to the trailhead. Drive 4 miles to an intersection and turn right onto "59 H" which is also Forest Road 622. Continue 2.3 miles, turn right onto FR 645 and continue 2.2 miles to the Rock of Ages trailhead, near 10,350'. Notes: After 1 mile on the FR 645 road, you must cross the stream in Big Bear Creek which usually isn't too bad by mid-July. Also, there are some designated camp sites along this road.

The easiest and most straightforward way to hike Wilson Peak on its own is by starting at the Rock of Ages trailhead. If this is your chosen starting point, follow the Rock of Ages Approach for 4 miles to reach the Rock of Ages saddle at 13,000' -  1. Alternatively, if you're using the Navajo Basin Approach, hike to 12,300' in the upper east end of Navajo Basin and follow the trail north to reach the Rock of Ages saddle -  2.

Once at the Rock of Ages saddle , the route continues east -  3. Follow the trail as it traverses the saddle and crosses a loose, rugged slope ( 4,  5,  6) leading to a saddle located between Wilson Peak and 13er Gladstone Peak -  7. From this small saddle , the route navigates around the south side before climbing up to the southwest ridge -  8,  9. On the south side, scramble across slabs and ledges, heading north -  10,  11. This segment is a bit exposed and serves as an introduction to the challenge of the final summit pitch.

After passing through the scrambling section, traverse toward the ridge by following cairns and trail sections -  12,  13. The slope is relatively steep and loose in places, but you should be able to follow a visible trail for most of the way. Ascend to the southwest ridge, reaching it near 13,550' -  14. Progressing along the ridge crest, primarily on its right side, you'll climb to approximately 13,800' where the trail transitions to the left (north) side of the ridge. Follow an obvious line for 100 feet to reach a 13,900-foot false summit -  15,  16.

From the false summit, the final stretch may appear intimidating if it's your first time on the peak. However, by choosing the correct path, you can avoid unstable, loose terrain and keep the difficulty within Class 3. Look carefully at photos  17,  18 to locate a prominent dark gash in the face. You want to traverse toward the gash without descending excessively. Downclimb approximately 50 feet and begin scrambling across stacked rocks and ledges -  19,  20. Just before reaching the gash, climb to your right to access the ridge crest -  21. From there, turn left and ascend the final Class 3 section to reach the summit -  22,  23,  24.

IMPORTANT: This route enters the Lizard Head Wilderness area. Designated wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.