Wilsons in May

[ballardwf04]

Hey all,

Looking to get out there soon and knock out the Wilson triplets. I've reviewed past condition reports and I think my itinerary is doable, if a bit heinous for me. We're hoping to head up from Kilpacker, hit El Diente, and camp pretty high up (12.5ish). Then head up Mt. Wilson, over to Wilson Peak, and back the way we came. Unfortunately I think it's a bit too snowy to attempt the traverse. Fortunately the Telluride area snowpack is looking relatively low rn. My main questions: 1) has anyone been up to Kilpacker TH lately? How far can we get w current snow conditions? 2) Does anyone have experience w camping near the El Diente S Slopes turnoff? Are there somewhat flat spots for snow camping up there? Thanks in advance.

[madmattd]

2) Does anyone have experience w camping near the El Diente S Slopes turnoff? Are there somewhat flat spots for snow camping up there? Thanks in advance.

I can't answer the current conditions question, but I will say that I think a dry ground camp will be tough - camping on a good snowfield should be fine though, there's plenty of flat enough sections in the area of the split. Just way too rocky for dry camping (seriously that whole basin is nothing but talus above 11k!), so be sure of the conditions going in. Backpackers usually stay down low near the stream crossing and subsequent meadows where there's ample good camping - that's in the ~10.5k' altitude range.

[Scott P]

I also can't answer the question, but the snow level in the San Juans is usually about the same as on Grand Mesa. Current snow level on north facing slopes is 8500 feet or so. I'd expect the same for the area around the Wilsons.

[d_baker]

I can post a picture of Wilson Pk on Monday, as seen from Hwy 145.

[cottonmountaineering]

in may everything near treeline should be snow, so you can make a flat spot anywhere
the road to the trailhead seems to melt out in late may or early june

[osprey]

IMG_0001.jpeg (232.44 KiB) Viewed 1043 times

Picture of the south side of El Diente and Mt. Wilson and Kilpacker Basin taken this afternoon.

[ballardwf04]

Thanks all for the valuable beta and @osprey for the conditions photo. Will let you all know how it goes. Does anyone know if the Kilpacker TH tends to be easier to access (in terms of snow) from the north or south?

[d_baker]

Another photo. Not super useful to answer your question about TH access.

This is from this morning.
I think a little of Mt Wilson is on left, then Gladstone, and on right is Wilson P.
Area didn't get much snow from this last system. At 10,000' where I was, we only got about an inch on the night of 4th. Other times, very light rain or some flakes.

5-7-25 from above Cushman Lake / Hwy 145

Screenshot_20250507_192022_Gallery.jpg (192.83 KiB) Viewed 753 times

[jfm3]

Thanks all for the valuable beta and @osprey for the conditions photo. Will let you all know how it goes. Does anyone know if the Kilpacker TH tends to be easier to access (in terms of snow) from the north or south?

The only road/vehicle access to Kilpacker is from the south, up the dirt road to the west of CO145 over Lizard Head Pass. I suppose you could come in from the southwest on the road through Dunton, but it's way easier to just drive the short road from Lizard Head Pass. I've been in the Kilpacker area twice in late May: 2022, when I climbed El Diente and Mt. Wilson from Kilpacker Basin, and last year, when I tried to climb "South Wilson" from Kilpacker (no luck; that little ridge on the south side is a suicide route). In 2022 there was no snow below treeline but last year the snow went well down into the trees. I'm going to take another crack at South Wilson this year, on Memorial Day Weekend (weather/conditions pending, of course). My plan is to approach from the south, then go up the southeast slope on the snow. I think the Wilson Group is surprisingly tricky. Despite looking close when seen from Telluride, the trailheads are way out there and the approach trails to the upper mountain are long. The rock is also hideous, so it's a good plan to climb them with consolidated snow.

[Wentzl]

I am guessing he means "from the south" as the Dunton route and the "north" the shorter route, closed in winter, close to Lizard Head pass. Last year I was able to get to the Kilpacker trailhead from the "north" on May 29, but trail condition reports show that it was still blocked by snow a week earlier. Snow coverage this year seems similar to last, so if OP is going soon, expect a few miles extra to hoof in. Open year round from the south to Dunton, but after that. . .?

When I climbed Mt. Wilson on May 29 last year I was a little surprised at how much a winter condition climb it was but more than that, how hard it was to simply find the trail to get above treeline through the deep snow. Crampons and axe will be mandatory.

Sounds like you want to do El. D. up and down, camp in Kilpacker and then get Mt. Wilson and Wilson Peak and go back the way you went in. This adds a lot of extra work. Basically, you would have to climb Mt. Wilson twice in one day, plus Wilson Pk. on day two.

More fun would be camping high above Navajo Lake and tagging El D from the north, then W and WP and back to camp.