Mt. Wilson

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 6/24/2024, By: Floydgatsby
Info: Started at 0430 and summited at 0930, back at TH by 1300. Snow on the trail begins above the waterfall. It can generally be avoided, but Id still recommend solid traction, an ice axe, and poles for stability. At about 13,700 the snow (really ice) is quite deep and steep at parts. Highly recommend crampons and an ice axe if youre attempting in the next few weeks as this part of the route gets very little sun. You could start later so it softens but this would present different problems. Lots of toe pointing involved - comfort on ice and knowledge of self arrest recommended for current conditions. 

Route: Woods Lake Approach
Posted On: 6/24/2024, By: ashleyhardick1012
Info: Some of the snow in the steep gullies increased the risk factor without an ice axe which made for doing some higher class moves you wouldnt usually do without the snow. Id give this route a few more weeks for the snow to melt. 

Route: Navajo Lake Approach
Posted On: 6/11/2024, By: jas0nleslie
Info: Still plenty of snow in the upper basin, the ascent, and every gully/couloir. All snow is variable depending on depth/elevation/aspect, but we found it "mostly" supportive. Only the most exposed and steep slopes were a bit slippery. We had to do a lot of crampons on/crampons off. There were some small and recent wet slides, but we didn't witness anything occur and it was pretty warm. The north side was great for a glissade! 

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 5/29/2024, By: Wentzl
Info: Carried snowshoes, but stashed them after packing them for no reason after three miles. Started at 9:45 a.m. and came back down at 6:00 p.m. and snow on trail no worse early or late. Trail is hard to follow in the trees where the snow covers the trail, especially after the broken sign marking the junction where Navajo Lake and Kilpacker Basin split occurs. I have to give a nod to jfm3 who left some footprints from a few days ago. Was that good memory or a gps track led you through the trees, because I would have likely still been up there. Anyway, ditch the snowshoes, but for sure bring the axe and crampons if you want to summit Mt. Wilson in the next week or so. A full on winter skills test with all sorts of conditions. Thankfully the soft sugar snow that sucks you up to your waist was only a short spell. Mixed rock/ice climbing on the last 200' vertical to the summit. As mentioned by RG15 in his report, fairly steep pitch for the summit. pushing 40 degrees so not a casual class three walk up for a while yet. 

Route: Southwest Slopes
Posted On: 5/28/2024, By: jfm3
Info: I attempted "South Wilson" from Kilpacker and got a great look at most of the southwest route on Mt. Wilson. Snow starts just above the last stand of trees in Kilpacker Basin and is continuous up to the saddle just below the top of Mt. Wilson. Snow was in great condition for crampon and ice axe use. There are some old avalanche paths on both sides of Kilpacker Basin with frozen debris at the bottom. CAIC says there haven't been any reported avalanches in the San Juans for a few weeks so the consolidation is well underway. Some intermittent waterfalls are frozen on the cliffs and I did hear occasional rockfall. I saw 2 people on top of Mt. Wilson. Through the binoculars, they were carefully descending the snow on the small face below the top. The Kilpacker approach has a lot of snow in the trees that was supportive in the morning but soft in the afternoon. Snowshoes necessary for the hike out. 

Route: East Face
Posted On: 4/12/2024, By: Rg15
Info: Started at 2:00 AM and summited just after 8:00. There is still just enough loose garbage on the approach to warrant bringing snowshoes. Its mostly consolidated above treeline until the base of the couloir up to the notch. The summit pitch is currently more of a steep snow-climb than the usual easy scramble, so plan accordingly. 

Route: East Face
Posted On: 1/3/2024, By: angry
Info: This isnt a new winter summit for me as I previously was up here on 2/12/22. Far less snow this year. No change from previous report. I followed my old gpx which was in line with Pauls track so his has also been stomped down now as well, pick your poison. 

Route: East Face
Posted On: 12/31/2023, By: paulbarish
Info: For those looking to utilize the trench, I set my own skin track not knowing that WildernessJane had been in the day before. Mine breaks off the cross mountain trail first at about 11,100. Our skin tracks meet at Slate Creek proper. There is running water there in case you need to fill up. I think her track might be a touch longer but is more efficient then mine, in my opinion. I recommend hers, its an impressively set trail.  

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 10/9/2023, By: JakeBortClimb
Info: Most snow on kilpacker(south aspect) has melted, and you can easily do this route without traction right now. Definitely chose to do it mostly ridge direct instead of crossing to the north face as there is obviously snow there but its still kickin until the next storm! 

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 10/9/2023, By: JakeBortClimb
Info: Most snow on kilpacker(south aspect) has melted, and you can easily do this route without traction right now. Definitely chose to do it mostly ridge direct instead of crossing to the north face as there is obviously snow there but its still kickin until the next storm! 

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 10/8/2023, By: JakeBortClimb
Info: Most snow on kilpacker(south aspect) has melted, and you can easily do this route without traction right now. Definitely chose to do it mostly ridge direct instead of crossing to the north face as there is obviously snow there but its still kickin until the next storm! 

Route: North Slopes
Posted On: 9/20/2023, By: JasonCrane
Info: From Telluride Ski Resort, looks like this week's fresh snow has melted-out from the Wilson Group. However, couloirs appear to have deep snow & filled-in for the season. Photos are taken from the northeast at San Sophia Overlook, elev. 10,500 ft. Wilson Peak is the most visible, the distinct triangular peak to the right. You can also see Lizard Head, Gladstone, & Sunshine Peaks. 

Route: North Slopes
Posted On: 9/18/2023, By: colin j
Info: Was planning to descend the N slope after the traverse but bailed before El D. There is snow on the N slope and given the angle of the sun this time of year I would not expect it to melt out. 

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 9/10/2023, By: shapovalovm
Info: Started at Navajo TH -> North Buttress to El Diente -> Traverse to Mt Wilson -> down North Slopes -> back to Navajo TH. Start 6:15am, back to car by 4:50pm. North Buttress route has lots of loose dirt and rock. Please triple check every rock before using as a hand/foot hold. Closer to the summit I also found it pretty easy to get into class 5 terrain if I got off route. You'll get there, at the end of the day you just climb the rub up, it's just a matter of what difficulty rock you'll be climbing. The traverse is not bad, but all that loose rock is annoying. I accidentally kicked off a few rocks that looked very solid and ready to bear my weight (Please scream "Rock!" even if you don't think there's anyone/any route below, you never know). As a result, the progress was painfully slow (~90 min?). Down N Slopes of Mt Wilson: same story. Nothing serious, just very slow because all that rock is moving. I think I only descended ~1200' in the first hour, which is slower than I usually go up. My initial plan was to also tag Wilson Peak (just 1600' extra gain), but I couldn't see more of that loose rock any more. 

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 9/8/2023, By: DorothyK
Info: Snow in September! We did the El Diente-Wilson traverse from the south on a beautiful, cloud-less, windless day. However, there is a snowfield/steep couloir next to El Diente's summit; there's a slight reroute to go around it. You do not want to fall in the snowfield; it is very steep. There is another snowfield where you descend the ridge to the saddle just before the Wilson ascent; need to make a climb-y move to stay above it. Finally, there are snowfields once you get down the southwest slope "trail" from Wilson; those were actually kind of fun to glissade and avoid walking on the ankle-breaker rocks all around us.