Wilson Peak

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 8/13/2023, By: IsaacD
Info: Summer conditions, no issues with snow. We took the Woods Lake approach and then came up from Navajo Lake. Right after the saddle where you begin the class 3 climbing, we found the moves to be surprisingly exposed and wondered if there was a better route available by descending a hundred feet or so. The rest of the climbing was easy and in great condition. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 8/6/2023, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: The three snowfields Logan5280 mentioned in a 7-24 report are still present. They are so short, tracked out, and low angle that, in my estimation, most hikers of a mind to attempt Wilson would find traction and anything besides poles to be overkill. Upper Navajo Basin trail as seen from RoA saddle appears to be snow-free. Trail between Gladstone saddle and false summit was way easier to find on the way down. Be mindful of looseness on the final scramble - we heard what sounded like a decent amount of rocks going into the gully from the false-summit side as we were starting our descent off the true summit. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/24/2023, By: Logan5280
Info: There are about 3 major snowfields on the way up to the saddle, which required spikes early in the morning. By midmorning, the snowfields were slushy and didn't require spikes. Above the saddle, the route is dry and in good condition. The weather was excellent and beautiful today 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/24/2023, By: wanderingsteve
Info: No traction or ice axe needed from Navajo Basin. Complete dry above 12,700 or so. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/21/2023, By: Scott Conro
Info: Agree with previous update. Doable with spikes and poles, but def increased risk in a couple spots, particularly just before gaining the saddle. Edit: Photos and further description added. Snow was soft even when we arrived to the first bit around 6:30. It was quite warm the night and morning before. 1 & 2: First snowfield soon after leaving trees...we avoided it by descending below on the way up the route. 3. Second large field, the one that is often seems to be there into August. 4, 5, & 6: Upper route nearing saddle. Larges field of the day. Stayed low accidentally on ascent then climbed scree for 75ft to regain trail. Descent stayed high. Some natural rockfall from above from thaw. 7 & 8: Last fieid just before saddle. By far the most consequential, but many steps and quite flat where we walked. It made me uneasy though and seems like an injury would be likely if a slip and slide occurs without proper equipment. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/16/2023, By: MMAfightingClimber
Info: Plenty of snow crossings on the approach. Maybe 5-6. Used microspikes in the morning while the snow was hard. Didnt have an ax with me although Id recommend one. On the way back the snow crossing were a breeze. The route was completely dry from rock of ages saddle to the summit. Scrambling sections are short. Class 3 ledges after the second small saddle between Gladstone and WP. Then another class 3 section just after the false summit. 

Route: Rock of Ages Approach
Posted On: 7/12/2023, By: dellwoodlegend
Info: Still plenty of snow on the approach. Made it most of the way with microspikes and an ice axe. Lost the trail just below the Rock of Ages saddle and decided to turn around due to the combination of weather + some exposed snow crossings and the rocks/dirt off trail are really steep and loose. We kept going until it didn't make sense, probably could've made it to the saddle with more time but weather played a large role in our decision to turn back. As far as timing goes, first 2 miles of the approach were quick, last ~2 miles before turning around took us about 1 mile per hour. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/9/2023, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Did all three Wilsons and logged 18.89 miles, 8,130ft and 14h 56m on Strava. I started at 7am and ended at 10pm with perfect weather the whole day. Snow fields way up high got a little sketchy but nothing my ice axe couldn't handle. Crampons were nice for going down the north side of Mt. Wilson. Snow below 12.5k is consolidated and very nice, not so much with the high snow. El Diente and Mt. Wilson still have some snow, Wilson Pk. is dry all the way up. If you're into type 3 fun then this is the hike for you! Go get it and watch the weather carefully! 

Route: Rock of Ages Approach
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: Borden
Info: Mixed group of 2x first time 14ers, 4x people with several class 2 14ers, and 2x that summited WP 7/22. Lots of snow across ROA trail still. We used micro spikes and trek poles. Felt treacherous early in the morning with the frozen ice/snow and a few places after the saddle where a slide would be particularly bad. Wouldve loved to had crampons and axe. Spent a lot of time scratching foot holds out. Met a few people from Navajo Basin that had no problems. That seems to be the way to go to avoid ice. Overall had a 12.5hr hike due to all the route finding and working around steep ice/snow sections. From the false summit upward is snow free. I read a lot about the gash being the big technical spot, but theres actually plenty of challenges along the way to the summit that were more difficult than the gash. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/1/2023, By: IkeB
Info: Up to ROA saddle there is still a lot of snow from ROA trailhead. A few patches across the ridge but cruxes to summit are dry. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 6/24/2023, By: tjvanfossen
Info: From Navajo Lake, a few sloped snow crossings along the trail where we needed traction in the early am, but our afternoon steps were sufficient to boot it the next morning still. But traction definitely required beyond the Mt Wilson "trail" split, with continuous snow to the saddle. Then it's a mixture of loose rock and sloped snow after that. Dropping down from the false summit and getting over to the gash is a challenge given the current conditions. Pick your poison-exposed climbing on loose rock or crampons on rock, loose and steep snow, and ice. Axe and crampons highly recommended. Snowshoes not needed. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 6/19/2023, By: amitchell
Info: Props to the atv homie who chopped up the trees, we may all reach the upper trailhead for the best chances at getting the 3 in 1! Also this route was tough. The face traverse was the 2nd chossiest mountain I ever touched, the snow postholed from the start since it was so warm, and the final pitch comes off as more of a puzzle than an easy class 3 climb. Looks easy on paper, turns out to be very mentally challenging day! Also, the snow in the eldiente basin is still super full. So now that the road is opened further, you don't have to carry the skis as far, and can get a full couloir day in on eldiente with the least difficulty possible. 

Route: Rock of Ages Approach
Posted On: 6/11/2023, By: davidcoats
Info: The road to the Rock of Ages trailhead is blocked by several downed trees about 1.5 miles out. The approach itself is still covered with snow in many parts. Snowshoes were helpful for the longer stretches. Silver Pick Basin is still covered in steep, slippery snow. I was glad to have my ice axe, but definitely needed crampons, which I did not bring. Next time. I made it to just above the mining camp ruins and saw that the trail to the ridge was covered in more steep snow and decided to call it a day. On the descent I found a single snowshoe. If it is yours, send me a message with a description of it and I will mail it to you. 

Route: Up NW, Coors Face Ski
Posted On: 5/1/2023, By: slawrence2011
Info: I summited Wilson peak Saturday and Sunday from Rock of Ages. I skied the Coors face Saturday and the Northwest face Sunday. About 5 other people skied the Coors face both days, and a few others skied the NW face Saturday. Road was snowed over around last property around 9,1K, but melting fast. Skinned from the car both days, but had to take skis off for the last couple hundred yards Sunday. I have to say, now that I know what I know, please take the rock of ages trail versus the private road up to the mine, because it seems access is at risk here with recent events and private property so close, would hate to loose this. I put a skin track in that route Saturday. That route is fully covered, a bit of annoying side hilling where the road wraps around to join the upper basin. Many people skinned all the way to the ridge of the NW face, most summitted that way, a few, including myself used the hidden W facing couloir Dawson described. There are two mixed climbing cruxes in there currently, but mostly good coverage, and I successfully downclimbed it as well Sunday. Conditions were powder in the NW face Saturday, and we dug a couple snow pits and got it to release around 8 inches in isolated places of wind slab, but mostly 2 inches or less. On Sunday, the heat of Saturday and refreeze Saturday night resulted in consolidated firm snow, but not sure the freeze went all the way through, because skiing it on Sunday around 1 was a breakable crust of less than an inch, then sinking slightly under that. Others tell me skiing it Saturday was powder conditions. I dropped into Coors face around 2, which I thought would be way too late given last season when I dropped in at 10:20, it was like an hour too late. I only did it because 5 people did right in front of me, and it actually didn't sluff that bad, probably because it was more of a winter snowpack that took longer to warm, and the high was only 36. Mix between scraped off powder, some bulletproof shade sections, and slushier snow down low. The Coors face was in better than last year around this time, but it is still a harrowing entry via the ramp, everyone I saw and talked to, including me, side stepped the 500 feet entry due to many hidden rocks, down through the choke, where there was a challenging (for me) downclimb over a 3 foot exposed rock. I do remember the move last season though, and I think it is easier this season, because I remember way less snow, and being balanced on ski tip and tail, which was horrifying. Even when in the central couloir, lots of rocks, had to side step many times. The way the tracks are going now, people start to traverse out skiers left, but go down the lower chute one left of standard, then traverse back to the standard lower chute, which goes. It looks like you may be able to just go in fall line, but not tested as of end of Saturday. Also, I remember you can go way skiers left and it becomes cruiser, though someone said there is debris there now. I think if that is the best Coors face gets and there is no hope of skiing on the upper, surviving twice is good enough for me, but let me know if the upper ever becomes skiable. I think if East Face of Castle is D12, this must be around D14 or D15, since so much is unskiable and all of Castle you can at least do jump turns, but I have now other context for anything this difficult. Curious how it would compare to Crestone Needle or Little Bear, but all condition dependent I'm sure. 

Route: Rock of Ages Approach
Posted On: 2/21/2023, By: Skimo95
Info: Took the ridge direct yesterday and dealt with a broken binding on the way down. Storm will change things 12.4mi 4,900' from winter closure