Mt. Wilson

Route: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
Posted On: 8/20/2024, By: climbingyogi
Info: Completed the El Diente - Mt. Wilson traverse on Saturday, 8/17 from Kilpacker Basin. I was surprised at how many parties were out that day (although maybe I shouldn't have been, given the previous weekends' rainfest). I thought the trail was really easy to follow up El Diente and the traverse took us about 2 hours. I was a little nervous about this traverse because I'd heard about all of the loose rock - but I found almost all of the rock during the scrambling sections felt pretty solid. Think I only initially touched one loose hand hold all day. The SW slopes coming off Mt. Wilson were pretty easy too. I'm not actually sure why this is listed as class 3 instead of class 2, because I don't recall any scrambling on the descent. The whole day took us 11 hours car to car, but we probably could've done it in 10 hours. PSA/request: Please don't smoke cigarettes on peaks where others can't escape your secondhand smoke (for example: on a class 4 traverse). Bring a vape pen or something if you absolutely need to and be considerate of others. K, thanks. 

Route: Navajo Lake Approach
Posted On: 7/29/2024, By: Dbearie
Info: Did all three from Navajo Lake. Everything was very dry and the trail finding was straight forward. While on the traverse I found some poles about a hundred feet down scattered throughout a gully. I was the first one up and it didn't look like they were stashed so i decided to pick them up (less litter the better). The couloir was on the Navajo lake side so i'm assuming it wasn't apart of the recent accident. I left them at the trail junction when I went for Wilson Peak and they still hadn't been claimed. If these are yours or you dropped them in the winter let me know, looks like a his and hers set, marmots definitely got to em. 

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 7/29/2024, By: mspin99
Info: For those looking to do both El Diente and Mt. Wilson the same day and not doing the "Great Traverse," found a lower traverse with a couple I ran into at 13,100' that saves a few hundred feet from going down to the turn-off. I haven't seen much on this 'lower traverse' outside of mention of it by WildWanderer on one of her trip reports (I think she was going the other way though if I remember correctly). Either way, probably easiest to accomplish from El Diente to Mt Wilson. Once you are below the cliffs with the black water marks, just follow the path of least resistance at around 13,100' until you get to a loose scree gully that is no more than 15-20 feet. Once you get down that, the Mt. Wilson route and some cairns are right in front of you. As for current conditions, no snow issues on either route. Mt. Wilson snowfields are totally avoidable. Just check every handhold and foot placement on these peaks (particularly Mt. Wilson) -- everything is loose. 

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 7/18/2024, By: dmckeever
Info: Got on the peak by 9:00 am. What snow there was was avoidable though still quite hard. No traction necessary. Enjoy! 

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 7/15/2024, By: Abowser7
Info: Summited Wilson on 7/13. Massive snowfields from about 13,000 to 13,800. I brought crampons and had no issue. I think spikes are absolutely necessary at the minimum. No snow on any class 3 sections. Lots of loose rock on the scree field. Started at 4:15, summited at 10:00, back to the car at 3:00. 

Route: Kilpacker Approach
Posted On: 7/7/2024, By: TSTEIN
Info: Attempted Mt. Wilson via Kilpacker. Did not take any traction with me. Snow was slick ice in the early morning. I tried avoiding the snow/ice by taking some rough/sketchy routes but it kept getting worse the higher I got, I had to turn back. Might have been manageable with micro-spikes, but crampons would be even better. After I turned back, the sun came out and softened up the snow making it much more manageable. Might have been able to navigate the snow later in the day? 

Route: Southwest Slopes
Posted On: 7/4/2024, By: sfreytag
Info: Lots of snow on this route in contrast with El Diente. Before ice on snow melts crampons and axe are definitely required. Later in the day microspikes are fine but that axe would still be handy for the endless gliassade opportunities. You can rock hop a bunch but there are still steep crossings you'd have to navigate. If you wanted you could have a continuous snow climb from 13k to 13.8k. Seems preferable over dealing with the loose rocks that move with every step. 

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: 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: 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.