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This was my first attempt of El Diente and my sixth fourteener. I hope my report will help others by adding some crucial information that I didn't see in other reports. I'd start out by saying the trail is relatively flat and very easy to follow until you reach the never ending talus field. There are several stream crossings before you exit the forest, but only the last one is a challenge keeping water from getting in over the tops of your boots. You do get some stunning views when you exit the forest.
View of El Diente (on left) as you exit the forest.
The trail becomes faint and then simply disappears. That wouldn't have been a problem if I had known where to hike and how far to hike before turning left to start my ascent of the summit. I made the mistake of staying too high in the talus field. Trying to pick my way through the larger talus was very time consuming.
Large talus. Don't repeat my mistake!
You should stay much lower where the rocks in the talus field are smaller and much easier to negotiate. Your pace slows considerably as you tediously pick your way through the talus. There is a small band of bushes in the middle of the talus field. You should keep below them to stay out of the large talus. You'll also see the Kilpacker creek waterfall on your right.
Kilpacker creek waterfall viewed from about 200 feet above.
Your path should be roughly parallel and within 50-75 yards of Kilpacker creek. My next mistake was turning left when I was about even with the waterfall. In talking with others who were coming down from the summit, I learned that the left turn shouldn't be made until far past the waterfall. I decided to head back to the trailhead at that point as the other hikers said there were two snowfields that had to be negotiated on your way to the summit and I had no crampons. So in summary, stay low and don't turn left until you are well past the waterfalls.
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