Wilson Peak Trip Report 08/17/2015

Peak(s):	Wilson Peak - 14,021 feet Mt. Sneffels - 14,155 feet
Date Posted:	08/17/2015
Date Climbed:	08/15/2015
Author:	nathanc
Additional Members:	Paul_Robert

A Case of the Sneffels
Snef.fels (n.) A condition characterized by overwhelming delight at the beauty of the Colorado mountains and/or melancholy at having to leave this state, so called because of the sob-like symptoms often observed accompanying it. Most often observed in the San Juan range, especially the region around Yankee Boy Basin. Two summers ago, when my friend Paul (Paul_Robert) invited me on my first 14er climb (San Luis Peak, of all places!), I thought of it merely as a challenge to accomplish, something to prove I could do. I had no idea of the incredible beauty I would witness in God's creation while pursuing these summits. My occasional hiking trips turned out to be not only a satisfying workout for my body, but a source of refreshment, inspiration, and restoration for my mind and soul too. I fell in love with the mountains, and I will miss them terribly when I have to move to the east coast later this month. So it was fitting that my last 14er expedition before I leave Colorado also took place with Paul and in the San Juans. Our plan was to climb Wilson Peak, Paul's last remaining San Juan 14er, on Friday, then drive to Yankee Boy Basin and climb Mt. Sneffels by the Southwest Ridge route on Saturday. After a leisurely drive from Denver, we arrived at Rock of Ages trailhead late Thursday afternoon, just as the afternoon thundershowers unleashed upon the area. After waiting for the rain to stop, we set up camp in a lovely spot next to Big Bear Creek, about a mile from the trailhead. Since the forecast called for a good chance of storms as early as noon, we made an early start on Friday to give ourselves plenty of time to complete the climb and get down safely if the weather turned bad. We left Rock of Ages trailhead at 4:25 am under clear, cool skies. On our way up Silver Pick Basin, we marveled at the fine mist of light spread across the sky by the Milky Way, sprinkled with the last of the Perseid meteors streaking past every few minutes. The trail was well-signed and easy to follow as it turned along various mining roads. As we neared the Silver Pick Mine, the first rays of the sun touched the hills below us. Sunrise from 12,600' in Silver Pick Basin We reached Rock of Ages Saddle at 7:00 and took a break for breakfast. From there it was a class 2 scamper up to the small saddle between Wilson and Gladstone Peaks at 13,350', where we finally broke into the sun. Starting up Wilson's southwest ridge, we opted to scramble directly along the ledges rather than descending the steep dirt slope to reach easier terrain (which was still snow-covered even in mid-August). The scrambling was fun and not too hard, but there were a few narrow, exposed corners. After the ledges, we hiked up the right side of the ridge on (thankfully!) solid scree and dirt to the false summit at 13,900'. Traversing up the north slopes of Wilson Peak, with Gladstone and Mt. Wilson in the background From the false summit, the final pitch to the summit looked intimidating, and we took a few minutes to plan our route. The easiest path turns out to be an almost perfectly straight line down about 30 feet, across some ledges with mild exposure to the left, and up the right side of a narrow gully (see photo below). The entry point into this gully was marked with a nice cairn sporting bright pink tape. The rock was solid and offered plenty of hand- and footholds. Once we regained the summit ridge, it was an easy and exhilarating scramble to the summit! We topped out just after 9:00. The final pitch, seen from the false summit Paul scrambling up the class 3 pitch Since the sky was still virtually cloudless, we spent a good hour and a half on the summit enjoying the views in all directions. Surprisingly, we had this incredible mountain all to ourselves! Wilson Peak summit panorama, from NW (left) to SW (right). 14ers visible are Sneffels (left-center), Needle Mtns (right-cente Thanks to the solid footing, the descent was relatively painless, and we continued to soak up lots of sunshine. Looking back at Wilson Peak from 11,500' in Silver Pick Basin After driving back across the Dallas Divide to Ouray, we headed up County Road 26 to scout out Yankee Boy Basin for Saturday's hike. Once there, however, we made two disheartening discoveries. First, Paul's Highlander would not be able to traverse a heavily eroded spot in the road just below the lower trailhead, forcing us to start from lower than we had hoped. Second, camping is not allowed anywhere on County Road 26 except for the two small National Forest campgrounds, both of which were already full. Our search for a nearby campsite proved futile, and we ended up pitching our tent at Dexter Creek trailhead, a few miles outside of Ouray on County Road 14. Nevertheless, God's grace continued to shine through in his creation, and we were treated to a glorious sunset. A Colorado sunset We awoke early again on Saturday morning, and after quickly taking down camp and driving back to Yankee Boy Basin, we set out at 5:05 am from about half a mile below the lower trailhead. We followed the road as it switchbacked through wildflower meadows we planned to photograph in all their glory on the way down. We reached the upper trailhead by 6:30, just as the sunrise hit the tops of the surrounding peaks. Sunrise at 12,000' in Yankee Boy Basin Leaving the upper trailhead just after sunrise Shortly beyond the upper trailhead, we split off from the standard route to follow the trail which climbed gently to Blue Lakes Pass. Sneffels' southwest ridge from 12,800', just below Blue Lakes Pass The pass rewarded us with a view of the namesake Blue Lakes, backed by Dallas Peak, to the west, with the Wilson Group rising beyond them on the horizon. Looking north, we could see our route up Sneffels' southwest ridge above us. It was an easy talus scamper up the first few gullies to the little notch at 13,500. After dropping down into the gully, we caught up to Chris and Amanda, a couple who had left the upper trailhead just ahead of us. Chris had dropped his camera in the gully and had just retrieved it, unharmed, from a patch of loose scree. Staying to the left side of the gully, we were able to avoid the worst of the scree as we ascended. At the top of this gully, the steep pitch leading into the next gully to the right proved to be the crux of the route, as a chockstone blocked the center of the gully. We found the easiest option to be to climb around the chockstone on the left wall of the gully, where a few small footholds formed a sort of staircase (see photo below and compare to photo #26 in the route description). Looking back down on the crux of the route in the gully From here, one final gully led past the "Kissing Camels" formation and back to the ridge. Paul and I attempted to traverse to the right around the first bump on the ridge, as suggested in the route description, but found ourselves in a disturbingly loose patch of scree. As every foothold I tried began to slide beneath me, I frantically searched for anything solid to anchor myself on. After several moments of panic, I was able to gain firm enough footing to climb back to the ridge crest. This bizarre situation seemed like a metaphor for in life, as we search for something dependable enough that we can base our life on it without having it fail us at the crucial moment. I thought of the line from the old hymn that says, "On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." Just then, Chris and Amanda appeared from the left, having scrambled straight up the rocky bump with no apparent difficulty. Back on solid ground, we traversed up and to the right, staying just below the ridge crest. Climbing the ridge near 13,800', with rugged Dallas Peak as backdrop As we neared the summit, we came across a climber who had panicked on the most exposed section of the ridge crest, where it was only a couple feet wide, with a significant drop on both sides. Lying facedown, she was too scared to move in any direction. I climbed past her and turned around to face her. Now with climbers supporting her on both sides, she was able to work her way past the narrow spot to a ledge where she could sit down. After catching her breath for a minute, she made it to the summit shortly after us--way to go! As a note, Paul was able to find a route which stayed below and to the right of the ridge crest the whole way and avoided the most exposed section, so that might be a better option for those with a fear of heights. We made the summit around 9:35am. As expected, the views were spectacular, and we chatted with several other parties who were up there too. On the summit We decided against downclimbing the Southwest Ridge and instead descended the standard route. The notch at the top of the gully was a bit of a bottleneck, as there were multiple parties both ascending and descending, and the notch can only accommodate one climber at a time. I was surprised this move was not rated class 3 outright. Once we reached Scree Col at the bottom of the gully, we ascended a little ways up the other side of the col to a rocky outcropping with a dramatic view of Yankee Boy Basin. Panorama of Yankee Boy Basin from the rock pinnacles just east of Scree Col Anytime your route takes you past a place called Scree Col, it's generally not a good sign! The descent from here was certainly no fun. By sticking to the large talus whenever possible, I was able to avoid most of the loose stuff and keep my boots generally free of the pebbles that are the bane of scree descents. Back in Yankee Boy Basin, we immersed ourselves in the lush carpets of wildflowers just below the upper trailhead. A look back at Sneffels from 12,200' in Yankee Boy Basin The basin was a nature photographer's paradise, and I contemplated making a calendar consisting of images of Indian paintbrush from this hike alone! We spent over a hour enjoying the wildflowers from every angle we could think of. Wildflower fields unlike anything I've ever seen Not wanting to drive all the way back to Dexter Creek, we stayed that night in one of the cart-in sites at Ridgway State Park. On our way back to Denver on Sunday, we checked out Black Canyon of the Gunnison, from which we could look not only down the dizzying drop into the canyon but back across the Uncompahgre Valley to the majestic Sneffels Range where we had been the day before. View east from Tomichi Point in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP One last look at Sneffels on the horizon, seen from Warner Point in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP Climbing 14ers has stirred up many desires in my soul, some of which I didn't know I had. Above all, they have inspired me to make music and to worship God, which are the best ways I can think of to respond to such spectacular beauty. Thus, I will end this report by quoting the 18th-century songwriter Isaac Watts: "I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies. There's not a plant or flower below but makes Thy glories known, And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Thy throne. Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed wherever I turn my eyes, If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the skies! While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care, And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there." Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

A Case of the Sneffels

Snef.fels (n.) A condition characterized by overwhelming delight at the beauty of the Colorado mountains and/or melancholy at having to leave this state, so called because of the sob-like symptoms often observed accompanying it. Most often observed in the San Juan range, especially the region around Yankee Boy Basin.

Two summers ago, when my friend Paul (Paul_Robert) invited me on my first 14er climb (San Luis Peak, of all places!), I thought of it merely as a challenge to accomplish, something to prove I could do. I had no idea of the incredible beauty I would witness in God's creation while pursuing these summits. My occasional hiking trips turned out to be not only a satisfying workout for my body, but a source of refreshment, inspiration, and restoration for my mind and soul too. I fell in love with the mountains, and I will miss them terribly when I have to move to the east coast later this month. So it was fitting that my last 14er expedition before I leave Colorado also took place with Paul and in the San Juans.

Our plan was to climb Wilson Peak, Paul's last remaining San Juan 14er, on Friday, then drive to Yankee Boy Basin and climb Mt. Sneffels by the Southwest Ridge route on Saturday. After a leisurely drive from Denver, we arrived at Rock of Ages trailhead late Thursday afternoon, just as the afternoon thundershowers unleashed upon the area. After waiting for the rain to stop, we set up camp in a lovely spot next to Big Bear Creek, about a mile from the trailhead.

Since the forecast called for a good chance of storms as early as noon, we made an early start on Friday to give ourselves plenty of time to complete the climb and get down safely if the weather turned bad. We left Rock of Ages trailhead at 4:25 am under clear, cool skies. On our way up Silver Pick Basin, we marveled at the fine mist of light spread across the sky by the Milky Way, sprinkled with the last of the Perseid meteors streaking past every few minutes. The trail was well-signed and easy to follow as it turned along various mining roads. As we neared the Silver Pick Mine, the first rays of the sun touched the hills below us.

Sunrise from 12,600' in Silver Pick Basin

We reached Rock of Ages Saddle at 7:00 and took a break for breakfast. From there it was a class 2 scamper up to the small saddle between Wilson and Gladstone Peaks at 13,350', where we finally broke into the sun. Starting up Wilson's southwest ridge, we opted to scramble directly along the ledges rather than descending the steep dirt slope to reach easier terrain (which was still snow-covered even in mid-August). The scrambling was fun and not too hard, but there were a few narrow, exposed corners. After the ledges, we hiked up the right side of the ridge on (thankfully!) solid scree and dirt to the false summit at 13,900'.

Traversing up the north slopes of Wilson Peak, with Gladstone and Mt. Wilson in the background

From the false summit, the final pitch to the summit looked intimidating, and we took a few minutes to plan our route. The easiest path turns out to be an almost perfectly straight line down about 30 feet, across some ledges with mild exposure to the left, and up the right side of a narrow gully (see photo below). The entry point into this gully was marked with a nice cairn sporting bright pink tape. The rock was solid and offered plenty of hand- and footholds. Once we regained the summit ridge, it was an easy and exhilarating scramble to the summit! We topped out just after 9:00.

The final pitch, seen from the false summit

Since the sky was still virtually cloudless, we spent a good hour and a half on the summit enjoying the views in all directions. Surprisingly, we had this incredible mountain all to ourselves!

Wilson Peak summit panorama, from NW (left) to SW (right). 14ers visible are Sneffels (left-center), Needle Mtns (right-cente

Thanks to the solid footing, the descent was relatively painless, and we continued to soak up lots of sunshine.

Looking back at Wilson Peak from 11,500' in Silver Pick Basin

After driving back across the Dallas Divide to Ouray, we headed up County Road 26 to scout out Yankee Boy Basin for Saturday's hike. Once there, however, we made two disheartening discoveries. First, Paul's Highlander would not be able to traverse a heavily eroded spot in the road just below the lower trailhead, forcing us to start from lower than we had hoped. Second, camping is not allowed anywhere on County Road 26 except for the two small National Forest campgrounds, both of which were already full. Our search for a nearby campsite proved futile, and we ended up pitching our tent at Dexter Creek trailhead, a few miles outside of Ouray on County Road 14. Nevertheless, God's grace continued to shine through in his creation, and we were treated to a glorious sunset.

We awoke early again on Saturday morning, and after quickly taking down camp and driving back to Yankee Boy Basin, we set out at 5:05 am from about half a mile below the lower trailhead. We followed the road as it switchbacked through wildflower meadows we planned to photograph in all their glory on the way down. We reached the upper trailhead by 6:30, just as the sunrise hit the tops of the surrounding peaks.

Leaving the upper trailhead just after sunrise

Shortly beyond the upper trailhead, we split off from the standard route to follow the trail which climbed gently to Blue Lakes Pass.

Sneffels' southwest ridge from 12,800', just below Blue Lakes Pass

The pass rewarded us with a view of the namesake Blue Lakes, backed by Dallas Peak, to the west, with the Wilson Group rising beyond them on the horizon. Looking north, we could see our route up Sneffels' southwest ridge above us. It was an easy talus scamper up the first few gullies to the little notch at 13,500. After dropping down into the gully, we caught up to Chris and Amanda, a couple who had left the upper trailhead just ahead of us. Chris had dropped his camera in the gully and had just retrieved it, unharmed, from a patch of loose scree. Staying to the left side of the gully, we were able to avoid the worst of the scree as we ascended.

At the top of this gully, the steep pitch leading into the next gully to the right proved to be the crux of the route, as a chockstone blocked the center of the gully. We found the easiest option to be to climb around the chockstone on the left wall of the gully, where a few small footholds formed a sort of staircase (see photo below and compare to photo #26 in the route description).

Looking back down on the crux of the route in the gully

From here, one final gully led past the "Kissing Camels" formation and back to the ridge. Paul and I attempted to traverse to the right around the first bump on the ridge, as suggested in the route description, but found ourselves in a disturbingly loose patch of scree. As every foothold I tried began to slide beneath me, I frantically searched for anything solid to anchor myself on. After several moments of panic, I was able to gain firm enough footing to climb back to the ridge crest. This bizarre situation seemed like a metaphor for in life, as we search for something dependable enough that we can base our life on it without having it fail us at the crucial moment. I thought of the line from the old hymn that says, "On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." Just then, Chris and Amanda appeared from the left, having scrambled straight up the rocky bump with no apparent difficulty. Back on solid ground, we traversed up and to the right, staying just below the ridge crest.

Climbing the ridge near 13,800', with rugged Dallas Peak as backdrop

As we neared the summit, we came across a climber who had panicked on the most exposed section of the ridge crest, where it was only a couple feet wide, with a significant drop on both sides. Lying facedown, she was too scared to move in any direction. I climbed past her and turned around to face her. Now with climbers supporting her on both sides, she was able to work her way past the narrow spot to a ledge where she could sit down. After catching her breath for a minute, she made it to the summit shortly after us--way to go! As a note, Paul was able to find a route which stayed below and to the right of the ridge crest the whole way and avoided the most exposed section, so that might be a better option for those with a fear of heights. We made the summit around 9:35am. As expected, the views were spectacular, and we chatted with several other parties who were up there too.

We decided against downclimbing the Southwest Ridge and instead descended the standard route. The notch at the top of the gully was a bit of a bottleneck, as there were multiple parties both ascending and descending, and the notch can only accommodate one climber at a time. I was surprised this move was not rated class 3 outright. Once we reached Scree Col at the bottom of the gully, we ascended a little ways up the other side of the col to a rocky outcropping with a dramatic view of Yankee Boy Basin.

Panorama of Yankee Boy Basin from the rock pinnacles just east of Scree Col

Anytime your route takes you past a place called Scree Col, it's generally not a good sign! The descent from here was certainly no fun. By sticking to the large talus whenever possible, I was able to avoid most of the loose stuff and keep my boots generally free of the pebbles that are the bane of scree descents. Back in Yankee Boy Basin, we immersed ourselves in the lush carpets of wildflowers just below the upper trailhead.

A look back at Sneffels from 12,200' in Yankee Boy Basin

The basin was a nature photographer's paradise, and I contemplated making a calendar consisting of images of Indian paintbrush from this hike alone! We spent over a hour enjoying the wildflowers from every angle we could think of.

Wildflower fields unlike anything I've ever seen

Not wanting to drive all the way back to Dexter Creek, we stayed that night in one of the cart-in sites at Ridgway State Park. On our way back to Denver on Sunday, we checked out Black Canyon of the Gunnison, from which we could look not only down the dizzying drop into the canyon but back across the Uncompahgre Valley to the majestic Sneffels Range where we had been the day before.

View east from Tomichi Point in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

One last look at Sneffels on the horizon, seen from Warner Point in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Climbing 14ers has stirred up many desires in my soul, some of which I didn't know I had. Above all, they have inspired me to make music and to worship God, which are the best ways I can think of to respond to such spectacular beauty. Thus, I will end this report by quoting the 18th-century songwriter Isaac Watts:

"I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.
There's not a plant or flower below but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Thy throne.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed wherever I turn my eyes,
If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the skies!
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care,
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there."

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

jmjr2k	Heaven on Earth 8/17/2015 5:06pm Great, inspirational, write up on a couple of beautiful peaks in the San Juan’s! We climbed Sneffels a couple of weeks ago, and I continue finding myself going back through our pictures to remind myself of the beauty of God’s creation there! Excellent pictures too!
Bill Oliver	Times, snowfield 8/17/2015 5:28pm Nathan – thanks for the very helpful trip report, and congrats on two gnarly climbs. I’m aiming to climb Wilson Pk this Friday. You only gave the TH start time and the time at the RoA saddle. Can you tell me what time you reached the summit, and the time from the summit descent back to the TH? Regarding the snowfield you avoided by "scrambling directly along the ledges," how extensive was it, and would micro–spikes and ice axe be suggested on it? Loved your poem at the end, which I don’t recall ever seeing before. I suppose it’s a hymn. Can you give me the name? Thanks so much. Sorry you’ll be moving to the east coast, but I’m sure you can find some gnarly adventuring out there. All the best, Bill Oliver
nathanc	Re: Times, snowfield 8/17/2015 7:57pm Bill – Sorry, I forgot to mention the summit time. I’ve edited the TR to include it now. Our times were 4 1/2 hours ascending, 1 1/2 hours on the summit, and 3 1/2 hours descending. The snowfield was not large but it did slope a bit. I’m guessing it would be soft enough this time of year that you wouldn’t need traction, but I can’t say for sure, having passed well above it. If you were willing to lose another 100’ or so of elevation, you could probably bypass it entirely. Mostly we were deterred by the steep dirt slope leading down to it from the saddle. The hymn is just called "I Sing the Mighty Power of God" by Isaac Watts. Thanks!
Gene913	Favorite 8/18/2015 1:44pm Nathan – Sneffels SW Ridge route is a favorite of mine also. The down climb of the ridge was just as fun as the ascent. God’s power, grace, and majesty is so evident in creation. peace and grace. Gene
BethL	Sneffels camping questions 8/16/2016 11:46am I'm heading down to Sneffels this week and am researching camping options. I was bummed to read your post about limited camping at the National Forest campgrounds. Do you recall how far up the road the campgrounds were on the way to the lower trailhead? I'm trying to determine if it is even worth checking them out to see whether or not their full, or just look for camping elsewhere. What day of the week were you looking to camp at Sneffels? Thanks for the report!
nathanc	Worth checking 8/16/2016 9:18pm The campgrounds are just a couple of miles up the road from Ouray, but they're still worth checking out because they're the closest established campgrounds to the trailhead. We were there on a Saturday afternoon too, which didn't help. Have a great trip; the wildflowers should be beautiful this time of year!

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