Mt. Wilson Trip Report 07/29/2016

Peak(s):	Mt. Wilson - 14,256 feet El Diente Peak - 14,175 feet
Date Posted:	07/29/2016
Date Climbed:	07/28/2016
Author:	Wentzl

Traverse with Descent of El Diente West Ridge
The purpose of this trip report is to suggest an alternative to the traverse between Mt. Wilson and El Diente in a long one day trip along with a suggestion for an approach to Navajo Lake that I have not seen discussed elsewhere. The bottom line is this: Anyone considering the Woods Lake approach to get into Navajo Basin should instead take a close look at the Silver Pick Basin/Elk Creek option instead. The Silver Pick trailhead was moved several years ago and it is positioned now in a perfect place for making a big loop which is described in detail in the following report. The dirty details. Started at Silver Pick trailhead, leaving the car at 8:30 a.m. Hiked up and over the Rock of Ages Pass and climbed Mt. Wilson via the North Slopes. On the summit at 1:00 p.m. Did the traverse to El Diente and then descended via West Slope route. Got to Navajo Lake at 6:00 p.m. From Navajo Lake hiked out the Woods Lake trail to the Elk Creek trail back to the Rock of Ages trail and back to the car. Return to car at 8:30 p.m. 12 hour loop. I was not making any sort of record time on this hike. This loop would work in either direction. For those not familiar with El Diente west ridge route I would suggest counterclockwise. But the hike out in the evening on the Elk Creek trail was surprisingly pleasant and after an initial 30 minute grunt up from Navajo Lake was mostly downhill and an easy grade all the way to the car. I have written about the west ridge route in another trip report. Now, as then, I add this caveat. Although the ridge is one of the finest I have climbed, the scree from Navajo Lake up to the ridge crest is one of the worst approaches ever. Plan on about an hour of misery on steep loose crap. Now, having come off the ridge, I can say it is not much more fun going down. It is just the price to pay. Getting to the ROA pass from the Silver Pick trailhead is also some work. I noticed a party below me trying to figure out the best way to get up above the stone house. Before you get to the stone house look for a faint climbers trial going directly south and straight up toward an abandoned mine. A short scramble gets you up to the good trail that traverses high above the Silver Pick Basin directly to the pass. From the pass, survey the rest of your day. The climb up Mt. Wilson is just to the right of the large snowfield in the left of the photo almost to the ridge. The ridge to El Diente and the west ridge make up the sky line in the following photo. Mt. Wilson and El D from Rock of Ages pass From the Rock of Ages saddle some elevation must be lost before the climb on Mt. Wilson begins. This can be minimized by leaving the trail to Navajo Lake early and traversing to the toe of the "Wilson Glacier" Looking back at ROA pass from lower slopes of Mt. Wilson There was no snow worth mentioning on this hike. The couple of snow patches that remained were easily crossed with only hiking shoes or avoided. From the summit, a nice view of the traverse to El Diente. The traverse to El Diente from summit of Mt. Wilson Looking down the SW slopes route into Kilpacker basin, it appeared that it was still holding enough snow to necessitate at least an axe. I did the traverse in typical fashion. Staying on the ridge to the base of the organ pipes, dropping off the ridge to the south go get around them and then regaining the ridge for the finish. Following is an image of the last 1/3 of the traverse after the ridge was regained. Back on the ridge crest looking toward El D summit after organ pipes. It was 3:00 p.m. when I reached the second summit for the day. The weather was cooperating and it was shaping up to be a very pleasant afternoon. I focused my attention on the West Ridge. This loop that I am describing would work equally well for individuals doing the traverse by starting from Silver Pick, climb Mt. Wilson and then descend El Diente via the North Slopes route. Hiking down past Navajo Lake and then up the Woods Lake/Elk Creek would be much nicer than going back up and over the 13,000' ROA pass at the end of a long day. But, if you decide to tackle the West Ridge descent, here is what you will encounter. Looking down the West Ridge of El D This would be a tricky ridge to figure out for the first time on the descent. There are two cruxes which, even though descending, require climbing short exposed sections that feel 5th class. After a short scramble off the summit the ridge presents a sharp, sustained knife edge. This knife edge is Sharp The Knife edge runs for several hundred feet with good exposure When the knife edge relents there is a steep downclimb to a shallow saddle. Climbing out from this saddle is the crux of the ridge. There are probably several options, but I found that climbing the chimney on the far south side to work well. Shortly after that is the second significant obstacle. A 12' monolith blocks easy passage and must be bypassed by some delicate moves on the north side and then regaining the ridge by a short, but stout 4th class climb. Another view of the upper part of the ridge It is very satisfying to look back up the ridge from where you had just come A look back up after the difficulties are past All of the interesting climbing is concentrated in the upper 1/3 of the ridge. Following is looking down at what remains after the fun is behind. Lower half of the ridge One last look back before dropping off into Navajo Basin The entire west ridge before dropping off toward Navajo Lake Once down in Navajo Basin it will be necessary to cross the creek before regaining the Navajo Basin trail. Sometimes I find a log across, sometimes I just wade. Either way, the crossing should be done before the creek begins its precipitous cascade about 1/4 mile from the lake. It is not difficult. After finding the trail turn West, away from the ROA pass and hike about 1/4 mile to the junction with Woods Lake trail. The view of this trail from the West Ridge looks hideously steep, but take heart. The steep part lasts only minutes and the reward is some of the most beautiful views in the San Juans. Once up off of the switchbacks on the Woods Lake trail you get a nice view of the lower end of the West Ridge and the talus slope that must be crossed. Funny thing, try as I might, I could not with any certainty track the line I took getting off this ridge. The unavoidable nastiness to access the W. Ridge The hike from the lake to the car via the Elk Creek trail took under 2 hours. By contrast, going back up and over ROA pass would have taken more than 3, closer to 4. It was also one of the prettiest hikes I know. Following are just a few images from the hike out. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Traverse with Descent of El Diente West Ridge

The purpose of this trip report is to suggest an alternative to the traverse between Mt. Wilson and El Diente in a long one day trip along with a suggestion for an approach to Navajo Lake that I have not seen discussed elsewhere. The bottom line is this: Anyone considering the Woods Lake approach to get into Navajo Basin should instead take a close look at the Silver Pick Basin/Elk Creek option instead. The Silver Pick trailhead was moved several years ago and it is positioned now in a perfect place for making a big loop which is described in detail in the following report.

The dirty details. Started at Silver Pick trailhead, leaving the car at 8:30 a.m. Hiked up and over the Rock of Ages Pass and climbed Mt. Wilson via the North Slopes. On the summit at 1:00 p.m. Did the traverse to El Diente and then descended via West Slope route. Got to Navajo Lake at 6:00 p.m. From Navajo Lake hiked out the Woods Lake trail to the Elk Creek trail back to the Rock of Ages trail and back to the car. Return to car at 8:30 p.m. 12 hour loop. I was not making any sort of record time on this hike. This loop would work in either direction. For those not familiar with El Diente west ridge route I would suggest counterclockwise. But the hike out in the evening on the Elk Creek trail was surprisingly pleasant and after an initial 30 minute grunt up from Navajo Lake was mostly downhill and an easy grade all the way to the car.

I have written about the west ridge route in another trip report. Now, as then, I add this caveat. Although the ridge is one of the finest I have climbed, the scree from Navajo Lake up to the ridge crest is one of the worst approaches ever. Plan on about an hour of misery on steep loose crap. Now, having come off the ridge, I can say it is not much more fun going down. It is just the price to pay.

Getting to the ROA pass from the Silver Pick trailhead is also some work. I noticed a party below me trying to figure out the best way to get up above the stone house. Before you get to the stone house look for a faint climbers trial going directly south and straight up toward an abandoned mine. A short scramble gets you up to the good trail that traverses high above the Silver Pick Basin directly to the pass.

From the pass, survey the rest of your day. The climb up Mt. Wilson is just to the right of the large snowfield in the left of the photo almost to the ridge. The ridge to El Diente and the west ridge make up the sky line in the following photo.

Mt. Wilson and El D from Rock of Ages pass

From the Rock of Ages saddle some elevation must be lost before the climb on Mt. Wilson begins. This can be minimized by leaving the trail to Navajo Lake early and traversing to the toe of the "Wilson Glacier"

Looking back at ROA pass from lower slopes of Mt. Wilson

There was no snow worth mentioning on this hike. The couple of snow patches that remained were easily crossed with only hiking shoes or avoided. From the summit, a nice view of the traverse to El Diente.

The traverse to El Diente from summit of Mt. Wilson

Looking down the SW slopes route into Kilpacker basin, it appeared that it was still holding enough snow to necessitate at least an axe.

I did the traverse in typical fashion. Staying on the ridge to the base of the organ pipes, dropping off the ridge to the south go get around them and then regaining the ridge for the finish. Following is an image of the last 1/3 of the traverse after the ridge was regained.

Back on the ridge crest looking toward El D summit after organ pipes.

It was 3:00 p.m. when I reached the second summit for the day. The weather was cooperating and it was shaping up to be a very pleasant afternoon. I focused my attention on the West Ridge. This loop that I am describing would work equally well for individuals doing the traverse by starting from Silver Pick, climb Mt. Wilson and then descend El Diente via the North Slopes route. Hiking down past Navajo Lake and then up the Woods Lake/Elk Creek would be much nicer than going back up and over the 13,000' ROA pass at the end of a long day.

But, if you decide to tackle the West Ridge descent, here is what you will encounter.

This would be a tricky ridge to figure out for the first time on the descent. There are two cruxes which, even though descending, require climbing short exposed sections that feel 5th class. After a short scramble off the summit the ridge presents a sharp, sustained knife edge.

The Knife edge runs for several hundred feet with good exposure

When the knife edge relents there is a steep downclimb to a shallow saddle. Climbing out from this saddle is the crux of the ridge. There are probably several options, but I found that climbing the chimney on the far south side to work well. Shortly after that is the second significant obstacle. A 12' monolith blocks easy passage and must be bypassed by some delicate moves on the north side and then regaining the ridge by a short, but stout 4th class climb.

Another view of the upper part of the ridge

It is very satisfying to look back up the ridge from where you had just come

A look back up after the difficulties are past

All of the interesting climbing is concentrated in the upper 1/3 of the ridge. Following is looking down at what remains after the fun is behind.

One last look back before dropping off into Navajo Basin

The entire west ridge before dropping off toward Navajo Lake

Once down in Navajo Basin it will be necessary to cross the creek before regaining the Navajo Basin trail. Sometimes I find a log across, sometimes I just wade. Either way, the crossing should be done before the creek begins its precipitous cascade about 1/4 mile from the lake. It is not difficult. After finding the trail turn West, away from the ROA pass and hike about 1/4 mile to the junction with Woods Lake trail. The view of this trail from the West Ridge looks hideously steep, but take heart. The steep part lasts only minutes and the reward is some of the most beautiful views in the San Juans. Once up off of the switchbacks on the Woods Lake trail you get a nice view of the lower end of the West Ridge and the talus slope that must be crossed. Funny thing, try as I might, I could not with any certainty track the line I took getting off this ridge.

The unavoidable nastiness to access the W. Ridge

The hike from the lake to the car via the Elk Creek trail took under 2 hours. By contrast, going back up and over ROA pass would have taken more than 3, closer to 4. It was also one of the prettiest hikes I know. Following are just a few images from the hike out.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

mcklarry

wildlife
8/9/2016 2:14pm

Thank you for the post and the wild life shots, and you being wild climber!
Sounds like a different path to get both mountains in one day.

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