El Diente ?

[Nelson]

Hi Guys,

Because the weather appears reasonably stable and because the avy level in the southern San Juans is now moderate I am contemplating the following:

Day 1: Hike from Dunton Road to somewhere around or above Navajo Lake (I assume Silver Pick is still closed) and camp. I plan to do this on skins (is there snow on the road?).

Day 2: Climb El Diente via North slope and ski back to camp. Depending on how everything goes, I would either spend the night or head back to Dunton Road.

I would very much appreciate any advice, suggestions or criticism from the experienced people that frequent this forum.

Thanks,

Nelson

[SkiNowWorkLater]

If you go, be sure to know what you're doing. The lower north slopes of El Diente are right in the sweet spot of pitch for avalanche activity. The top has some technical mixed scrambling. If you're skiing from the summit back down the north slope you'll encounter a short steep chute that drops you into a hanging snow field traverse above some cliffs. Once you get out of that it's smooth sailing back to the basin.

Check my blog below if you want more pictures/details. Good luck!

[Nelson]

Thanks!

That is extremely helpful. I probably won't ski from the top but rather down climb past the rocks.

Nelson

[Mark A Steiner]

February 2 I saw the Dunton Road turnoff from Colorado 145 W of Lizard Head Pass. I was heading to Maricopa County AZ at the time. There is snow on this road and everywhere else in the area. I recall there appeared to be tracks on this road, so maybe there are others driving this approach to El Diente. If you go, expect to take you time on this road.

[sgladbach]

You can start at the highway and hike the Dunton road to Dunton Meadows for a Kilpacker approach. It will be packed by snowmobiles if you go on a Sunday (after the Saturday snowmobilers have gone wild.) If you want the Navajo Basin side, Go up the West Delores road (from 12 mi north of Delores.) Follow that to Dunton. You'll be 3 miles from the Navajo Lake TH. This is what I did.

You can hike up from the Dunton side and cut across to Kilpacker . You can find a description on 14erworld in a winter Mt Wilson TR of Ken Nolan's. A traditional Kilpacker route or a modified SW route would be easier than my route (but not necessarily safer unless the Avy danger is low.)

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include

For the two Wilson's, I used the Silver Pick route (even though it was technically still closed at the time. Nobody had been within 5 miles of camp for months.)

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include

Climbing El Diente in winter is about as serious as it gets. Be Careful.

[Nelson]

Thanks, again guys for all the help. I'm coming to the conclusion that the avy situation is not as benign as I had hoped and that I should sit tight for a while.

Besides we have had 20 inches of new snow here in the Wasatch and I feel like I should stay here and enjoy it.

Nelson