Traverse: Gladstone Peak to Mt. Wilson?

[ChrisG]

Too bad the San Juans have only one pano raken (Half Peak).

This pano is pretty cool. Make sure you scroll to the side.

Bill, do we need to start a gas fund for you?

Good idea. I'll donate!
Colorado has what...500 - 600 13ers & 62 have been pano'd so far? Let's get 'er done!

BTW...thank you, d! All I can say is WOW.....

[geojed]

I'm not sure what the climbing difficulty rating for Gladstone Peak is (a minimum of 4, possibly? No routes for Gladstone have been added to its 13ers page), but it sure looks like a cool spot for a 360 pano!

Too bad the San Juans have only one pano raken (Half Peak). Does difficulty have anything to do with it?

I have several good panoramas for the San Juans in this TR. One from Wilson Peak, Gladstone, El Diente, and Mt Wilson. http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14273" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In this TR for Vermilion there are some more good panos too. http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14276" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisG]

I'm not sure what the climbing difficulty rating for Gladstone Peak is (a minimum of 4, possibly? No routes for Gladstone have been added to its 13ers page), but it sure looks like a cool spot for a 360 pano!

Too bad the San Juans have only one pano raken (Half Peak). Does difficulty have anything to do with it?

I have several good panoramas for the San Juans in this TR. One from Wilson Peak, Gladstone, El Diente, and Mt Wilson. http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14273" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In this TR for Vermilion there are some more good panos too. http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14276" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

WOAH...that's some fantastic photography, geo.

Bill, please forgive me for changing the subject, but I'm curious about the five 14er summits that don't have the 300' of prominence to be a ranked peak: Why are separate 14er summits such as South Elbert or "South Wilson" (14,110') not included in that list?

[geojed]

Why are separate 14er summits such as South Elbert or "South Wilson" (14,110') not included in that list?

From the peaks list page it has this note:

Peaks shown in gray do not have enough prominence to be ranked and peaks with quotes are not officially named by the USGS.

So El Diente, Cameron, North Maroon, Etc. don't have the 300' prominence but are named and generally considered to be separate peaks/summits worthy of climbing. "North Wilson", Massive Green" "East La Plata" dont have the prominence and aren't officially named.

Some of it is just tradition too since these are named peaks/summits recognized by the USGS and/or the CMC. So people feel the need/obligation to climb them and/or have them on their peak list. It's just personal preference really.

This topic has been hashed over MANY times on this forum. In the end it's kind of silly, just climb what you want and have fun doing it. That's most important!

[BillMiddlebrook]

Bill, do we need to start a gas fund for you?

I just need to spend less money on elk hunting!

[d_baker]

Bill, do we need to start a gas fund for you?

I just need to spend less money on elk hunting!

But do you have meat in the freezer?

[jared_j]

Hey everyone, here's a first class ticket to the resurrection (of this thread).

Different question - what about the ridge connecting Gladstone Peak to Wilson Peak? If I wanted to hit both in a day, this appears an aesthetic way to do it, rather than dropping into the basin. Does it go as a scramble? I don't see reports on it, presumably because folks interested in a ridgeline traverse are on the Wilson-El Diente next door.

[Rainier_Wolfcastle]

Different question - what about the ridge connecting Gladstone Peak to Wilson Peak? If I wanted to hit both in a day, this appears an aesthetic way to do it, rather than dropping into the basin. Does it go as a scramble? I don't see reports on it, presumably because folks interested in a ridgeline traverse are on the Wilson-El Diente next door.

That ridge is the "standard" route for Gladstone...albeit it is not a walk in the park. I don't know if it is possible to stay on the ridge all the way up Wilson Peak, but the std route is close...a little to the right then crosses over to be a little on the left.

[Jon Frohlich]

Different question - what about the ridge connecting Gladstone Peak to Wilson Peak? If I wanted to hit both in a day, this appears an aesthetic way to do it, rather than dropping into the basin. Does it go as a scramble? I don't see reports on it, presumably because folks interested in a ridgeline traverse are on the Wilson-El Diente next door.

There are a number of trip reports on Gladstone for the north ridge between Gladstone and Wilson Peak. The normal way to do Gladstone is to take that ridge to the summit. It goes at Class 3/4 and is very loose. The only marginally safe way is to stay very near the top of the ridge. Be wary of wobbling blocks and loose rock everywhere. Some people take one of the gullies from the basin up to the ridge but you can also take the trail up to about 13,000 on the Wilson Peak route and then do the entire ridge.

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=13803

I wouldn't say it was the most fun climb I ever did and that's an understatement.

[andrewhamilton]

If you are just looking to try out a cool looking ridge, then it could be a lot of fun. It does look pretty gnarly though! I doubt too many people have done it.

However, if your main objective is to climb Mt. Wilson and Gladstone in the same day in an efficient manner, then the "normal"? way of traversing from Mt. Wilson to Gladstone really is not that bad, and you don't drop too much further down than the lowpoint in the ridge between Mt. Wilson and Gladstone anyway. I'd be surprised if it was more than a few hundred feet. You certainly do not have to drop all the way back down into the basin.

[geojed]

See my TR, I did this traverse from WP to GP and would've gone for MW and ElD too if thunderstorms hadn't been moving in.

http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=14273" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The way to find these TR's is to search for Gladstone Peak TR's and see if WP is listed as one of the peaks climbed too.

[andrewhamilton]

Oops sorry, I see I was responding to Mt. Wilson to Gladstone, not Wilson Peak to Gladstone.