Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

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Zeepe
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by Zeepe »

I just try to attempt mt wilson/El D last weekend. We were able to summit Mt Wilson on Satuday but didn't have enough time to El D. I recommend splitting it into 2 days. We were going to summit El D on Sunday but it rained heavily on Saturday night for 10 hours straight so we didn't want to risk it as the rocks are slippery. we camped little bit below the start of the boulder fields and right near the tree lines as there's a good campsite off the trail to the right. But as suggested above, there's a great camping ground next to the trail just before you cross the tiny creek right after the never ending stairs. That spot is perfect to filter water and a good central point. When you come back from Mount Wilson to the El D junction it's not that long. Good luck and I might go to El D this Sunday again if I finish the Chicago basin 4 in time!
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by HarknessHooligans »

Thank you everyone for your advice!
I have heard that traversing across that last gully before the summit to El D is pretty scary. Is it pretty slippery? Wondering how likely it would be to fall there. And are they any other scary moves I should be aware of for Mt. Wilson too?
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by MichiganBrian »

HarknessHooligans wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:09 am Thank you everyone for your advice!
I have heard that traversing across that last gully before the summit to El D is pretty scary. Is it pretty slippery? Wondering how likely it would be to fall there. And are they any other scary moves I should be aware of for Mt. Wilson too?
I found it attention grabbing, but short and manageable. A fall there would not be pleasant. If you're worried about it, carry the microspikes up and put them on for the crossing for a bit more traction.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by DeTour »

HarknessHooligans wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:09 am I have heard that traversing across that last gully before the summit to El D is pretty scary. Is it pretty slippery? Wondering how likely it would be to fall there. And are they any other scary moves I should be aware of for Mt. Wilson too?
That gully is slippery, and scary, but the good news is, you don't have to set foot in it! Instead of going through the notch shown below to cross or ascend that gully, turn directly left at the notch and ascend easy the class 3 rock rib to the summit. It's solid, easy climbing, fun, and wayyyyyy safer than that gully. You're basically climbing the rib visible in photo 24 of the El Diente South Slopes route description (second photo below).

That class 3 summit pItch takes you up to the easterly of three pinnacles that comprise the summit of El Diente. Traversing between the pinnacles has a bit of air, but the rock is solid and has great hand and foot holds, making it easy and fun. Kind of reminded me of climbing monkey bars as a kid on the school playground. (It's hard to tell which pinnacle is highest, so you have to visit all three O:) )

I did the gully the first time I climbed El D in 2008, and the rock rib my second time, in 2019. That one difference changed my view of the mountain from scary to fun. I'd really like to convince Bill to revise the El D route descriptions to recommend that rib, or at least add it as an option. (Bill you need an excuse to go back and do that route again anyway, don't you?)

As for other scary stuff on Mt. Wilson - the airy stuff on the Mt. Wilson summit ridge is well documented - but you will miss it if you take the southwest slopes ascent from Kilpacker Basin. If you do consider the traverse, I will say I found the scariest spot to be the "loose grey rock" between the Kilpacker ascent gully to El Diente, and the gendarmes. (Photos 9 and 10 in the traverse route description.) You won't find too many other people with that opinion, but that rock is stacked precariously on a steep angle. One of them actually slid out from beneath one member of our party in 2019, forcing him to literally jump off a sliding rock back onto the stable boulder he had just stepped off of. I also found the exposure and routefinding involved in crossing the gendarmes to be intense. But it's a great route - the airy fin of ridge as you approach Mt. Wilson was one of my favorite experiences on any 14er route.

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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by BKS »

I day tripped both from kilpacker without traverse. It’s a big day, not a huge day.

Mt Wilson sw slopes barely justifies a class 3 rating. More like brief 2+. On the order of kit Carson or sneffels standard. Not dangerously loose just a little tedious on endless dinner plates

El diente is harder but not in the category of the bells, pyramid or Capitol for loose, scary route finding or dangerous.

The low traverse across the dinner plates below traverse ridge line between the two peaks is long but intuitive low angle, and not scary loose.

I was surprised how quickly the camping meadow/ waterfall appeared on trail. I’m glad I daytripped it, slept at trailhead and did not carry big pack to treeline
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by Wentzl »

BKS wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:05 pm I day tripped both from kilpacker without traverse. It’s a big day, not a huge day.

Mt Wilson sw slopes barely justifies a class 3 rating. More like brief 2+. On the order of kit Carson or sneffels standard. Not dangerously loose just a little tedious on endless dinner plates

El diente is harder but not in the category of the bells, pyramid or Capitol for loose, scary route finding or dangerous.

The low traverse across the dinner plates below traverse ridge line between the two peaks is long but intuitive low angle, and not scary loose.

I was surprised how quickly the camping meadow/ waterfall appeared on trail. I’m glad I daytripped it, slept at trailhead and did not carry big pack to treeline
Hey BKS, did you summit Mt. Wilson? I only ask, because if Mt Wilson only rates as a strong 2+, you are a strong finisher and oblivious about how the rating system works.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by BKS »

Yes summited from kilpacker, but not Navajo or from traverse.

The brief final pitch is what makes it c3, but it’s like the last pitch on kit Carson from the Avenue. Easy c3 , but barely. Might be a few c3 moves in the gully system getting out of dinner plate basin. But this is not the same c3 as crestones, bells, and Chicago basin peaks.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by Wentzl »

You never found the summit of Mt. Wilson.

comparing it to Kit Carson was the dead give away.

The move to gain the summit is solid 4th class and will scare off more than half the folks on this forum.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by yaktoleft13 »

Wentzl wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:14 pm You never found the summit of Mt. Wilson.

comparing it to Kit Carson was the dead give away.

The move to gain the summit is solid 4th class and will scare off more than half the folks on this forum.
You sure about that wentzl? Because this says you're wrong: https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=mwil6
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by DaveLanders »

Wentzl wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:14 pm You never found the summit of Mt. Wilson.

comparing it to Kit Carson was the dead give away.

The move to gain the summit is solid 4th class and will scare off more than half the folks on this forum.
Wrong. It isn't necessary to make that 4th class move if you climb Mt Wilson from Kilpacker; the easiest finish approaches the summit block from the south side. My friends who did this route last year thought it was very easy class 3.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by Wentzl »

I stand corrected. Sorry for the flack. I did find a lost soul up there who could not find her way off the summit, and walked her down the "standard" route. I forgot about, having never done, that soft walk up. For a long time, Climbing Mt. Wilson meant doing the short sharp shock of a move from the saddle between ROA and Kilpacker.
Last edited by Wentzl on Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Mt. Wilson and El D from Kilpacker (no traverse)

Post by BKS »

Class 4 moves are on north side of ridge (Navajo or traverse). Not south side.

But yes I’m a bad ass. Eric (yak) can testify I can top rope 5.9 in a gym. This is a joke
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