Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

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LetsGoMets
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by LetsGoMets »

speth wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:10 am
dlloydjoneskc wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:50 am To somewhat piggyback off this thread. I am planning on doing El Diente and Mt Wilson from Kilpacker. Plan is to hike in 3 the night before and camp as high up as possible. Then get up early and do both peaks. However as I will be by myself, I don't feel super comfortable to do the traverse. Therefore, is it doable to (in one day) to go up El Diente, come down to the turnoff at 12.6 and then go get Wilson? Obviously the weather might have something to say, but is that realistic for one day?
I think doable, just depends on your level of fitness and your tolerance for suffering.
I day tripped from Kilpacker, and did them both w/o the traverse. Summited Wilson first, then came down to around 13,100' and cut straight over to the El D trail for the summit. Took me 9.5 hours truck to truck. 14 miles, ~5500 gain.
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by rijaca »

The best approach to Navajo Lake is from the Woods Lake TH....
El Diente.small.JPG
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Navajo Lake.small.jpg
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by DeTour »

I day tripped from Kilpacker, and did them both w/o the traverse. Summited Wilson first, then came down to around 13,100' and cut straight over to the El D trail for the summit. Took me 9.5 hours truck to truck. 14 miles, ~5500 gain.
You can find TRs on what it sometimes called the “low traverse,” dropping below the cliffs at ~13,400’ but not all the way back to the trail junction at 12.6. Avoids the exposure of the ridge traverse, shorter than going all the way back to the trail junction, but on nasty talus instead of trail or airy ridge. Maybe done more frequently with El Diente first.
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by Jorts »

nunns wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 11:38 am I am trying to determine if it is reasonable to camp anywhere past the trailhead on the Rock of Ages approach.
No, it's not reasonable. It's a quick approach that wouldn't be worth hauling gear. You'd be better off car camping at RoA TH.

Regarding Kilpacker being the safer route, ED's north buttress seemed fairly safe to me. Guessing it was like 4th classish. Wasn't overly loose or exposed. I'd def avoid the north slopes route though. Especially on this snowy year. I heard rocks crashing down it the whole time I was going up the buttress. And of the 3 great 14er traverses I've done, this one seemed the safest, easiest.
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by Camden7 »

By my opinion the traverse was far easier and safer than the routes on El Diente, so although it would be doable weather allowing to do what you suggested, I personally think it increases the risk to go up and down both peaks. The traverse never exceeds mid 3rd class, and only Wilson’s summit block has real exposure on difficult terrain.

Returning to the main thread, I did not see any attractive camping that is worth the effort. Private Property in Silver pick basin would be a concern as well. All three of the 14ers can be done in a reasonable day from rock of ages if you start early. Probably 12-14 hours for most parties.
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by nunns »

dlloydjoneskc wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:50 am To somewhat piggyback off this thread. I am planning on doing El Diente and Mt Wilson from Kilpacker. Plan is to hike in 3 the night before and camp as high up as possible. Then get up early and do both peaks. However as I will be by myself, I don't feel super comfortable to do the traverse. Therefore, is it doable to (in one day) to go up El Diente, come down to the turnoff at 12.6 and then go get Wilson? Obviously the weather might have something to say, but is that realistic for one day?
That is a good question that I also had. Sounds like the consensus is that the southern approach from Kilpacker is much safer, which is my primary concern.
Thanks for all of the advice.

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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by BKS »

Getting both ELD and MW from kilpacker without the traverse from the TH is a big day, not a huge day. The “low traverse” route finding is not difficult and saves some time over dropping clear to valley floor. It is just a lot of sidehilling on broken dinner plate rock. The upper basin retains snow late in season, but it’s low angle enough that traction wasn’t required in august.

It’s a good route. I haven’t gone from Navajo, but from comparisons I’ve seen, it’s safer from a rock fall perspective. The route up MW from south is barely class 3 for a very short distance
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by montanahiker »

Count me as another person looking debating how to do both ELD and MW from Kilpacker. I was thinking about doing something like the low traverse but may just do the regular traverse.
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Re: Camping on Rock of Ages Approach

Post by Briere »

Sounds like a day trip to me and I will likely do the low traverse if I am solo but if I can find someone to do it with me then do the actual traverse.
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