Telluride to Mount Wilson Advice

[Matgauley27]

I'm doing a 2 day backpacking trip from Telluride to Wilson Peak during mid July.
My hiking path goes from galloping goose to the road CR 63J, to Wilson Mesa trail, to lizard head and rock of ages, then I will set up camp near Navajo lake in the Navajo Basin. In the morning Ill leave and go to Wilson Peak then come back to camp and pack up. After packing up, Ill go back the same way I came. Overall, it'll be 41 miles total and the elevation gain is 8900 ft. I've gone to telluride and tried out some of the trails but I've never personally done a telluride backpacking trip. Any tips or suggestions? I submitted the gpx if anyone's interested in seeing it.

[supranihilest]

I mentioned it in your thread yesterday, but I still think you're being too ambitious. Nothing wrong with being ambitious, but safety first - overambition can lead to trouble. Keep in mind, you haven't mentioned your fitness level, so I'm going to assume average. With an overnight pack 41 miles in two days is going to be really difficult. I've hiked plenty of 20+ mile days with just a running vest and they take 10-18 hours. Add all of your backpacking gear and you're unlikely to even make it to Navajo Lake and back, let alone adding on Mount Wilson. Why not just start at the Navajo Lake trailhead instead of this longer and somewhat convoluted route from Telluride? Plenty of people do just that and it whoops their asses. If your goal is the backpack then you can just do what you can, which I think is probably only a portion your plan. If your goal is Mount Wilson then I urge you to scale things back and focus on obtaining the peak.

[Matgauley27]

I mentioned it in your thread yesterday, but I still think you're being too ambitious. Nothing wrong with being ambitious, but safety first - overambition can lead to trouble. Keep in mind, you haven't mentioned your fitness level, so I'm going to assume average. With an overnight pack 41 miles in two days is going to be really difficult. I've hiked plenty of 20+ mile days with just a running vest and they take 10-18 hours. Add all of your backpacking gear and you're unlikely to even make it to Navajo Lake and back, let alone adding on Mount Wilson. Why not just start at the Navajo Lake trailhead instead of this longer and somewhat convoluted route from Telluride? Plenty of people do just that and it whoops their asses. If your goal is the backpack then you can just do what you can, which I think is probably only a portion your plan. If your goal is Mount Wilson then I urge you to scale things back and focus on obtaining the peak.

I'm an ultra marathoner and ran a 40 miler, I also run 50-60 miles a week and do plenty of hiking in the summers. I'm not new to hiking just new to the technology.

[dwoodward13]

I mentioned it in your thread yesterday, but I still think you're being too ambitious. Nothing wrong with being ambitious, but safety first - overambition can lead to trouble. Keep in mind, you haven't mentioned your fitness level, so I'm going to assume average. With an overnight pack 41 miles in two days is going to be really difficult. I've hiked plenty of 20+ mile days with just a running vest and they take 10-18 hours. Add all of your backpacking gear and you're unlikely to even make it to Navajo Lake and back, let alone adding on Mount Wilson. Why not just start at the Navajo Lake trailhead instead of this longer and somewhat convoluted route from Telluride? Plenty of people do just that and it whoops their asses. If your goal is the backpack then you can just do what you can, which I think is probably only a portion your plan. If your goal is Mount Wilson then I urge you to scale things back and focus on obtaining the peak.

I'm an ultra marathoner and ran a 40 miler, I also run 50-60 miles a week and do plenty of hiking in the summers. I'm not new to hiking just new to the technology.

Even given this, I would say supra is right. Its a lot different to run than it is to hike at altitude with an overnight pack (this is coming from a fellow distance runner). There's a big difference between hiking and backpacking to consider too.

Saying that, also why Navajo Lake? You could camp on the east side of the ridge just as easy and be a lot more secluded and not tack on additional mileage. I wouldn't say Navajo Lake is a "must see" by Colorado alpine Lake standards. Especially not in the San Juans.

[Matgauley27]

I mentioned it in your thread yesterday, but I still think you're being too ambitious. Nothing wrong with being ambitious, but safety first - overambition can lead to trouble. Keep in mind, you haven't mentioned your fitness level, so I'm going to assume average. With an overnight pack 41 miles in two days is going to be really difficult. I've hiked plenty of 20+ mile days with just a running vest and they take 10-18 hours. Add all of your backpacking gear and you're unlikely to even make it to Navajo Lake and back, let alone adding on Mount Wilson. Why not just start at the Navajo Lake trailhead instead of this longer and somewhat convoluted route from Telluride? Plenty of people do just that and it whoops their asses. If your goal is the backpack then you can just do what you can, which I think is probably only a portion your plan. If your goal is Mount Wilson then I urge you to scale things back and focus on obtaining the peak.

I'm an ultra marathoner and ran a 40 miler, I also run 50-60 miles a week and do plenty of hiking in the summers. I'm not new to hiking just new to the technology.

Even given this, I would say supra is right. Its a lot different to run than it is to hike at altitude with an overnight pack (this is coming from a fellow distance runner). There's a big difference between hiking and backpacking to consider too.

Saying that, also why Navajo Lake? You could camp on the east side of the ridge just as easy and be a lot more secluded and not tack on additional mileage. I wouldn't say Navajo Lake is a "must see" by Colorado alpine Lake standards. Especially not in the San Juans.

I said hiking but I meant backpacking I do plenty of backpacking during the summers, the friends I go with normally do the planning of the trail and this time Im going with a new friend and Im creating the trail. I'm very confident I can do the trail, just new to using caltopo and making my own trails and wanted some advice on the trail I'm taking. And I just really like Navajo Lake.

[supranihilest]

I'm an ultra marathoner and ran a 40 miler, I also run 50-60 miles a week and do plenty of hiking in the summers. I'm not new to hiking just new to the technology.

Even given this, I would say supra is right. Its a lot different to run than it is to hike at altitude with an overnight pack (this is coming from a fellow distance runner). There's a big difference between hiking and backpacking to consider too.

Saying that, also why Navajo Lake? You could camp on the east side of the ridge just as easy and be a lot more secluded and not tack on additional mileage. I wouldn't say Navajo Lake is a "must see" by Colorado alpine Lake standards. Especially not in the San Juans.

I said hiking but I meant backpacking I do plenty of backpacking during the summers, the friends I go with normally do the planning of the trail and this time Im going with a new friend and Im creating the trail. I'm very confident I can do the trail, just new to using caltopo and making my own trails and wanted some advice on the trail I'm taking. And I just really like Navajo Lake.

I'm not talking about "the technology" or Caltopo here. I'm saying that hiking 41 miles and 9,000 vert with an overnight pack is not easy. Running a 40 miler is not the same as backpacking 40 miles. Running 50-60 miles a week is not the same as backpacking 40 miles in two days. Hiking is not the same as backpacking. Backpacking is an order of magnitude more difficult than just hiking. I applaud you for thinking big, but as someone who's literally walked the walk, I think you're thinking too big. Why not just do Mount Wilson from Navajo Lake trailhead and see how that treats you instead of jumping from basically zero (have you ever even done a 14er before? You haven't mentioned any relevant experience besides running.) to well... 40.

[Matgauley27]

Even given this, I would say supra is right. Its a lot different to run than it is to hike at altitude with an overnight pack (this is coming from a fellow distance runner). There's a big difference between hiking and backpacking to consider too.

Saying that, also why Navajo Lake? You could camp on the east side of the ridge just as easy and be a lot more secluded and not tack on additional mileage. I wouldn't say Navajo Lake is a "must see" by Colorado alpine Lake standards. Especially not in the San Juans.

I said hiking but I meant backpacking I do plenty of backpacking during the summers, the friends I go with normally do the planning of the trail and this time Im going with a new friend and Im creating the trail. I'm very confident I can do the trail, just new to using caltopo and making my own trails and wanted some advice on the trail I'm taking. And I just really like Navajo Lake.

I'm not talking about "the technology" or Caltopo here. I'm saying that hiking 41 miles and 9,000 vert with an overnight pack is not easy. Running a 40 miler is not the same as backpacking 40 miles. Running 50-60 miles a week is not the same as backpacking 40 miles in two days. Hiking is not the same as backpacking. Backpacking is an order of magnitude more difficult than just hiking. I applaud you for thinking big, but as someone who's literally walked the walk, I think you're thinking too big. Why not just do Mount Wilson from Navajo Lake trailhead and see how that treats you before instead of jumping from basically zero (have you ever even done a 14er before? You haven't mentioned any relevant experience besides running.) to well... 40.

Last summer I did the deep Creek to Clingmans dome trail in North Carolina that was about 50 miles. I've gone to Colorado many times and I've only backpacked up there a few times but I am quite confident in doing this trail. I'm not worried about being able to do it but I appreciate you trying to help me because I understand that it is difficult, but this is the trail I would like to do and I am just trying to get any advice on the trails I am taking from others experiences on them.

[jfm3]

In my experience, the Wilson Group is harder than it looks/seems. Despite appearing close from Telluride, the approaches from any direction are long and not always on great trail. The rock quality is dog crap, especially without consolidated snow cover. None of that rock is solid and it WILL come down regardless of how careful you are. I also think Mt. Wilson is one of the most intimidating 14ers by pure appearance. It just looks distant and menacing.

[seannunn]

In my experience, the Wilson Group is harder than it looks/seems. Despite appearing close from Telluride, the approaches from any direction are long and not always on great trail. The rock quality is dog crap, especially without consolidated snow cover. None of that rock is solid and it WILL come down regardless of how careful you are. I also think Mt. Wilson is one of the most intimidating 14ers by pure appearance. It just looks distant and menacing.

+1. Mount Wilson (or "Big Wilson" as my friend calls it) was one of the toughest days that I have had in the mountains, and that was after doing the 3 easy miles to Kilpacker the day before. A small part of the was taking the wrong gulley near the top. As my nephew (50+ 14ers summitted) says: "it all looks straightforward in the pictures, then you get up in it and its much harder to figure out exactly where you are. The route finding is a factor to consider.

It's your baby, and only you can decide what you want to attempt. However, I will agree with supra. I have climbed 48 of the 14ers, and finished two 50 mile races. Hiking is way harder than running per mile. Several of my 14er climbs have been harder than either 50 mile run was. Add to that the vertical gain. And no offense, but Clingmans Dome is not at altitude, which is another huge factor under any circumstances, but especially if you don't live at altitude.
Just things to consider. Whatever you decide, be safe.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO

[seannunn]

Just read your other thread. You are wanting to traverse to/from El Diente as well?
That is even more difficult, and that traverse is quite challenging (from what I hear). Lots of exposure and people have died on it.
If you pull that offi, I guess maybe if you are completely shot after the traverse and descent of those 2 mountains on day 2, you can camp at your campsite and hike out on day 3.
Have fun. Be safe.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO