|
||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wilson PeakSouthwest Ridge &July 5, 2002 & August 20, 2011
July 5, 2002
We originally planned a trip on the Durango and Silverton to climb the three Weminuche peaks but the arrival of the Missionary Ridge fire and continued dry conditions brought that plan to a dead halt. The railroad was still running through the Animas Canyon to some extent but not letting hikers off at the Needleton stop, our gateway to Needle Creek and the peaks located in its headwater basin. Rather than not climb, we implemented the back-up plan and again watched the progress of another fire, which thankfully was controlled before causing significant restrictions in the portion of the Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests that include the San Miguel peaks, a.k.a. the “Wilsons.”
We took off from Cheyenne on Friday after the 4th of July and headed for Telluride and the Silver Pick Basin. We had heard just before our departure that the Eco-Challenge would be staged out of Telluride and we hoped that we would not be sharing the Wilsons with either the participants or the media/groupie putzes that undoubtably accompany such an event. We made the long drive and decided to challenge the possibility of an Eco-head encampment by going directly to the Silverpick trailhead to see if a camp site was available. Fortunately, we found a spot (sans Eco-heads) and though the trailhead was a bit crowded with vehicles, and we soon had the tent up and a plan in place for the next day. Before then however, we had an invite to dine with a friend of Gary’s in Rico, about 25 miles south of Telluride. We had a fine dinner of lasagna and salads; the food was great, the beer cold and if you have never been to Rico, scope it out. A Colorado back road gem for sure.
The next morning we awoke at 4:15 and planned to be on the trail for Wilson Peak by five. In the back of our minds, we were nurturing the thought of a Wilsons triple play but, as the day went on, the clouds built, and the reality of actually pulling off such a climbing stunt sank in. We realized we would get Wilson Peak alone, the others would have to wait. The Silverpick road is gated at the park/camp area and it is about 3.5 miles to the Rock of Ages saddle, on the flank of Wilson Peak. The first mile or so is in the trees and then the old Silverpick mill site is reached. We passed the mill site, and a few backpacker’s tents, just before dawn and kept trudging on up that road.
After dawn, we stashed our headlamps and kept on walking. The trail just climbs and climbs, from about 10,500 feet at the start to 13,000 at the saddle and the trip to the Rock of Ages saddle took us just over two hours. Most of the road was in good shape, as in I’d be able to get my truck up it, but after the old stone bunkhouse, we crossed a small snowfield and onto the portion of the road blocked here and there by rock slides. The overall route was obvious and the trail deposited us right on the saddle with but a small touch of scree on a switchback here and there. From the saddle, we headed along solid trail traversing the mountain’s flank to the next saddle, on the ridge joining Wilson Peak and adjacent Gladstone Peak, again on solid walking trail. However, beyond the second saddle, the trail became a scramble/trail segment combination as it steadily progressed up the flank of the peak.
It took us about an hour to reach a point just below the summit where the crux of the climb requires a descent into the upper reaches of a narrow and ledgy couloir before heading up for the summit. I’d guess the climbing is class 3 but I would not want a mis-step through this stretch. The climb out of the couloir was on good rock and once atop the pitch, we simply walked upslope to the summit.
From the top, we looked out on Sneffels, the Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre, and of course, Mt. Wilson and El Diente. The idea of a triple play faded to a vague memory by this point as the ridge connecting these two peaks appeared to be a challenge even from the dsummit of Wilson Peak. In addition, a climb of one or both of the neighboring peaks would require a descent of six to eight hundred feet before starting up again toward the their summits. We scoped out the route and contemplated if we wished to again walk the Silverpick road to attempt the other mountains versus relocating our camp to Navajo Lake, via a five mile backpack and substantial circumnavigation of the massif by truck.
We left the summit and carefully crossed the top of the ledgy couloir before tracking back toward the Gladstone saddle and Rock of Ages saddle beyond. We passed multiple late starters on the way back down, some were obvious Cottoneers down to the jeans and 2 liter bottles on a string but others obviously should have known better, as the clouds started to build and darken. We made the round trip in about 7 hours and then took a ride into Telluride to find a decent burger and kill enough time to preclude a decision to relocate our camp to Navajo Lake that afternoon. We fed at a leisurely rate and hence were committed to walk up the Silverpick road the next morning, perhaps a wee bit earlier than we had for our trip up Wilson Peak August 20, 2011
|