Brian Kalet - Aug 21, 2006 4:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2006
Traverse from El Diente
12 hours roundtrip from Navajo Lake TH. Trip Report
pjenson05 - Aug 17, 2006 3:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2006
Exposure was Exciting at the Least
Planned to do the traverse over to El Diente, but clouds, rain, and storms chased us off. The last 100 feet was exciting. If that doesn't make your heart beat, you have to be dead. Awesome climb in the clouds.
CODave - Aug 12, 2006 5:32 am Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2006
Traverse from El Diente
Awesome traverse, took us 2.25 hrs from summit to summit. Started w/ El Diente from Navajo Basin, traversed to Mt. Wilson, then traversed in talus below Gladstone up to Gladstone-Wilson Peak saddle and then on to Wilson Peak. Descended and left camp. 15 hr day camp to TH.
Bailed on the traverse from El Diente the previous day because of the weather. I did not have enough food for a second day so I hiked back to the car to re-supply and went the next day. A challenging and fun route. Bring your ice axe.
Mountain Jim - Mar 20, 2006 2:33 am Date Climbed: Aug 27, 1969
From El Diente
Did the connecting ridge from El Diente solo, in a storm ... wouldn't recommend following my example ... pretty damn stupid.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:16 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 1997
Standard Route
We attemted the traverse to El Diente, but had to bail because of weather. Beautiful early-season conditions.
Route Climbed: North Slopes from Navajo Lake Date Climbed: July 10, 2004
We climbed this route taking a variation off the Northern Rib route next to Navajo Glacier at 13000' by traversing west onto a 35 degree snowfield that steepened and approached 40 degrees near our exit onto another small rock rib. Then we climbed the snow couloir west of that rock rib continuously to the notch below the saddle. This couloir gradually steepend to 52 degrees near the top. Crampons and axe were mandatory for safe climbing on the perfect snow. The scramble to the actual summit was easier than we expected and we reached the summit at 11:00 am.
There were two people on top that we followed to the first saddle west of the notch and watched them strap on their skis and make perfect turns down the north facing couloir.
We continued along the ridge to El Diente, the route taking us three hours from summit to summit. The route finding on the ridge was fairly easy, cairns marking the route under the western points that needed a downclimb on the south side. Overall an excellent climb, but probably the hardest climb I've done to date. Not recommended for climbers without experience and equipment for steep snow.
Route Climbed: North Face via Navajo Lake Date Climbed: July 2004
This one was a fun peak - and I thought it was easier than El Diente, but that's just me. The last 150 feet were a blast! College students aren't supposed to wake up at 4:30 in the morning.........but we did. Though it paid off because we beat the storms! Great views!
Route Climbed: Ridge Traverse Date Climbed: 15 Aug 2004
Traversed from El Diente, took somewhat less than two hours. Exposure wasn't as bad nor climbing as difficult as its reputation. There were no moves as hard or as exposed as the final ridge climb to Mt. Wilson's summit on the traverse. Still, it was a lot of fun!! Mt. Wilson's summit is the best I've been on in the San Juans!!
Route Climbed: Traverse from El Diente Date Climbed: July 17, 2003
After an awsome climb up El Diente's west ridge we had an awsome traverse to Mount Wilson. The traverse was alot of fun with some great clmbing along the way. The final approach to the summit involved some great class 4 climbing and my climbing partner and I actually went separate ways climbing different lines to the summit. We were able to glissade almost the entire way down to upper Navajo Basin. Snow was perfect for standing glissade.
Wow...there was quite a bit of snow near the top of this mountain...so the final moves were rather difficult. The mountain looks pretty daunting from the 13,000 foot saddle near Wilson Peak...but it is not as bad as it looks...just watch out for snow on top...as that was pretty risky for me...
Brian Kalet - Aug 21, 2006 4:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2006
Traverse from El Diente12 hours roundtrip from Navajo Lake TH. Trip Report
pjenson05 - Aug 17, 2006 3:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2006
Exposure was Exciting at the LeastPlanned to do the traverse over to El Diente, but clouds, rain, and storms chased us off. The last 100 feet was exciting. If that doesn't make your heart beat, you have to be dead. Awesome climb in the clouds.
CODave - Aug 12, 2006 5:32 am Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2006
Traverse from El DienteAwesome traverse, took us 2.25 hrs from summit to summit. Started w/ El Diente from Navajo Basin, traversed to Mt. Wilson, then traversed in talus below Gladstone up to Gladstone-Wilson Peak saddle and then on to Wilson Peak. Descended and left camp. 15 hr day camp to TH.
seth@LOKI - Jul 26, 2006 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 1995
Croosed El Diente in 45 minutes, not runningHard part was crossing the Boulders back to Navajo Basin.
km_donovan - Apr 28, 2006 5:58 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2005
Route Climbed: Kilpacker BasinBailed on the traverse from El Diente the previous day because of the weather. I did not have enough food for a second day so I hiked back to the car to re-supply and went the next day. A challenging and fun route. Bring your ice axe.
Mountain Jim - Mar 20, 2006 2:33 am Date Climbed: Aug 27, 1969
From El DienteDid the connecting ridge from El Diente solo, in a storm ... wouldn't recommend following my example ... pretty damn stupid.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:16 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 1997
Standard RouteWe attemted the traverse to El Diente, but had to bail because of weather. Beautiful early-season conditions.
LS - Dec 26, 2005 4:48 pm
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: 07-sep-2005See the trip-report here: http://distantpeak.com/web/mountains/n-america/mount_wilson
Andinistaloco - Sep 14, 2005 1:31 am
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: 2000?Fun climb and a neat little bit of scrambling up top. Great views of the area!
doumall - Jul 13, 2005 2:00 pm
Route Climbed: North Slopes via Navajo Lake Date Climbed: July 10, 2005Summited with ColoradoScott. Nice introduction to 50+ degree snow.
ColoradoScott - Jul 12, 2005 12:31 pm
Route Climbed: North Slopes from Navajo Lake Date Climbed: July 10, 2004We climbed this route taking a variation off the Northern Rib route next to Navajo Glacier at 13000' by traversing west onto a 35 degree snowfield that steepened and approached 40 degrees near our exit onto another small rock rib. Then we climbed the snow couloir west of that rock rib continuously to the notch below the saddle. This couloir gradually steepend to 52 degrees near the top. Crampons and axe were mandatory for safe climbing on the perfect snow. The scramble to the actual summit was easier than we expected and we reached the summit at 11:00 am.
There were two people on top that we followed to the first saddle west of the notch and watched them strap on their skis and make perfect turns down the north facing couloir.
We continued along the ridge to El Diente, the route taking us three hours from summit to summit. The route finding on the ridge was fairly easy, cairns marking the route under the western points that needed a downclimb on the south side. Overall an excellent climb, but probably the hardest climb I've done to date. Not recommended for climbers without experience and equipment for steep snow.
sbkelley - Sep 9, 2004 1:00 am
Route Climbed: North Face via Navajo Lake Date Climbed: July 2004This one was a fun peak - and I thought it was easier than El Diente, but that's just me. The last 150 feet were a blast! College students aren't supposed to wake up at 4:30 in the morning.........but we did. Though it paid off because we beat the storms! Great views!
bc44caesar - Aug 16, 2004 12:25 am
Route Climbed: Ridge Traverse Date Climbed: 15 Aug 2004Traversed from El Diente, took somewhat less than two hours. Exposure wasn't as bad nor climbing as difficult as its reputation. There were no moves as hard or as exposed as the final ridge climb to Mt. Wilson's summit on the traverse. Still, it was a lot of fun!! Mt. Wilson's summit is the best I've been on in the San Juans!!
RyanS - Jul 13, 2004 12:41 pm
Route Climbed: Standard via Silver Pick Date Climbed: July 10, 2004Erin and I finished the 14ers except for Culebra with this climb. I enjoyed the scrambling at the top -- what a fun jumble of pointy boulders!
mountainmota - Jun 15, 2004 7:17 pm
Route Climbed: North Face(2) Date Climbed: July 2002, 2003Fun 14er!
xskier77 - Feb 1, 2004 11:12 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from El Diente Date Climbed: July 17, 2003After an awsome climb up El Diente's west ridge we had an awsome traverse to Mount Wilson. The traverse was alot of fun with some great clmbing along the way. The final approach to the summit involved some great class 4 climbing and my climbing partner and I actually went separate ways climbing different lines to the summit. We were able to glissade almost the entire way down to upper Navajo Basin. Snow was perfect for standing glissade.
hhsilleck - Jan 10, 2004 6:54 pm
Route Climbed: August 2003 Date Climbed: North FaceSummited on traverse from El Diente. Upclimbed the rappel section on the traverse ... a rope was not necessary but could be nice.
Matt Mahoney - Jul 27, 2003 10:45 pm
Route Climbed: Silver Pick Date Climbed: July 20, 2003Traversed to El Diente, then climbed Wilson Pk
climbcolorado - Aug 18, 2002 6:05 pm
Route Climbed: North Slopes Date Climbed: 8/013/02Easy to ridge with a 4th class finish.
Peter Eliassen - Sep 22, 2001 3:52 pm
Route Climbed: Silver Pick Date Climbed: 10/18/01Wow...there was quite a bit of snow near the top of this mountain...so the final moves were rather difficult. The mountain looks pretty daunting from the 13,000 foot saddle near Wilson Peak...but it is not as bad as it looks...just watch out for snow on top...as that was pretty risky for me...