Mt Wilson (14,246) by Brian Schultz Wednesday July 22,1998
The day off yesterday allowed me to relax and take my time driving to the Silver Pick trailhead. It also meant I had to give up one of the three peaks in the Wilson group and El Diente drew the short straw. It was an easy call since El Diente can be climbed from the Kilpacker Basin and I really didn't feel like coming back to the Silver Pick again. With two prior misses on Wilson Peak, I was hoping for good fortune on both Wilsons this time.
Driving a 4x4 allowed me to get all the way up to the parking area just to the left of the gate at the trailhead. After I settled in a flat parking spot I sought out some of the other campers to see what their plans were for the morning. Everyone was going for Wilson Peak but I wanted to do Mt Wilson first, liking my chances after successes on Capitol and Pyramid. I was hoping for someone to join up with but it looked like another solo climb.
I woke up around 5:00 and felt rested for the first time on this trip. My pack was ready to go and I was eating breakfast, figuring to start out at 5:30. At 5:25 I heard a truck rumbling up the road, coming around that last turn with the horrible section, spinning its wheels and finally finding traction to get up and over that mess. After parking, three guys jumped out and started preparing their packs. I wandered over and casually asked which peak they were climbing and the youngest one said Mt Wilson. That's what I wanted to hear! When I inquired about tagging behind, he turned to another fellow and put the question to him. He mulled it over for a bit and said it would be ok. Super!
The oldest and youngest were father and son, Hugh and Asa, from Texas who were staying in Telluride for a good portion of the summer. The other guy, Mike, lived in Telluride. At 5:45 we were on our way and I stayed back while they led, not wanting to impose. I could hear some of their conversation and noticed Asa was asking lots of questions. At first I didn't think much of it but I got that "what's the deal here" feeling after a while. We stayed on the road until just past the Silver Pick mine. After the last switchback (past the mine), the road straightens out and a path to the left offers an option to hike up into the basin. Otherwise you can stay on the road and turn left on another older road which also goes up into the basin. It's wise to pay attention here- the first time I was on this road in 1995 trying for Wilson Peak I missed both turnoffs and went way past the Silver Pick Basin.
We took the scenic path and Hugh dropped back to hike with me. It was enjoyable to have company and we talked about jobs, family, and of course the mountains. He said this was his first fourteener and wanted to do this with his son. I figured it out then and he confirmed that Mike was a hired guide, which explained why he hesitated about including me, a freeloader. I felt uneasy but Mike never said a word about fees nor did he change his mind once he knew that I knew about him. We pushed under clear and sunny skies until reaching the old mine building (elev 12100 ft) where we took a rest break.
The rest breaks became much more than just taking off the pack, drinking some water, and having a bite to eat. Mike not only imparted his mountaineering wisdom on us but also amused us with stories about living in Telluride and his encounters with the celebrities.
With a great view of Wilson Peak to our left, we headed up towards the Rock of Ages saddle on loose rock and snow and arrived around 7:50. The saddle is at 13,000 ft and we could see Mt Wilson, El Diente and Navajo Basin in a stunning panorama!
We took another break here and surveyed the route. On the horizon we could see some dark clouds but nothing imminent. Just below the saddle a well trodden path descends into Navajo Basin, passing an old shack along the way. We dropped way down into the basin before starting up the north face of Mt Wilson. A short break for water and up we went. Lots of boulders, loose rock, and snow made for an interesting ascent which is not marked by cairns. It is a hit-and-miss line to the top of the face and if I was alone I know I would have spent considerable time route-finding here.
Mike used his ax to chop steps in the steep snow as we switchbacked our way up. I also used my ax, taking up the rear. When we reached the described notch, I dropped my pack. I knew what we were getting into for the final summit push and I didn't want it shifting and creating a distraction. This is the section where I wanted to completely focus on the holds. It was also when Mike made it perfectly clear who his clients were as he pulled out his rope and started looping knots. As they roped up I was suddenly wishing I was a paid client too. He urged me to go on while he was finishing.
So I did. This last 150 feet to the summit begins with a short climb to the top of the ridge, and then up and over big boulders with extreme exposure on both sides. Sheer dropoffs - the kind where one slip means goodbye. Carefully checking every hold, I climbed on top and continued around the sides of the very solid boulders, gripping tightly and trying not to look down, until I landed on the summit. A bona fide white knuckle finish- super scary! Worse than Wetterhorn, Capitol, and Pyramid. The time was 11:15 and a solo climber was on the summit too. I chatted with him for a minute and he left quickly, but as he departed I noticed he dropped down a bit just below the ridge. That appeared to be easier and on the return I decided to do the same.
The others now summited and everyone congratulated each other. Mike took a summit shot of the three of us and in less than five minutes we left because the dark clouds we saw earlier were closing in fast and the thunder was booming. I beat the others back off the ridge and looked for my pack. I couldn't find it right away and was getting desperate. The air was turning cold and rain was certain. I vowed never to stash it again if I could find it. The others caught up and Mike was in a big hurry to get down. I asked him if we would be descending the same way we came up and he said yes. We came upon my pack after a few minutes - big relief.
As I put my raincoat on and gathered up my pack, the others kept moving really fast. Mike wasn't waiting for me, reminding me that he had paid clients to get down. The weather was turning nasty and by the time I was ready they were way ahead of me. I did keep them in sight but didn't catch up until reaching Navajo Basin where they were taking a break. It began raining and we could no longer see Wilson's summit. I knew how fortunate I was to be with them - I would have been somewhere near the summit if I had gone solo and that ridge is no place to be in a storm.
Back on the good trail, we trudged up to the Rock of Ages saddle once again and at the shack passed nearly a dozen people waiting out the rain, hoping for it to quit. I was especially pleased when they asked if we made the summit. One last glimpse at the totally cloud-covered Mt Wilson and down we went into the Silver Pick Basin on the wet, loose rock. I slowly descended and then glissaded down the snow patches when feasible.
It quit raining. We took another break at the old mine and from there Mike and Asa kept a faster pace while Hugh was content to go slower with me. We reached the area where in Sept '97 I slipped and broke my shoulder on wet rock in an area that wasn't even steep. Since that mishap I am much more careful, not that I wasn't then, in wet conditions. Upon reaching the road, the others moved way ahead of me and I met up with them again at the trailhead. The time was 3:45. I thanked Mike for letting me join them and gave him some money. He refused at first but I insisted and reluctantly he accepted. Other than the two emphatic reminders about his clients, Mike was friendly to me and answered lots of my own questions. I felt he deserved a tip.
I truly had a wonderful outing and now had three class 4 peaks climbed! I felt confident with this success and looked forward to the next morning on Wilson Peak. It took 5 hours and 30 minutes to summit, 4 hours and 25 minutes from the summit back to the trailhead, and a total day of 10 hours. Considering all the elevation gain, I felt we did well but I was tired when we got back. I wish we could have spent more time on the summit- my only regret.