Colorado's Mount Wilson 14,246 feet
Kilpacker trailhead kiosk. Credit: Jilly Salva
- Kilpacker trailhead kiosk.
- Just 6.1 miles to reach Navajo Lake.
- Typically a trail register is a box with a log where climbers/hikers sign in, indicate route, number in their party and expected return date/time.
- Art man.
- View up Kilpackers well-worn trail.
- If you miss this turn to Navajo Lake, then you'll end up deep in Kilpacker Basin.
- The final climb into Navajo Basin is steep!
- View toward El Diente 14,159 feet.
- A look back down the valley, aka sea-of-trees.
- On summit day, this is a view looking back at Navajo Lake.
- Talus always looks benign from far away.
- The talus increases in its gnarliness as we ascend.
- Talus, talus everywhere.
- Talus gully.
- Surprisingly, there were cairns along portions of the ridge that leads to the saddle.
- Cairn.
- Looking upward toward Mount Wilson's summit.
- Looking up to the final summit ridge. Climbers typically approach from the saddle (out of view) on the right and traverse left.
- Mount Wilson's saddle. To the left is exposed class four scrambling.
- Jilly Salva on summit of Mount Wilson 14,246 feet. El Diente is in the background.
- View out into the Lizard Head wilderness and to the rock formation Lizard Head.
- On of the great classic ridge traverses is this one between Mount Wilson out to El Diente.
- This is a view down on the final summit ridge. Wilson peak is in the distance.
- Jilly Salva and Julia Fraser on Mount Wilson 14,246 feet.
- Some climbers feel the descent is more exciting than the scramble up.
- The fourth class descent is steep, exposed and exciting.
- Retracing our steps on the descent of Mount Wilson.
- Finally, back on the path leading to base camp.
- Downward to Navajo Lake.
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