Wilson Peak Access Closures *

* compiled and provided by John Mitchler November 22, 2004


Wilson Peak

CMC Conservation (Clare Bastable, Steve Bonowski) met with local climbers and a county official in Telluride on Nov. 9 to discuss Wilson Peak access. Steve met with a Forest Service recreation staffer in Montrose on the 8th. A friend of the property owner was present on the 9th. Several options for temporary access during the 2005 and 2006 climbing seasons were discussed and will be presented to the owner for consideration. There are larger, non-climbing issues, at stake and it was felt by all that these may take a while to resolve.

The areas closed on the mountain are the area around the old mill site in Silver Pick Basin, which includes the owner's cabin. Ownership of the road beyond this point has not been resolved. In addition, two more claims owned by the same individual include the rock house and surrounding area in the Upper Basin astride the end of the road and subsequent climbers' trail. The Rock of Ages Saddle and the ridge line over to, and including, the small saddle on the Wilson Peak/Gladstone Ridge are included in the property in question. The claims extend about 1/2 of the way up the standard, southwest ridge route on Wilson Peak.

It should be noted that access from Navajo Basin is also now restricted.

Other routes on the northwest, north, and east ridges of Wilson Peak remain open for climbing, with access from Wilson Mesa on the north and Sunshine Mesa on the northeast, respectively. This does not include the Bilk Basin route going to the Wilson Peak/Gladstone saddle, or where a climbers' trail from Bilk gains the southwest ridge since the trail gains the ridge line on the private property. The Forest Service and local climbers agree that these other ridge routes are NOT appropriate for the casual, walk-up, 14er bagger because of technical challenges. At least one ridge features a 5.7 crux move.

The northwest gully approach, used for ski descents when there is snow, and becoming dangerous without snow, is questionable because of needing to avoid the private property down low. The gully itself and most of the scree/talus slope below is Forest Service. Use of this route is discouraged at this time as it still involves climbers coming into Silver Pick Basin and getting on the private property near the mill site.

Gladstone Peak

As noted above, the small Wilson Peak/Gladstone saddle is private. It was thought that one could access the north ridge of Gladstone, the standard route, from Bilk Basin by avoiding the saddle and climbing the ridge itself. Unfortunately, this isn't possible. One of the rectangular claims between the two saddles drops part way into Navajo Basin and has a long east "finger" that intersects the Gladstone ridge several hundred feet about the Wilson Peak/Gladstone saddle, thus creating another private property trespass problem for the peak. The technical routes on other sides of Gladstone are not affected by this property issue and remain open as far as we know.

Lone Cone

The historic route has been south from Norwood on the Norwood/Dolores Road to San Miguel County Road 40-J and then southeast through a State section to the trailhead on Forest Service property. The State Land Board recently sold this parcel and the new owner has closed the road. San Miguel County does not have a clear right of way and is negotiating, thus far with no luck. One can access Lone Cone from the southeast via a circuitous route.


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