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Wilson Peak Access Closures
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* 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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