Mt. Wilson (14,187)
Route: North Face via Silver Pick Basin and the Rock of Ages Saddle
Date: April 30, 2022
Distance: 14.4 miles
Vertical: 5,270 feet
Time: 12 hours 48 minutes
Partner: solo
My GPS track. I used the road and summer trail on the way in but took
a more direct route on the return.
Zoom of Mt. Wilson's North face taken from the Rock of Ages saddle
My route. Ascent is in blue and descent is in red. The initial portion of the descent is hidden behind the ridge.
Silver Pick Basin.
An old stone hut higher up in the basin.
The Rock of Ages Saddle (13,000). Note the thin snow near the top.
Gladstone Peak (foreground to the left) and Mt. Wilson (just to the right of center.
A continuation of the prior image showing El Diente Peak. I skied El Diente 5 years prior when there was a deeper snowpack.
On the traverse from the Rock of Ages Saddle to Wilson's North Face. Navajo Basin below.
Evidently I was too busy climbing to take more pictures between this point and very close to the summit. I went straight up the North Face, being able to skin about half way before switching to crampons. The snow ended about 200 vertical feet below the summit so the final segment was a rock scramble.
Typical climbing near the summit (which is still higher but blocked from view).
Looking back down at Navajo Basin, the Rock of Ages Saddle, and Wilson Peak (to the right of center)
El Diente Peak from the summit.
Start of the descent on the South side.
Looking back up. I chose not to ski due to the thin snow cover and the need to re-climb after a short ways.
Climbing again after a short traverse.
Looking back at the summit.
Looking down from the top of the ski run.
The terrain opens up just a short distance below.
Looking back up near the top of the ski.
Lower down on the route with good views of the Rock of Ages Saddle and Wilson Peak.
Looking across at El Diente.
Looking back at Mt. Wilson from the Rock of Ages Saddle. My ski tracks are visible if you look closely.
Looking back down into Silver Pick Basin with my up-track clearly visible.
An interesting ice formation.
Parting views of Silver Pick Basin on the way out.
