Wilson Peak
Encyclopedia
Wilson Peak is a 14017 feet (4,272 m) mountain peak in the U.S. state
of Colorado
. It is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness
of the Uncompahgre National Forest
, in the southern San Juan Mountains
. It is the highest point in San Miguel County
. Its base is accessible by four wheel drive
roads 11 miles (18 km) west of Telluride, Colorado
.
Wilson Peak is part of a compact range of mountains, the San Miguel Range often considered distinct from the wider San Juan Range. Two additional fourteen thousand foot peaks
are within 2 miles (3 km) of its summit: Mount Wilson
(14256 feet (4,345 m)) and El Diente Peak
(14159 feet (4,316 m)). Gladstone peak (13913 feet (4,241 m)) is located on the ridge between Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson. Also known as the Wilson Massif, the San Miguels are some of the southernmost San Juans.
Wilson Peak is climbed by hundreds each year, primarily in summer months, but winter ascents are not unusual and sometimes serve as the beginning of backcountry skiing
descents. Summer ascents of the peak are considered Class 3
technical climbs, meaning that scrambling over rock is required (with hand holds being used for balance) and ropes typically not employed. The easiest traditional route begins at the end of the Silver Pick Road, climbs south through Silver Pick Basin to the Rock of Ages Saddle (between Silver Pick and Navajo Basins) at 13100 feet (3,992.9 m), then east to 13200 feet (4,023.4 m) on the saddle between Gladstone and Wilson Peaks, then finally northeast to the summit. Round trip distance is 8 miles (13 km). Use of this route has come into question since 2004 when private landowners failed to come to an agreement with the US Forest Service regarding hiking access. Government signs now warn against trespassing along the traditional route.
which is located in Golden, Colorado
. The Jeep
automobile corporation also often uses Wilson Peak as a backdrop in its television commercials, particularly in advertisements for its off-road models.
Because of its proximity to Telluride, Colorado, many local companies and festivals use images of Wilson Peak in the advertising to convey the beauty and mountainous nature of the area.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness
Lizard Head Wilderness
The Lizard Head Wilderness is a wilderness area in southwest Colorado. It contains 41,309 acres and is jointly managed by the Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests. It is 10 miles southwest of the town of Telluride and is named for a prominent rock formation that is said to look like a...
of the Uncompahgre National Forest
Uncompahgre National Forest
Uncompahgre National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 955,229 acres in parts of Montrose, Mesa, San Miguel, Ouray, Gunnison, San Juan, and Delta Counties in western Colorado...
, in the southern San Juan Mountains
San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and...
. It is the highest point in San Miguel County
San Miguel County, Colorado
San Miguel County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for the San Miguel River. The county population was 6,594 at U.S. Census 2000...
. Its base is accessible by four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
roads 11 miles (18 km) west of Telluride, Colorado
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
.
Wilson Peak is part of a compact range of mountains, the San Miguel Range often considered distinct from the wider San Juan Range. Two additional fourteen thousand foot peaks
Fourteener
In mountaineering terminology in the United States, a fourteener is a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet above mean sea level. There are 547 fourteeners in the world. The importance of fourteeners is greatest in Colorado, which has the majority of such peaks in North America...
are within 2 miles (3 km) of its summit: Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson (Colorado)
Mount Wilson is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness in Dolores County approximately 10 miles north of Rico and 10 miles southwest of Telluride. It is the highest peak in the San Miguel Mountains, a subrange of the San...
(14256 feet (4,345 m)) and El Diente Peak
El Diente Peak
El Diente Peak is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness in the San Miguel Mountains of the San Juan Mountains, in Dolores County approximately north of Rico....
(14159 feet (4,316 m)). Gladstone peak (13913 feet (4,241 m)) is located on the ridge between Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson. Also known as the Wilson Massif, the San Miguels are some of the southernmost San Juans.
Wilson Peak is climbed by hundreds each year, primarily in summer months, but winter ascents are not unusual and sometimes serve as the beginning of backcountry skiing
Backcountry skiing
Backcountry skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes, including skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees , usually in pursuit of fresh fallen powder...
descents. Summer ascents of the peak are considered Class 3
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
technical climbs, meaning that scrambling over rock is required (with hand holds being used for balance) and ropes typically not employed. The easiest traditional route begins at the end of the Silver Pick Road, climbs south through Silver Pick Basin to the Rock of Ages Saddle (between Silver Pick and Navajo Basins) at 13100 feet (3,992.9 m), then east to 13200 feet (4,023.4 m) on the saddle between Gladstone and Wilson Peaks, then finally northeast to the summit. Round trip distance is 8 miles (13 km). Use of this route has come into question since 2004 when private landowners failed to come to an agreement with the US Forest Service regarding hiking access. Government signs now warn against trespassing along the traditional route.
Wilson Peak in popular culture
The stately and classically-mountainous profile of Wilson Peak as viewed from the East and North has led to its use as a symbol of rugged mountains in advertising. Wilson Peak features prominently in many television advertisements for Coors Brewing CompanyCoors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
which is located in Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
. The Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
automobile corporation also often uses Wilson Peak as a backdrop in its television commercials, particularly in advertisements for its off-road models.
Because of its proximity to Telluride, Colorado, many local companies and festivals use images of Wilson Peak in the advertising to convey the beauty and mountainous nature of the area.
See also
- List of Colorado fourteeners
- Mountain peaks of ColoradoMountain peaks of ColoradoThis article comprises three sortable tables of the major mountain peaks of the U.S. State of Colorado.Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface...
- Mountain ranges of ColoradoMountain ranges of ColoradoThe following table lists the major mountain ranges of the U.S. State of Colorado.-Mountain Ranges:-See also:*4000 meter peaks of Colorado*Colorado mountain passes*Geography of Colorado*Lists of mountains*Mountain peaks of Colorado...