Wikipedia

Wilson Peak

This article is about the mountain in Colorado. For other peaks, see List of peaks named Mount Wilson.

Wilson Peak is a 14,023-foot (4,274 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 northwestern San Juan Mountains. It is the highest point in San Miguel County, and the highest point of the Wilson massif, which includes nearby Mount Wilson and El Diente Peak.

Wilson Peak
North aspect
Highest point
Elevation14,023 ft (4,274 m)[1][2]
Prominence857 ft (261 m)[2]
Isolation1.51 mi (2.43 km)[2]
Listing
Coordinates37°51′37″N 107°59′05″W / 37.8602716°N 107.984791°W / 37.8602716; -107.984791[3]
Geography
Wilson Peak is located in Colorado
Wilson Peak
Wilson Peak
LocationHigh point of San Miguel County, Colorado, United States[2]
Parent rangeSan Miguel Mountains[2]
Topo map(s)USGS 7.5' topographic map
Mount Wilson, Colorado[3]
Climbing
Easiest routeSouthwest Ridge: Scramble, class 3[4]

The mountain was named for A.D. Wilson, the chief topographer with the Hayden Survey. Nearby Mount Wilson also honors him.[5] The original indigenous name for the mountain was Shandoka, which translates to "Storm Maker", a reference to the peak's effect on local weather patterns.[6]

Geography

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Wilson Peak is in the western part of the San Juan Mountains. The western San Juans are also known as the San Miguel Mountains or the Wilson Massif. Two additional fourteen thousand foot peaks are within 2 miles (3 km) of its summit: Mount Wilson (14,256 feet [4,345 m]) and El Diente Peak (14,159 feet [4,316 m]). Gladstone Peak (13,913 feet [4,241 m]) is located on the ridge between Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson.

Recreation

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Wilson peak (right of center) photographed from the Telluride Ski Resort

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.[citation needed] 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 route begins at the Rock of Ages Trailhead (elevation 10,350 feet [3,150 m]) located 18 miles (29 km) west of Telluride, Colorado. Forest Trail 429 climbs southeast through Silver Pick Basin to the Rock of Ages Saddle (between Silver Pick and Navajo Basins) at 13,100 feet (3,990 m). Forest Trail 408 is then followed east to 13,200 feet (4,020 m) on the saddle between Gladstone and Wilson Peaks before the ridge is climbed northeast to the summit. Round trip distance is 10 miles (16 km).[7][8][9]

Access issues

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Access to Wilson Peak has historically been difficult and intermittent due land ownership issues and the presence of historical mining claims across the mountain.[10][11][12] Texas property developer Rusty Nichols owns a 300-acre parcel of land on the mountain and in 2005 barred access to his land and blocked the only non-technical route to the summit.[13][14] In 2004 and 2006 hikers were charged $100 to climb the mountain.[15]

In 2007, the Trust for Public Land announced they had secured access to Wilson Peak for the public after purchasing 230 acres of land from Nichols.[16] Despite this, access issues to the peak remained. In 2009, Nichols reportedly threatened climbers who were returning from the summit on Wilson Peak with trespassing charges or alternatively, to issue a mea culpa by means of an advertisement in the local newspaper.[17]

In 2011, the peak was reportedly open again.[18] In 2015, access to the mountain was reportedly secured for the public.[19]

Incidents

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Despite its popularity, hikers to Wilson Peak should exercise caution when navigating trails.

In September 2006, a small plane carrying three passengers and a pilot crashed into Wilson Peak, killing all onboard.[20][21][22]

In September 2024, 53-year old experienced hiker Herbert Wise was fatally injured when he fell 300-400 feet from Wilson Peak's Rock of Ages trail.[23][24]

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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 Company 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.

Wilson Peak is featured prominently in Quentin Tarantino's movie The Hateful Eight.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The elevation of Wilson Peak includes an adjustment of +1.877 m (+6.16 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Wilson Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Wilson Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  4. ^ "Wilson Peak Routes". 14ers.com.
  5. ^ Eichler, George R. (1977). Colorado Place Names. Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Publishing Company. LCCN 77-089726.
  6. ^ Art Goodtimes, As If the World Really Mattered, 2006, La Alameda Press, ISBN 9781888809497, page 101.
  7. ^ "Rock of Ages Trail". trails.colorado.gov. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Wilson Peak Southwest Ridge". 14ers.com. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Hiking Wilson Peak". telluridemountainclub.org. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  10. ^ Best, Allen (2004-07-29). "Around the Mountains". www.vaildaily.com. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  11. ^ "Landowner And Officials Face Off Over Wilson Peak Access". Telluride Daily Planet. 2004-08-06. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  12. ^ Staff (2005-09-01). "Colorado Central Magazine - The monthly magazine for powder hounds - Other mountains with access issues". Colorado Central Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  13. ^ "Land owner trys to bluff Forest Service". Pique Newsmagazine. 2004-07-30. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  14. ^ Bjornsen, Kristin (2005-06-27). "Developer blocks trail to a famous 'fourteener'". High Country News. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  15. ^ Story, Rob (June 21, 2021). "This Colorado Massif is Deadly—and Offers Killer Skiing". Ski.
  16. ^ "Access to Iconic Wilson Peak Protected (CO)". Trust for Public Land. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  17. ^ "Whose Land Is It Anyway?". 5280. 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  18. ^ Beaudin, Matthew (2011-08-05). "Wilson Peak: open again". Telluride Daily Planet. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  19. ^ "Wilson Peak land exchange finalized". Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  20. ^ "Four dead in Wilson Peak plane crash". Montrose Daily Press. 2006-09-18. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  21. ^ "Body recovered may be of man from 2006 Colorado plane crash". Dallas News. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  22. ^ Post, Felisa Cardona | The Denver (2006-09-17). "Plane crash near Telluride kills 3". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  23. ^ Limehouse, Julia Gomez and Jonathan. "'Experienced climber' from New York dies after falling up to 400 feet while hiking in Colorado". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  24. ^ "Experienced climber dies on Wilson Peak after falling hundreds of feet". FOX31 Denver. 2024-09-26. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  25. ^ Kim, James (December 23, 2015). "'The Hateful Eight': The story behind the film's location". The Frame. 89.3 KPCC.
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