Wilson Group

The Wilson Group is a strenuous and highly technical mountaineering route in the San Miguel Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The route summits three of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks—El Diente Peak (14,159 feet), Mount Wilson (14,246 feet), and Wilson Peak (14,017 feet)—in a single continuous push. Spanning approximately 13.6 miles with over 6,400 feet of elevation gain, this route features sustained Class 3 and Class 4 scrambling, particularly along the infamous ridge traverse between El Diente Peak and Mount Wilson. Beginning at the Kilpacker Trailhead, the route follows the Kilpacker Trail through subalpine forests and meadows. After the junction with the El Diente Southern Slopes approach, the trail steepens, heading up the southern slopes of El Diente Peak. The final ascent to the summit of El Diente Peak requires navigating steep talus and a Class 3 ridge, culminating in a narrow summit with dramatic views of the surrounding San Juan Mountains. From the summit of El Diente Peak, the route tackles the highly demanding El Diente–Mount Wilson Traverse. This mile-long, high-exposure ridge contains sustained Class 3 and Class 4 climbing on loose rock and narrow ledges. Route-finding is critical to avoid hazardous cliffs, especially when traversing the south side of the ridge. The traverse ends at the summit of Mount Wilson, the highest peak in the San Miguel range. From Mount Wilson, hikers descend the Mount Wilson Trail into the rugged Navajo Basin. The route then climbs the north side of the basin via the Navajo Lake Trail to reach the Rock of Ages Saddle. From the saddle, the route follows the Wilson Peak Trail to the summit of Wilson Peak, which involves Class 3 scrambling near the top. After summiting, hikers backtrack to the Rock of Ages Saddle and descend via the Rock of Ages Trail to the Silver Pick Trailhead.