Wilson Peak

14,017 ft.

June 10, 2007
Northeast Face

Christy Sauer, Dirk Bockelmann

The ski line
Dirk and Christy make the final steps to the summit
Dirk returning from a short scout of the northerly ridge of the face
To the south, Mount Wilson and El Diente
Christy readies her skis- Sneffels range behind
The hairy traverse into the couloir
Christy pretends to alpine turn
Hands in front Dirk!
Down lower
Almost out

So long as work isn't in the way, Dirk and Christy have never turned down a potential 14er ski trip. It had been two weeks since we skied down in the Chicago Basin and although we were wearing shorts in Aspen now, our friend in Telluride insisted we could still ski Wilson Peaks' classic NE face.

I was here with Dirk back in 2004 where a big downclimb from the summit was required to get down the Northwest face. I knew I would have to return to get a true summit ski descent. We drove to Telluride and camped at the Silver Pick Trailhead the night before.

In the dark I marked the car with my GPS(useful later) and we walked up the road. By treeline we were skinning and before long, the sky was lit and we were switching to crampons and booting up the NW side Dirk and I had climbed and skied a few years earlier.

Arrival at the summit brought the blazing June sun, it was a beautiful morning. The NE face drops precipitously and some quick recon was needed this late in spring to find the continuous line off the summit.

We found it, looking similar to the one Dav and crew skied the year before. We descended the ridge to the east and then made a VERY careful sideslip back towards the center of the face, where the couloir was skiable. Once we all passed through that crux there was some relief.

The skiing was fun, on old corn snow. Lower down we had to traverse far around the lower cliffband(usually skiable), stopping in the warm sun for a lunch break. We hadn't been here before so when I pulled out the GPS we were all psyched to have the geeky gadget. We were a long way from the car, and it lead us right to it.

Back in shorts, in Telluride, we met our friend Chris, for ruebens and tots at the Cornerhouse— what a day. I've learned these peak redos are good not only for completing the proper line or getting the official summit ski, but sometimes you just get a better day.

So this wrapped up 2007 or me and at my count left only Capitol, Culebra and Crestone Peak to ski. Hopefully 2008 would be a good winter. Which peak would be first?

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