Wilson Peak

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 {{convert|2|mi|km|0}} of its summit: Mount Wilson ({{convert|14256|ft|m|0|disp=sqbr}}) and El Diente Peak ({{convert|14159|ft|m|0|disp=sqbr}}). Gladstone Peak ({{convert|13913|ft|m|0|disp=sqbr}}) is located on the ridge between Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson.

File:Telluride Summit Panorama.jpg ]]

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|date=December 2024}} 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 {{convert|10350|ft|m|-1|disp=sqbr}}) located {{convert|18|mi|km|0}} 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 {{convert|13100|ft|m|-1}}. Forest Trail 408 is then followed east to {{convert|13200|ft|m|-1}} on the saddle between Gladstone and Wilson Peaks before the ridge is climbed northeast to the summit. Round trip distance is {{convert|10|mi|km|0}}.{{cite web |url= https://trails.colorado.gov/trails/rock-of-ages-11922|title=Rock of Ages Trail |website=trails.colorado.gov |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{cite web |url= https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=wils1&peak=Mt.+Wilson%2C+Wilson+Peak%2C+and+El+Diente+Peak|title=Wilson Peak Southwest Ridge |website=14ers.com |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{cite web |url= https://www.telluridemountainclub.org/hiking-wilson-peak/|title=Hiking Wilson Peak |website=telluridemountainclub.org |access-date=30 January 2021}}

Access to Wilson Peak has historically been difficult and intermittent due land ownership issues and the presence of historical mining claims across the mountain.{{Cite web |last=Best |first=Allen |date=2004-07-29 |title=Around the Mountains |url=https://www.vaildaily.com/news/around-the-mountains-2/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=www.vaildaily.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2004-08-06 |title=Landowner And Officials Face Off Over Wilson Peak Access |url=https://www.telluridenews.com/the_watch/news/article_8ad86f93-b69a-50e8-ba2c-82de507cfb41.html |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Telluride Daily Planet |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=2005-09-01 |title=Colorado Central Magazine - The monthly magazine for powder hounds - Other mountains with access issues |url=https://www.coloradocentralmagazine.com/other-mountains-with-access-issues/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Colorado Central Magazine |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2004-07-30 |title=Land owner trys to bluff Forest Service |url=https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler-news/land-owner-trys-to-bluff-forest-service-2467496 |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Pique Newsmagazine |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bjornsen |first=Kristin |date=2005-06-27 |title=Developer blocks trail to a famous 'fourteener' |url=https://www.hcn.org/issues/issue-301/developer-blocks-trail-to-a-famousfourteener/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=High Country News |language=en-US}} In 2004 and 2006 hikers were charged $100 to climb the mountain.{{Cite web |last=Story |first=Rob |date=June 21, 2021 |title=This Colorado Massif is Deadly—and Offers Killer Skiing |url=https://www.skimag.com/adventure/skiing-mount-wilson-wilson-peak-colorado/ |website=Ski}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Access to Iconic Wilson Peak Protected (CO) |url=https://www.tpl.org/media-room/access-iconic-wilson-peak-protected-co |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Trust for Public Land |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2016-04-19 |title=Whose Land Is It Anyway? |url=https://www.5280.com/whose-land-is-it-anyway/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=5280 |language=en}}

In 2011, the peak was reportedly open again.{{Cite web |last=Beaudin |first=Matthew |date=2011-08-05 |title=Wilson Peak: open again |url=https://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_ce88edde-8dec-5ecb-b392-9e7aa43bb72c.html |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Telluride Daily Planet |language=en}} In 2015, access to the mountain was reportedly secured for the public.{{Cite web |title=Wilson Peak land exchange finalized |url=https://www.westernlandgroup.com/index.php/2015/09/11/wilson-peak-land-exchange-finalized/#:~:text=A%20land%20exchange%20intended%20to,and%20Gunnison%20National%20Forest%20supervisor. |access-date=2024-12-06 |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2006-09-18 |title=Four dead in Wilson Peak plane crash |url=https://www.montrosepress.com/news/four-dead-in-wilson-peak-plane-crash/article_646b9b42-5582-5031-a46e-03dbebdb2199.html |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Montrose Daily Press |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2009-09-10 |title=Body recovered may be of man from 2006 Colorado plane crash |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2009/09/10/body-recovered-may-be-of-man-from-2006-colorado-plane-crash/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Post |first=Felisa Cardona {{!}} The Denver |date=2006-09-17 |title=Plane crash near Telluride kills 3 |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2006/09/17/plane-crash-near-telluride-kills-3/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Limehouse |first=Julia Gomez and Jonathan |title='Experienced climber' from New York dies after falling up to 400 feet while hiking in Colorado |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/09/26/wilson-peak-colorado-death/75394284007/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Experienced climber dies on Wilson Peak after falling hundreds of feet |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/experienced-climber-dies-on-wilson-peak-after-falling-hundreds-of-feet/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=FOX31 Denver |language=en-US}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2015/12/23/45691/the-hateful-eight-the-story-behind-the-film-s-loca/|work=The Frame|publisher=89.3 KPCC|title='The Hateful Eight': The story behind the film's location|first=James|last=Kim|date=December 23, 2015}}

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{{portal|Colorado|Mountains}}

• List of mountain peaks of Colorado
• List of Colorado county high points
• List of Colorado fourteeners

{{reflist|33em}}

{{sister project links|auto=1}}

• {{cite web

| url = https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/14er.php?peakid=10048

| title = Wilson Peak

| publisher = 14ers.com

}}

• [http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=wils1&peak=Wilson%20Peak Traditional Route, with discussion of private land restrictions]
• [http://distantpeak.com/web/mountains/n-america/mount_wilson Wilson Peak on Distantpeak.com]
• [http://www.summitpost.org/show/photo_query.pl/object_id/226 A gallery of photographs of Wilson Peak]
• [http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/qpick.php?parmpeak=48 Topographic map]
• [http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=21873&folder_id=265 Access and Preservation Project for Wilson Peak]

{{Mountains of Colorado}}

{{Colorado Fourteeners}}

{{Colorado}}

Category:San Juan Mountains (Colorado)

Category:Mountains of San Miguel County, Colorado

Category:Fourteeners of Colorado

Category:Uncompahgre National Forest