El Diente Peak 14,159'

We started super early for this hike. Our plan was to do El Diente and then traverse to Mount Wilson. Here's a look at the valley. We are camped just on the other side of this lake. We knew this was going to be a rocky one. We took a different route to increase our chances of solid, firm rock.

This is Gladstone peak. These mountains kind of separate Wilson Peak from Mount Wilson and El Diente.

It always looks worse from a distance.

Navigating a few ledges. This is Dave and Charlie. I'm actually watching them from above.

Top of El Diente. I'm in this picture, but not sure which is me.

Here we both are.

Now, it's off to Mount Wilson.

This is Dolores Peak.

Here we are on the traverse. This is the easiest of the 4 classic traverses. It's pretty well marked.

This picture I copied from the route description. This is what we were climbing when the boulder decided to separate from the earth. We were between 13,500' and 14,000'. I would say we were more than half way done.

Well, that's it for hiking this year. Not sure what next year will hold. God Bless, and be sure to count your blessings and Thank God and all his Angels and Saints Everyday!! I always pray to St. Jude too!! He is the Patron Saint of Hopeless cases. Thank you, God and Thank you, Saint Jude!!

Wilson Peak 14,017'

Well, this was the start of a 3 day trip in which we were going to hike 3 mountains. We hiked in on Saturday (about 4 miles), and then, we hiked Wilson Peak on Sunday July 25. This first picture is of El Diente which we will do tomorrow. This hike was fairly simple as hikes go. We have to get up to this ridge on the left and go around the front of this mountain you see to the right.

We pass remnants of an old mine.

Here's looking down the valley we just hiked. You can see the trail and a hiker on his way.

We are on that ridge. Now, it is time to go around the mountain. There is a pretty decent trail with cairns.

Here we come.

Now, we are on the other side of that mountain on the other ridge. Wilson Peak is in the background. Almost there!

This is the mountain we went around. We don't have to climb this.

Views looking the other direction with Mount Wilson (peak on right side) in the background. That's the one we are doing tomorrow, but as you all know, we didn't make it because of the accident.

Here is our friend Dave on the trail.

Wilson Peak. We are just about there. It looks harder than it really is.

A little notch in the mountain we go by.

I'm up above... look for my blue backpack, and Dave is below me.

A view from the top! We are looking at Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre way in the distance.

Back in the valley going back to camp!