[MCR] Rockies Mt Wilson. April 27th, 2015

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Did the traverse of Mt Wilson yesterday. Great conditions, where there is snow. We also found some useful trail info that I have included below

From 600 down the David Thompson highway we walked into a clearing/ old gravel pit. Walked to its far NW corner and found a thin but decent trail. Just when you feel like you are getting close to the first cliff bands-go left into the slide path you are looking for. Currently good snow cover from this point on and it was stone hard yesterday morning.

Good travel on the glacier to the summit. Summit cornices are HUGE. One is currently more like a serac than a cornice. Great skiing on the glacier and the meadows below but it would suck with anything but fast snow.  

You can’t ski in the Rampart creek bed currently so it is pretty overgrown in places along the sides. You lose the snow around the large cliff which the guidebooks mention. Do not try to descend through the bush skiers left of the creek if there is no snow. It is alder hell. Enough said:) Mostly walking from there down and it is rugged with skis on your back. Lots of ski limbo.

Finally, there is a trail ending/starting right above Rampart Creek Hostel. On ascent, follow a slight ridge right beside the creek and when you hit the grey limestone there should be a short length of chain. You can climb just right of the chain(easier) but this is the place to find the start of the trail and it is vague but continuous quite far up the drainage.

Fantastic trip but the "green line" is getting pretty high.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide