Wilderness Travel Course 2017 Conditioning Hike To Mount Wilson

Updated: January 29, 2017
Post By: Matthew Hengst

January 29th, 2017

Mount Wilson (5,713')

[Pics] [Map]

The 2017 Sierra Club Wilderness Travel Course has been running down here in Orange County for three weeks which means it's finally time to start hiking!

For the next 2 months in addition to class on Tuesday night we'll spend every other weekend hiking, rock scrambling, doing map and compass navigation, snowshoeing, and finally backpacking for two nights and three days into the snow at 9000 ft. And if you've been paying attention to the snow levels this year snow activity is looking damn promising.

But first we get everyone out for a good long dayhike to prepare them for what's to come. This year the heavy rains caused us to make a last minute change from Santiago Peak via Holy Jim to Mount Wilson from Sierra Madre.

We start early meeting at a park and ride down in Orange County at 5 am doing a quick gear check then carpooling to the trailhead in Sierra Madre.

The trail starts near this park.

By 7 we were moving up the trail.

Despite the dire warnings about no access to the peak we had information it would be open.

It warmed up quickly as the sun came up.

After a while we stopped for nav practice on a small prominence.

Once past the bench we started to see some snow on the ground...

...and in the distance. Snow travel and snow camp should be rather memorable this year.

Near the top the trail was covered in running water and occasionally slightly precarious snow.

WARNING: Icy Conditions Ahead Proceed With Caution

You can drive to Wilson hence the parking lot and there are other hiking trails that get there easier. All these fine folks had taken the 15 mile 4,800 ft gain route however.

Usually the snack shack at the summit is closed anytime I've been up there. This time it was closed but the observatory had left a small coffee bar out free except for a request for donations.

Summit coffee. Dramatically

After a sizable break on the summit (including plenty of time for these two to break out the stove and make a mountain house) it was time to head down.