If you have a vehicle that is high clearance and 4x4, you can make it to Beaver Basin, which is the route I chose. The hike is relatively easy if you've hiked a lot. You'll start in the pines and meadows and work your way to the saddle. Not a distinctive trail, but easy to see where you need to go. Once at the saddle there is a nice trail to the top. Beautiful views of other LaSal peaks and west towards Canyonlands country.
Scott - Nov 19, 2023 9:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2023
Mount Waas
It was a rough night since I forgot the tent and slept under the stars at Miners Basin in the La Sals and there were a lot of animals around. It was cold at night and in the morning, but it was a nice day. I climbed three peaks over 12,000 feet: Pilot Mountain; Green Mountain (unranked), and Mt. Waas. Snow and fallen timber slowed me down too and it was a long day. I got back after dark.
scgrant - Jan 17, 2015 9:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2014
Waas
From Miners Basin along with Castle Peak, La Sal Peak, Green, and Pilot.
mjp20k - Jul 21, 2014 8:59 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2011
Solo tour of the Northern La Sals
See trip report
Udink - Jul 7, 2014 11:46 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2014
Miner's Basin Route
Hiked up from Miner's Basin and did 8.5 miles round-trip in 8.5 hours. Losing the elevation in the saddle between point 12,163′ and Mt. Waas kinda sucked, as did the loose scree going up Waas. Saw a couple of black bears on the way back, only a quarter-mile from the trailhead. After a tense moment they moved off into the trees and left us alone. Full trip report and photos on my blog here: http://udink.org/2014/07/01/mt-waas/
sharpa - Jun 14, 2014 11:29 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2014
Warner Campground
Took the Miners Basin trail from the entrance to the campground. Not too much snow to deal with. Summited Waas and then traversed over to Pilot Peak and down to the Dry Fork Mill Creek trail. The wind was really intense on the ridges.
yadahzoemtn - Sep 14, 2013 8:33 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2013
Snow Again
County highpoints in the snow -- nothing but fun. Sometimes it feels like work.
apachedino - May 20, 2013 3:10 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2013
Lost Trekking Poles
Left my Black Diamond Carbon Fiber trekking poles near the summit before the awesome glissade back to the road. They are not right on the summit I believe they are a little south on the shoulder before the ridge drops off and gets steeper and better for glissading. Great day, just wish I wouldn't have realized I left them when switching to my ice axe. Contact me if you find them Dustin.Erickson@imail.org. Or at least put them to good use!
ZeeJay - Jun 18, 2012 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2012
Northern La Sal traverse
Parked about .3 miles S of the Burro Pass TH and climbed Manns, 11849, Pilot (12220), Green (12163), Mount Waas, Castle Peak (12044), and La Sal Peak (12001). I returned the same way except that I skirted the tops of the peaks whenever I could. On the way back, there was a big thunderstorm parked just E of Mount Waas. Hoping to avoid it, I traversed across Mt Waas's west face and hope to never do that again as every step had to be carefully placed to avoid starting a rock slide. It took 45 minutes to go 1/4 of a mile. The rest of the hike went great and was a lot of fun.
jhardink - Jun 12, 2012 5:34 pm Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2008
Beatdown
Climbed the ridge from Geyser Pass- Tomasaki to La Sal Peak, then dropped to the Trans La Sal trail and made it to Warner Lake. Hitched a ride back to Geyser Pass with some very kind elk hunters. By then it was 11 PM, and while I was ready for the climb up to my car, the thought of it was beyond depressing.
Left Salt Lake City around noon. Didn't plan on hiking Waas until the next morning, but it was a nice evening so I went for it. Saw an amazing sunset from the peak and walked back down in the dark.
utclimber - Aug 8, 2010 12:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2010
Miners Basin
From Miners Basin. Downed trees over the trail at junctions made route finding difficult.
Climbed from Beaver Basin. It took more time to drive the road from Don's Lake than to actually climb the peak. Not really, but it seemed like it. Found a great campsite at the end of Beaver Basin near an old rusty car from the 1930's. As expected, lots of loose, shifting talus and scree
Climbed Tomaski from Geyser pass then traversed ridges to summit Manns and then Wass. After you have done the "triple crown" of Peale, Tuk and Mellenthin you should do this one!
shphilby - Sep 5, 2009 5:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
Bears
Drove up and there was a bear bate station right where we planed to camp. Explored around finding the old mines and cabins. The hike to the peak was easy the hard part was driving in.
KirtDavis - Aug 6, 2009 9:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
Bear Bait, just not us.
There was a bear bait station in Beaver Basin. Had to find a place to set up camp that wasn't too close.
weather was reported to be better. by 10 AM lightning was smacking within 100 feet of us first on La Sal Peak then on the steep west slope of Waas as we tried to stay low back to Beaver Basin. I need to go back to Castle Peak for a a better weather view. Ideally on skis... anyone in for April 20, 2010?
kavak - Jul 7, 2009 10:29 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2009
Beaver Basin
Climbed this in beautiful weather. It is amazing how you can look down at the canyons and rock towers in Castle Valley and they look so diminutive. Then when you drive down to them on your way out, they look so majestic and inaccessible.
byates - Dec 1, 2008 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2005
Via Miners basin
Via Miners, did Manns while in the nieghborhood.
Moogie737 - Oct 2, 2008 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2008
From Beaver Basin
#1 9-0-13 Brent & I drove a Honda Pilot as far as I figured was reasonable and hiked the rest of the way up. Fall colors were astonishingly beautiful. We appreciated the switchbacks in the talus leading to the Waas summit from the saddle. I'll add some details in a brief trip report as soon as I can. What views from the summit! #2 5-24-13 Mit wunderbarer Gesellschaft und viel weichem Schnee auf dem Weg und viel Wind oben im Sattel.
bdbezzant - Jul 20, 2024 8:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2024
Climbed Mt. WaasIf you have a vehicle that is high clearance and 4x4, you can make it to Beaver Basin, which is the route I chose. The hike is relatively easy if you've hiked a lot. You'll start in the pines and meadows and work your way to the saddle. Not a distinctive trail, but easy to see where you need to go. Once at the saddle there is a nice trail to the top. Beautiful views of other LaSal peaks and west towards Canyonlands country.
Scott - Nov 19, 2023 9:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 11, 2023
Mount WaasIt was a rough night since I forgot the tent and slept under the stars at Miners Basin in the La Sals and there were a lot of animals around. It was cold at night and in the morning, but it was a nice day. I climbed three peaks over 12,000 feet: Pilot Mountain; Green Mountain (unranked), and Mt. Waas. Snow and fallen timber slowed me down too and it was a long day. I got back after dark.
scgrant - Jan 17, 2015 9:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2014
WaasFrom Miners Basin along with Castle Peak, La Sal Peak, Green, and Pilot.
mjp20k - Jul 21, 2014 8:59 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2011
Solo tour of the Northern La SalsSee trip report
Udink - Jul 7, 2014 11:46 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2014
Miner's Basin RouteHiked up from Miner's Basin and did 8.5 miles round-trip in 8.5 hours. Losing the elevation in the saddle between point 12,163′ and Mt. Waas kinda sucked, as did the loose scree going up Waas. Saw a couple of black bears on the way back, only a quarter-mile from the trailhead. After a tense moment they moved off into the trees and left us alone. Full trip report and photos on my blog here: http://udink.org/2014/07/01/mt-waas/
sharpa - Jun 14, 2014 11:29 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2014
Warner CampgroundTook the Miners Basin trail from the entrance to the campground. Not too much snow to deal with. Summited Waas and then traversed over to Pilot Peak and down to the Dry Fork Mill Creek trail. The wind was really intense on the ridges.
yadahzoemtn - Sep 14, 2013 8:33 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2013
Snow AgainCounty highpoints in the snow -- nothing but fun. Sometimes it feels like work.
apachedino - May 20, 2013 3:10 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2013
Lost Trekking PolesLeft my Black Diamond Carbon Fiber trekking poles near the summit before the awesome glissade back to the road. They are not right on the summit I believe they are a little south on the shoulder before the ridge drops off and gets steeper and better for glissading. Great day, just wish I wouldn't have realized I left them when switching to my ice axe. Contact me if you find them Dustin.Erickson@imail.org. Or at least put them to good use!
ZeeJay - Jun 18, 2012 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2012
Northern La Sal traverseParked about .3 miles S of the Burro Pass TH and climbed Manns, 11849, Pilot (12220), Green (12163), Mount Waas, Castle Peak (12044), and La Sal Peak (12001). I returned the same way except that I skirted the tops of the peaks whenever I could. On the way back, there was a big thunderstorm parked just E of Mount Waas. Hoping to avoid it, I traversed across Mt Waas's west face and hope to never do that again as every step had to be carefully placed to avoid starting a rock slide. It took 45 minutes to go 1/4 of a mile. The rest of the hike went great and was a lot of fun.
jhardink - Jun 12, 2012 5:34 pm Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2008
BeatdownClimbed the ridge from Geyser Pass- Tomasaki to La Sal Peak, then dropped to the Trans La Sal trail and made it to Warner Lake. Hitched a ride back to Geyser Pass with some very kind elk hunters. By then it was 11 PM, and while I was ready for the climb up to my car, the thought of it was beyond depressing.
voxnihili - Jul 5, 2011 1:03 pm Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2010
Beaver BasinLeft Salt Lake City around noon. Didn't plan on hiking Waas until the next morning, but it was a nice evening so I went for it. Saw an amazing sunset from the peak and walked back down in the dark.
utclimber - Aug 8, 2010 12:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2010
Miners BasinFrom Miners Basin. Downed trees over the trail at junctions made route finding difficult.
Pfeiffer75 - Jul 21, 2010 1:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2010
Beaver BasinClimbed from Beaver Basin. It took more time to drive the road from Don's Lake than to actually climb the peak. Not really, but it seemed like it. Found a great campsite at the end of Beaver Basin near an old rusty car from the 1930's. As expected, lots of loose, shifting talus and scree
jamesmc2 - Jul 4, 2010 11:43 pm
Tomaski, Manns & WassClimbed Tomaski from Geyser pass then traversed ridges to summit Manns and then Wass. After you have done the "triple crown" of Peale, Tuk and Mellenthin you should do this one!
shphilby - Sep 5, 2009 5:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
BearsDrove up and there was a bear bate station right where we planed to camp. Explored around finding the old mines and cabins. The hike to the peak was easy the hard part was driving in.
KirtDavis - Aug 6, 2009 9:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
Bear Bait, just not us.There was a bear bait station in Beaver Basin. Had to find a place to set up camp that wasn't too close.
Nice day to summit, up and back in three hours.
Found a cabin and some mines in the area.
seth@LOKI - Jul 27, 2009 3:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
lighting strikes on La Salweather was reported to be better. by 10 AM lightning was smacking within 100 feet of us first on La Sal Peak then on the steep west slope of Waas as we tried to stay low back to Beaver Basin. I need to go back to Castle Peak for a a better weather view. Ideally on skis... anyone in for April 20, 2010?
kavak - Jul 7, 2009 10:29 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2009
Beaver BasinClimbed this in beautiful weather. It is amazing how you can look down at the canyons and rock towers in Castle Valley and they look so diminutive. Then when you drive down to them on your way out, they look so majestic and inaccessible.
byates - Dec 1, 2008 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2005
Via Miners basinVia Miners, did Manns while in the nieghborhood.
Moogie737 - Oct 2, 2008 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2008
From Beaver Basin#1 9-0-13 Brent & I drove a Honda Pilot as far as I figured was reasonable and hiked the rest of the way up. Fall colors were astonishingly beautiful. We appreciated the switchbacks in the talus leading to the Waas summit from the saddle. I'll add some details in a brief trip report as soon as I can. What views from the summit! #2 5-24-13 Mit wunderbarer Gesellschaft und viel weichem Schnee auf dem Weg und viel Wind oben im Sattel.