mbjakusz - Sep 21, 2011 9:51 am - Hasn't voted

Overview
Sometime at the end of July, the forest service opened a new trail up to Wheeler Peak starting at the ridge just before you start the decent to Williams Lake.

Getting There
As stated in other post, the hard part is getting to the Hikers Parking Lot by "The Bavarian". I found a map online (after our trip of course....) and showed a few different was to make it to the parking lot.
I was not able to add it to this page so I just added it as a picture.
The red line is probably the standard route (we came out this way) and the blue line is the route we took in with our Civic that I was following off of the Williams Lake Trail 62 map that is on this site.

Route Description
The first 2 or so miles of the trail is the same as the Standard Williams Lake approch. From the parking area follow the road down the hill and around the building. You will see a Williams Lake Trail sign in the tree pointing up the hill. Stay on the left side of the stream and follow the road until you reach the next sign for Williams Lake Trail where you will take a left. Follow the trail on up towards Williams Lake. When you reach the ridge that drops you into Williams Lake there is a brand new trail the cuts back to your left. This new trail will take you to the saddle between Mount Walter and Wheeler Peak. I contacted the Questa Ranger Station when we got home and they have not assigned the trail a number or a name as of yet. Apparently they finished this trail about a week ago. From the trail intersection it is 1.7 miles to the saddle between Wheeler Peak and Mount Walter. The trail starts out friendly enough through the woods and then turns into a steep climb with a few flat spots and even the occasional down hill after you clear the treeline. Once you reach the saddle, take a right on the ridge trail and climb for a few hundred yards to reach Wheeler Peak.