Wheeler Peak (NM) Climber's Log

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forjan

forjan - Oct 15, 2007 11:43 am Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2007

Williams Lake Trail  Sucess!

Woke up at 7:30am to 32F at the hiker parking lot. Started up at 8:10am. A local dog followed me all the way to the summit which we reached just before 10am. Stayed at the summit for 1/2 hr. Windy & cold along the summit ridge. Tagged Mount Walter on the way down. Back at the trailhead by 11:40am (3.5 hrs car-to-car).

I like it on top

I like it on top - Sep 12, 2007 1:31 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2007

Beautiful Day  Sucess!

Bright sun and spectacular views. After a short bushwack, we rose above treeline and picked up the bull of the woods trail, and made the summit around 11:30am. We completed the climb in recognition of those lost on 09-11, on behalf of Cops on Top.

Redwic

Redwic - Sep 9, 2007 11:43 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2007

Weather Issues At The Summit  Sucess!

Starting in the early morning, there were beautiful weather conditions... *until* I climbed halfway up the saddle-slope between Wheeler Peak & Mount Walter. Then, suddenly, a solid cloud blanket covered over both peaks. The wind picked up, and it quickly felt like the temperature dropped to below freezing. When I reached Wheeler Peak's summit, the cloud/fog was so thick that I couldn't see 2-3 feet in front of me, so I jogged over to Mount Walter's summit to hopefully find more suitable conditions... only to find much of the same thick cloud cover there. It was too bad, as I bet that the views from the summits would have been spectacular. Thank goodness for my GPS & general pathfinding skills. The Williams Lake Trail is very nice!!!

Clodhopper

Clodhopper - Sep 3, 2007 8:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2006

Not the best weather  Sucess!

Thunderstorm above the treeline, at 13000ft. In retrospect, not so smart. Camping on top in a lightning storm, well, stupid. We made it though, I think I'll wait for a clear day to do it again.

A Bit

A Bit - Sep 1, 2007 2:23 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 1996

From the ski area  Sucess!

A bighorn sheep was there to welcome us near the summit. Didn't see much of the view due to clouds that put down a couple inches of snow.

lasvegaswraith

lasvegaswraith - Aug 17, 2007 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2003

Look out!  Sucess!

Hiked via Williams Lake and the steep slog to the saddle. Bagged Walter en route down and fought off marmots trying to make off with everything not tied down. Saw 15 or 20 bighorn on the way down and got some decent photos but headed for the hills quick as thunderheads started building (and this was 1000am) It started to rain and hail by the time I got back to the trailhead. Start early in summer for sure.

StarMan

StarMan - Aug 9, 2007 8:40 pm

September 2005

Via Williams Lake - STEEP!

starship_jen

starship_jen - Jul 9, 2007 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2007

Williams Lake  Sucess!

HP #31. Hiked with Paul. Steep!!! Enjoyable hike and TONS of marmots! So cute! Glissaded for the first time on a short snowfield--fun stuff! : )

Zandt

Zandt - Jun 25, 2007 2:06 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2007

Gorgeous climb  Sucess!

Ascended Bull-of-the-Woods Trail, which was beautiful, though obscured by large snowfields in several places. Descended by the Williams Lake trail...which seems just plain destroyed along much of its length and extends down into probably one of the saddest-looking spruce forests I've ever seen.

2skinners - Jun 22, 2007 4:50 am Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2007

HP #4 Beautiful day  Sucess!

My 2nd attempt successful as my first attempt was turned back by myself because of threatening looking clouds. Well worth the effort as this was a beautiful climb.

Art Vandalay

Art Vandalay - Apr 3, 2007 8:06 pm

Love Wheeler  Sucess!

I've climbed Wheeler 5 or 6 times since my first time in 1997, once from the Taos Ski Valley and every other time via the Middle Fork TH near Red River. Had fun every time. I love camping near Lost Lake...caught a couple nice trout in there a couple years ago with Elk Hair Caddis flies. Tried it once in winter and had to turn back (mostly because my partner had a 30 degree bag and froze his ass off the night before near the TH). I plan on climbing it many more times, one of my favorite trails in NM.

atavist

atavist - Apr 2, 2007 11:40 am Date Climbed: Nov 26, 2006

Just in time  Sucess!

We barely got this climb in before a big storm hit. It was cold and windy at high camp. Very cold. There was a good base of snow above tree line. On the drive back, we got nailed by a huge snowstorm as we were driving west on I-40 through AZ.

The edge

The edge - Mar 14, 2007 4:05 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2003

HP #41  Sucess!

The very next day that I was on Elbert... here I was on the top of Wheeler... I guess I was acclimitized...
Awesome scenery..!!
Only nine to go!!!

Bubba Suess

Bubba Suess - Mar 9, 2007 10:00 pm

High point of a great trip.  Sucess!

Summited with Caleb and Kunz while returning to exile in Dallas. Great way to end a great trip!

tomastx

tomastx - Mar 5, 2007 5:16 am Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2007

Winter Snow

Went up Bull of the Woods with my brother, but after the heavy snowfall, we were breaking tral and postholing past the knees with snowshoes. We soon realized that despite an Alpine start, we would never make it to the top. Had a fun day, will be for another time. Made it to 12,000' something.

lizrdboy

lizrdboy - Feb 25, 2007 10:40 pm

Winter Climb-Via Williams Lake  Sucess!

Great trip. We were the only ones on the mountain...probably because everyone else was skiing at Taos.

weeds19

weeds19 - Feb 9, 2007 4:29 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2000

Great Hike via BOTW  Sucess!

This was the first backpacking trip for my wife and I together. At the time we were just dating, and we both had a great time on the backpack. We even ventured down to one of the nearby lakes and at one point were surrounded by 50 bighorn sheep as we climbed out of the lake basin. Wonderful place!

highice - Feb 1, 2007 6:53 pm

winter attempt

tried a solo winter climb of the easy route, but white conditions slowed the progress. maybe another time.

Anya Jingle

Anya Jingle - Jan 13, 2007 8:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2005

Via Williams Lake Trail  Sucess!

This was a very long drive for us to get all the way to New Mexico's highest point, but it turned out to be well worth it. Fun steep route, great exercise and great vistas, not to mention all the wildlife we saw and many interesting wildflowers back down in the forest.
We made it down just before a massive thunderstorm developed.
I hear this route to Wheeler does not usually get very crowded compared to the standard route. Indeed, we met only two other hikers by the lake.

Our slideshow from this adventure is here, enjoy:
Wheeler Peak via Williams Lake Trail

Vagabond Manifesto

Vagabond Manifesto - Oct 23, 2006 10:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2004

Very beautiful  Sucess!

Climbed during a backpacking trip in the wilderness area. A very scenic area--excellent alpenglow at camp the night before. With nearby Mt. Walter.

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