Wilmans to Columbia peak

[robertm]

Hello... anybody traversed from Wilmans Peak over to Columbia? We had an interesting experience this weekend attempting this. We started off climbing N. Wilmans, S.Wilmans and E. Wilmans Spires and then headed up to Wilmans peak. Getting onto the 76' glacier via Broadway ledge didn't look like it would go due to crumbly vertical red rock that comprised the "ledge"... I am curious if others have run into this impasse? Anyways we descended a nasty gully until we were tired of that and then pioneered a couple of overhanging rappels down to a ledge system that enabled us to get onto the glacier. From there it was was straightforward to head up Columbia (std route)-- Last register entry was Joshk on 4/10/04 -- and then descend out Poodledog pass. Snow on trail 4000' and higher. New twinlakes/silver lake trail is pretty cush but roundabout.

[JoshK]

Damn, my entry was last? I can't imagine nobody has been up there since, but who knows. I did that on my ski tour of the area.

 

Your traverse sounds like a cool one, but sorry, I have no beta.

 

What is the snow level like now?

[robertm]

All the rock is free of snow. Silver Lake is still iced over as are twinlakes but not for long. Snow covered trail above poodledog pass. Traverse was cool. Wanted to tag MonteCristo through Wilmans gap but ran out of gumption and due to time lost in reaching 76 it was deemed out of scope. Saw Sawhorse tower and thought of ChucK... Cool area... with so little sweat to get to it is surprising it doesn't see more visitors... especially the wilmans peaks via glacier basin. Rock quality isn't too bad.