By Dave Buchanan , The Daily Sentinel
Wednesday, Novemeber 7, 2007

Thanks to a dedicated effort by The Trust for Public Land and some key financial support, peakbaggers in southwestern Colorado soon will regain access to a historic route up Wilson Peak, the highest point in San Miguel County.

The route up 14,017-foot Wilson Peak goes through Silver Pick Basin on the mountain’s north side and also provides the easiest and most-direct access for climbing Mt. Wilson and El Diente, two nearby peaks in Dolores County.

However, after a series of contentious run-ins with climbers, landowner Rusty Nichols closed off access through his property to Silver Pick Basin. Although Nichols wasn’t interested in re-opening the mining claims, he did say he was concerned about liability and some problems he had had with trespassers.

In stepped the TPL, which negotiated with Nichols and eventually signed a deal worth $3.25-million for his 230 acres of mining claims. Additionally, another 70 acres is being protected through conservation easements.

“We are very gratified to take this initial step in the process to restore access to the Wilson Peak area,” said TPL Colorado state director Tim Wohlgenant. “We have extended ourselves financially because this is such an extraordinarily vital property. There is only one Wilson Peak and the prospect of losing it to development is unthinkable.”

Included in the fundraising effort was a climb last August led by blind mountaineer Eric Weihenmayer of Golden, who is only blind person to have climbed the “Seven Summits,” the tallest peak on every continent.

During that climb, Weihenmayer was quoted as saying, “People here (in Colorado) place a value on space for recreation. There are some places to me that just shouldn’t be owned.”

According to a report on the Web site Outside Online, the purchase marks the first time a Colorado 14er was bought from a private owner. Several other 14ers have similar private land access problems, including Culebra Peak and Mounts Lincoln, Democrat, Bross and Cameron.

The Silver Pick trail won’t open until next summer, said TPL spokesperson Karen Macdonald. As soon as conditions allow next spring, the conservation group plans to re-route the trail away from the Nichols cabin (which under the agreement Nichols will retain) and re-build parts of the trail.

Sometime next summer the TPL will turn over title of the land to the U.S. Forest Service.

This is an important purchase for backcountry users, Macdonald said.

“We want people to go out and enjoy and respect these places by actually using them,” Macdonald said.

Macdonald said the TPL still is trying to raise funds to cover a $1.7-million loan the group received from Colorado Conservation Trust for the Nichols property.

Among the supporters was the Coors Brewing Company, which uses an image of Mt. Wilson on its beer cans.

Dave Buchanan can be reached via e-mail at dbuchanan@gjds.com

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