Pilot knob

[The hermit]

Ive been wanting to climb pilot for years. Seems like great views of glacier divide. Any good camps along the way? Hoping to clear piute pass day one. Tomahawk might be a stretch. Is it better to head toward desolation or head cross country further down?

[giantbrookie]

If you clear Piute Pass on day 1, you have plenty of options to camp because Pilot Knob is not that far away. Tomahawk Lake seems like a good choice to me. I camped at Knob Lake during the trip I climbed Pilot Knob (on a dayhike from Knob in which we also visited French Canyon), however, Knob wouldn't be my choice now that the fish in it have been removed, and it is not necessary to base camp that close to the peak anyway, for it is not that huge a climb.

[KathyW]

Mesa Lake is nice:

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You could also camp at either Lower or Upper Desolation Lake. Getting to any of those lakes in day isn't too difficult as it's pretty gentle. There is a trail all the way to Desolation Lake. It fades out in places, but isn't too hard to follow. I think it's easiest to just stay on the trail to Desolation Lake and then go to Mesa Lake, skirt along the north side of Square Lake, and then head for the saddle east of the summit of Pilot Knob (staying north of Knob Lake) and on up to the summit. Others might find a more direct route from Lower Desolation Lake to Mesa Lake better, but either way it's just gently rolling terrain.

You will love the view from Pilot Knob.