14ers/13ers

hike #27: Torreys Peak (14,275ft)

Published July 5, 2012

Surprise 14er summit (seriously).

Enjoyed a lazy Norman Rockwell-esqe 4th. Ro swam for almost 2 hours at Community Park, then watched both volley- and bocce ball while children played in nearby water fountains. No fireworks in Colorado this year because of the fires, so celebrated our nation’s birthday ‘small town’ style.

Tough getting hike-motivated when you’re down physically somedays — but pushed myself outside with a 14er goal. Drove an hour half to Bakerville exit off I-70 this side of the Divide, Gray’s Peak our day target. First a right off the exit – nope, then left onto a bike path – bigger nope, straight ahead on a dirt road was the correct destination. Hmm. Can’t say my Prius was road ready so backed down the single-lane logging road for a quarter-mile, parked the hybrid, applied sun block and banged out remaining 1.4 miles to the trailhead.

Upon our trailhead approach, Ro pulled hard toward a fast-running stream — great time for a water break. Afternoon showers forecasted in the mountains so started at a fast pace this day. Switchbacks through a willow thicket until we reached tree line. Thicket reminiscent of Bierstadt — brought home a yellow jacket ‘badge’ this day. Ouch…but preferred to last weekend’s biting flies, joys of mountain summer 🙁

4 weeks of temps 90-degrees plus so I forgot/failed to pack a fleece. Wind off the mountain chilled — my tee offering little resistance. Ro? LOVES the cool temps – ok, so do I 🙂 After a series of switchbacks we reached our first rock incline, where we meet a fellow hiker…and a goat. Clarified directions after last weekend’s mishap — right at the junction.

No one on the hike after junction – hmmm – but it’s a Thursday (had a furlough day off from work). Had been warned of a ‘false’ summit so kept mentally motivated, took air/oxygen breaks, popped frequent lozenges, and pushed UP. We stumble across the summit log — summited already? Opened the canister and it reads ‘Torrey’s Peak’. Typical of my recent directional mishaps — we summited the wrong 14er peak!

(NOTE: Stopping for directions is not always the answer.)

No thunderstorms but sky greying up fast. Quick lunch break and return loop focus. Zero time to soak in our local surroundings this day. 10 minutes of cold rain mixed with sleet dampened spirits — Sno Ro also objecting to the precip with exaggerated shake-outs. Lover of glacier snow and mountain rivers, but rain? Not so much. Sun warms our next miles back to the trailhead start. One last brief shower (only rain this elevation) and ready ourselves for the drive home.

Following morning? Ro’s still sleeping and my energy level is back on the rise.

14ers — a potential medical cure for bronchitis (WebMD that 🙂 ).

Torreys Peak (summit video)

: end of hike for my Prius, add’l 1.4 miles to trailhead

: accommodations

: trailhead river – welcoming start!

: wildlife alert

: how much farther?

: glacier snow ahead

: Sno Ro is back!

: last push to top

: SUMMIT!

: hey wait – we summited the wrong 14er

: Gray’s Peak will wait another day (mile in other direction)

Posted in 14ers/13ers | Tagged glaciers, hiking | 1 Comment

hike #23: Quandary Peak (14,265ft)

Published June 9, 2012

DIFFICULT climb today — our second 14er, Quandary Peak.

Clear weather forecast so Ro & I didn’t leave home ’til almost 8am. Drive took us west past the Continental Divide, through Eisenhower tunnel, south on Colorado 9 through Frisco & Breckenridge to a small town named Blue River. Crazy me, thought the ‘Quandary Peak’ sign was the trailhead marker. 2 miles later through dense forest we found the ‘other’ road (& trailhead) and started our hike, albeit delayed.

Less than a mile of forest & meadows before we reached ROCK. Rock is deceptively arduous and hard on the body. ‘Quarry’ Peak might be a more apt name for this hike. ROCK — big ROCK, broken ROCK, shale ROCK, boulder ROCK, then more loose ROCK.

Not our finest hour. Ro & I went through all 5 bottles of water, felt the altitude and frequently stopped for oxygen. Clear weather yeah but 40 MPH wind gusts further slowed our pace and dampened my spirit. Quitter mode was setting in — argh! Lucky for me we were trekking against 2 groups of 3 hikers (for a while I thought they were the same group – both 2 guys and a gal). We started to encourage & call out to one another which was the push I needed this day. Ro & I summited then fast crashed by the far-end summit Inukshuk. I started incorporating the other hikers into my dream so must have slept hard for 20 minutes. LOL>

Hung out with Sean, Nicole and Ian — all East Coast transplants, NY PA & FL (panhandle) for an hour. Food, rest, conversation and my life spirit was back! Our bad selves just completed 2 14ers over two weekends. Amazing summit shots, a short choppy video (1st time using this feature), my COLORADO LIFE ROCKS!

Wildlife check this hike — marmots, pikas and a mountain goat (snapped a pic of the goat).

Quandary Peak (summit video)

: wrong trailhead sign

: 2 miles thru dense forest to…

: the ‘other’ REAL trailhead (off Blue Lakes NOT Blue River Rd, who knew?)

: 12,000 ft – end of the trees

: Rocky Mountain Goat – Ro went CRAZY!

: ROCKY climb UP

: bigger ROCK

: and even bigger ROCK

: last push to top thru loose shale (ROCK)

: SUMMIT log

: 14,265ft view!

: SUMMIT Inukshuk (fell asleep here for 20 minutes)

: ROCKSTAR climb!

Posted in 14ers/13ers | Tagged hiking, wildlife | Leave a comment

hike #22: Mt Bierstadt (14,065ft)

Published June 2, 2012

Ro’s first 14er!

First off — apologies to all my Flatlander visitors; I now get it. I felt burning in my lungs this hike, and even a little shortness of breath.

Saturday morning I set my alarm and we shot out by 6am; Mt. Bierstadt is approximately 2 hours away. I had already checked the day’s forecast, knew that Guanella Pass was open, and thunderstorms were possible any time after 1pm.

Lightning strikes kill more hikers on Colorado’s 14ers than accidents/falls. Being that high up and close to God should have more folks worried (joking). Of course, standing on rock with ZERO tree coverage increases your strike chances too 🙂

Beginning at Guanella Pass trailhead, meant our hike started at 11,700 ft — and also, cut 3 hours from our out time. Parked the car and headed for willow thicket. Online reviews advised this ‘valley’ continues for a mile, then the next 6+ miles heads UP — first switchbacks, then rock grappling near summit. Any concerns I had about bringing Ro on a 14er were erased after 2 miles in — when we saw our first snow (glacier). Sno’ Ro led the charge from there until our last half mile when rock climbing held Super Ro to ‘normal’ dog pace 🙂

Knowing thunderstorms were a probability, Ro and I hit the trail hard. Steady pace with only 2 brief stops for oxygen; 2:45 hours up — guide says 2 hours (athlete) to 4 hours to summit. I kept my eye on a tour group who ultimately led our way. First gave us a target to chase, then provided company & conversation for a mile, and ultimately inspired us to pass and summit first. Still competitive — even in Colorado. (These super nice folks later snapped a few pics for us.)

Break out a sandwich, bean burrito and doggie trail mix — and KA-BOOM…the sound of thunder, soon followed by thundersnow — snow which comes down like pellets. Our crowd of 30 summiters soon disperses. Ro and I start from the back and trail run the next 4 miles. I stop for air and the winter winds blow in. Our race to the car is slowed only briefly by ‘hiker traffic’. Ro seemed to understand/sense that the snow, then ice, then rain wasn’t gonna let up.

Triscuits, sandwiches and more doggie trail mix from our tailgate for 10 minutes (food intended for our summit lunch) before rain/snow/slush deluge fell from the heavens. Oh yeah — 2:45 up but only 1:38 hours down. Gravity — and occasional thunderclaps — sped our pace. LOL>

Weekly hikes to date — this ranks in the top 5!

https://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/30977