San Luis Peak TR

sbkelley · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 284 Location: Tempe, AZ

It's a couple days overdue, as I was waiting for a couple more pictures from other folks on the trip, but I'll go with the ones I got...

The reason we decided to climb San Luis Peak again is this is the mountain where we all met a year ago. In June of 2006, I had driven TalusMonkey seven hours from Denver, and we met Dave (CODave) and Jeff at the Stewart Creek Trailhead before climbing San Luis Peak. San Luis is about as remote as a 14er gets: anywhere from 20-40 miles of dirt road to the TH and 12 miles by the shortest route (round-trip) to the summit. That being said, no terrain on this mountain will offer any technical challenge, and the most difficult part is not straying from the trail to gawk at the display of wildflowers and gentle ridges which seem to flow like waves as far as the eye can see. We decided we would all reunite to spend some time together and to celebrate David's life. In attendance were Tanya and I, Dave and his girlfriend Kate, Chris (David's adopted son) and his girlfriend Lindsey, Shawn Kiel and his friend Michelle, and of course, Jeff.

So this past Thursday afternoon, Tanya and I drove up to Durango to spend some time with her grandfather, who has lived in that city for the past 50 years (!) We spent Friday with him around his house before embarking Friday evening for the Stewart Creek Trailhead. After 40 miles of good dirt roads, we arrived and met the rest of our group deep in the San Juans. After quick greetings, we quickly bedded down, bracing for the early start the next morning. We awoke at 0530 and threw our packs together, greeted by this amazing sunrise.
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All but Kate (broken toe) and Lindsey (not a fan of early mornings) embarked for San Luis. The weather was perfect, and we crossed the first 3.5 miles in a little over an hour. We began to get excited about seeing the upper reaches of the peak. Our group after the first creek crossing: Shawn doesn't look happy to be there, but everyone else is smiling!

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The trail steepened after the first major creek crossing, but flattened out again around treeline. We chatted and took pictures most of the way up, arriving at the Organ-San Luis Peak saddle at 13,200', which offered this nice view of the final push to the top.

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Though the terrain was gentle, Tanya and I were breathing a little harder than our high-terrain companions, but were able to keep up just fine! Very Happy

Hey, we were almost 13,000' above Tempe, so we feel no shame. We stuck together the entire way up, but paused just below the summit so that Chris could summit first. Tanya and I just before the peak:

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Chris insisted on summiting first because, as he told us at the start of the trip, he "had David with him." We had no clue that he was going to bring TalusMonkey's ashes, and were of course feeling a mix of surprise, grief, and happiness all at once. For any of us that spend our lives outside, having your ashes spread from a mountaintop or in the desert is the way most of us probably would want to go. We knew we could return David to the place he was the happiest, as we all took turns spreading TM's ashes from San Luis Peak's summit http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/albums/albvl66/IMG_1515.sized.jpg

Most of us had to hold back tears as we were doing this, but it was wonderful having everyone around for this moment. It truly was an overwhelming mix of grief and happiness all at the same time. We said our goodbyes and turned our attention to the happy memories. The Captain poses came quickly

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We re-created one of our famous 14ers.com gangsta poses:

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After signing the summit log and spending a good half hour on top, the cold wind became a bit much for us Arizonans, so we started moving down the peak and back towards the saddle. It was now about 1130 and we decided to make a go at summiting nearby Organ Mtn (13,804'). The climbing was very straight-forward until we reached a Class 3 ridge, which we all traversed with little trouble:
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Unbenownst to us lay a 200-foot deep vertical gash in the ridge shortly after this picture was taken - our group decided enough was enough, and turned around to head back towards camp. I was a little disappointed to be so close to this 13er and turn around, but the views were beautiful and we had no complaints about the day.

It was a long 5 miles back to the campsite, but we all made it back to the cars around 1630, with food and beverage waiting! We made a campfire and cooked our food. About this time, Chris dragged a monstrosity of a cooler out of his truck, full of something like 100 beers and dozens of wine coolers. Plus 54 beers he'd brought that couldn't fit!!!! I guess we weren't going to bed completely sober that night! As some light rains moved into the area, we moved close to the campfire, telling stories and plotting our next adventure.

The drive back to PHX was long, but the trip was well worth it. The San Juans, of course, are one of the most stunningly beautiful areas I've seen, and the company was fantastic. Though the summit was emotionally one of the toughest things any of us has done in awhile, it was a rewarding and special moment for everyone and we look forward to a lifetime of adventures in the outdoors.

Davis2001R6 · Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 5591 Location: Italy

Scott that sounded like a really great trip, awesome pictures as well. Need to make it out there someday. Next year for sure!

YH · Posted: 7/12/2007, 3:41 pm Post subject:

beckett · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 1066

I am left without words and yet so many feelings. Thanks for letting us be a part of this through the pictures and the trip report. Sounds and looks like an awesome day.
Linda
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sbkelley · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 284 Location: Tempe, AZ

Tim - yeah, the San Juans are definitely worth it. I just got an offer to climb Whitney today, too (going in late Sept. or early Oct, so could be some snow), so I'm eager to see the Sierras for the first time. I know you've spent some time there and it sounds like Whitney would be very similar to a Colorado 14er. Thanks for posting that TR in the other thread, it helped a lot with route info.

YH - dry heat or not, this is my first summer in AZ and it's everything I imagined it could be Shocked

Of course, it's cooled off but now comes the humidity!

A lot of that Colorado crew is coming down to Arizona next fall. It's strange - some of them have never even set foot in this state before! But we've got a trip in the works to either Havasupai (pending permit) or Bass Trail, so it'll be good for those mountain folk to see something new.
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Mountains complement desert as desert complements city, as wilderness complements and completes civilization. - Ed Abbey

YH · Posted: 7/12/2007, 9:47 pm Post subject:

Canyon Dweller · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 712 Location: Denver, CO

There's nothing like hiking the Grand Canyon. I've done it 7 times and I miss it greatly. It used to by my "backyard" when I lived in Flagstaff. I found it more difficult than some of the 14ers, but you don't have the elevation to contend with, which makes it seem easier.
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Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2