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Colorado 14'er Frenzy and Fun!

 
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Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1741
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 8/17/2008, 9:03 pm    Post subject: Colorado 14'er Frenzy and Fun! Reply to topic Reply with quote

Arrived in Colorado the afternoon of Friday, August 8th under clear skies with intentions (in a perfect world) of bagging 12 fourteener’s over the next several days. Having lived in them thar mountains for 40 plus years I knew my perfect world scenario was a fantasy, but in the end I was able to work around the lightening and bag 8.

Took in a hike to the Three Apostles Friday afternoon. It was up early Saturday morning to get down to business. The day started off beautiful and the agenda called for bagging a triple…. MissourI(14067), Oxford (14153) and Belford (14197) in that order. This was a strenuous and long day with lots of vertical gain. It was up Missouri via the standard route, then backtracking down to Elk Head Pass, which ascends the back side of Belford and Oxford and dumps you in a saddle between the two peaks. Much closer to Belford than to Oxford. It was over to Oxford first, the weather was still good but you could see thunderheads and storms in the distance. It was then back to Belford with some thunder in the distance. The plan was to exit off the front of Belford (the standard route), but the decision was made to backtrack back down Elk Head Pass since it wasn’t straight down and was runnable, to get down to tree line before hell breaks loose. I had a few issues on this route; not being able to eat and running out of water temporarily. Finished hiking in the rain back to camp.

The next day it was up Huron (14003). This I would have to say was the most beautiful hike of the 8 peaks I did. Streams, beautiful forests, it had it all. I ran the entire distance down and made it to the trailhead just as heavy rain and lightening began.

Four down it two days off to a good start. Shavano (14229) and Tabeguache (14155) were next for Monday, but as luck would have it weather prevented the attack until Tuesday. I was almost to the top of Shavano by sunrise Tuesday. High tailed it over to Tabeguache then back to Shavano for the descent. Weather looked threatening but held off for a safe successful trip.

Wednesday it was on the trail by 0430 for the ascent of Yale (14196). This one had some extremely steep sections. When making the summit the clouds were so thick I could only see a few feet, this wasn’t good as the acsent was difficult to follow and somewhat of a challenge; large boulders with lots of crevasses. The clouds lifted while on top, offering unbelievable views.

Thursday was another weather day, but hey, 7 down so I’m happy. Went to a rock and gem show by Buena Vista and bought a gold mining pan. Had a good time looking at everything and visiting with the rockhounds.

Friday it was a very early start up Mt Princeton (14197) and it was a great decision hitting the trail at 0330. It was an awesome sunrise and looking down on the cloud cover was really neat. One thing that blew my mind on this one was while making a traverse across a boulder field at 13,000 plus feet you could hear a sub-terrain river flowing like crazy under the rocks. What a eerie type feeling.

Saturday it was off to Antero; got started but turned back do to bad weather threat. Went gold panning with the new gold pan and found my first gold, what a blast. Left Buena Vista around 2:30 in the afternoon and drove to Albequerque. There was a great storm going on in Santa Fe. Saw the brightest rainbow I have ever seen and the sky was surreal.
I was very happy with this trip. It rained everyday, but I was able to get in what I wanted to do, except for two days. I have to go back to do Antero, Harvard, Columbia and La Plata, but 8 out of 12 ain’t bad.

Buena Vista has an awesome sporting goods store called the Trailhead.
There is also a great restaurant called Quincy's (there is one in Leadville, too). All they serve is Fillet Mignon, Sunday thru Thursday and Prime Rib, Friday and Saturday. For 7.99 you get 8 oz fillet mignon, dinner salad, baked potatoe and bread. You can upgrade to 12 oz or 16 oz if you want.

Have some pics in the gallery. Suffered from operator error one day so some photos aren't real good.
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sbkelley





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

PostPosted: 8/17/2008, 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

The southern Sawatch is pretty cool country. What a way to start with the Oxford, Belford, Missouri trio! Glad you got to spend some time in Buena Vista too. You're an animal!
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 8/18/2008, 9:35 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Ok So how many 14'er have ya bagged so far?
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout




Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167

PostPosted: 8/18/2008, 5:16 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Looks like good fun and great landscape. The storm clouds make the pics so much more interesting, as long as the lightning stays far away---
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Davis2001R6





Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 5591
Location: Italy

PostPosted: 8/18/2008, 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Nice work Kent. You guys make my easy 3 look a lot smaller now. I have to say I hate looking at my pictures after checking out your guys as well.
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Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1741
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 8/18/2008, 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Ambika, I have successfully completed only 14. Unsuccessful, 4, do to weather.
I lived in the mountains all those years and never had an interest in climbing them until recently. Go figure. Had them out my backdoor for 44 years. LOL

Letty, you got that right about the lilghtening. Their is a plaque near the top of
Princeton, commemorating a gal that was killed on the spot. On the Monday I didn't climb ( was going to do Shavano and Tabaguache), I talked to some people that did do it and they were inbetween peaks when a storm rolled in. They said there trekking poles were actually humming, there hair was standing on end and on guy had this grasshopper ornament on his hat that he said was crackling. They happened to be ultra runners from Iowa who had been doing 14'ers for the last 13 years. They tried to convince me that I could run the Leadville 100, three of them were my age or older and did it last year, no thanks, I don't think so. They were very happy to be safe at the trailhead drinking beer and telling me there story.

Tim, as far as pictures I had a major brain fart and bungled over 100 of them that is almost 1/4 of what I took. I learned my lesson though.

Tim, the record for doing all 55 of them is under 14 days. It talks about all the records in Roaches book, Colorado Fourteeners. I was also totally focused on 14'ers this year, no backpacking on the CDT or any where else. No softball tournament like you. I was just pleased that I was able to work around the daily weather.
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Davis2001R6





Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 5591
Location: Italy

PostPosted: 8/18/2008, 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

This father and son combo are pretty amazing as well.

http://www.fatherson14ers.com/Site/Home.html
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Dean





Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 103
Location: Lehi Utah

PostPosted: 8/27/2008, 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I finally got over to Colorado to do a 14'er, Mt. Elbert. I lucked out and had great weather for my hike up to the summit from the Elbert Creek Campground where my wife and I camped. Even on a thursday there were tons of folks, including a gal who was celebrating her birthday with her first hike of a 14'er. The next day my wife and I drove up the Pike's peak road, where my wife got her first 14'er the easy way. Still, she had to move slow due to the elevation. The next day I hiked up Wheeler in New Mexico and two days after that I finally got into Arizona and did Kendrick Peak.

So, two Colorado 14'ers down, a ton to go. Wink
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BoyNhisDog
The dangerous place where the winds meet




Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1375
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: 9/2/2008, 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Breathtaking scenery and terrain features. There is something about Colorado but I don't get there enough anymore.

That is some fine high altitude trekking you have done there.
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