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With a long holiday weekend looming, and good weather forecasted, we only had to get our details organized to take advantage of it. There was talk of making a full weekend of it, and camping. So I prepared for that, packing my large duffel full of all the necessaries, like socks. I put all my socks into this bag. It was all organized, ready to go.
Plans changed. I didn't need my overnight gear.
I forgot my socks.
They were neatly organized in my duffle bag. In Boulder. I was in Summit County. Frak! On a whim, we decide to go to Safeway in Frisco. They had socks. Little ankle huggers, but they had socks. I thankfully had some liner socks in my backpack, so I didn't have all cotton on my feet. So with 3 pairs of socks on, I could wear my LaSportiva Glaciers without them rattling on my feet. But the socks didn't go up high enough, and the boots were going to rub my ankles with each and every step... But Caroline was going to wear her Koflachs and Sean hadn't been out in a few months, so it was all good. Plus both Caroline and Sean are in training for a big peak coming in 2013, so their packs would be heavier than normal with extra stuff. We could suffer together.
So we geared up and started up the road on the other side of Hoosier Pass. Up up up the hills, and down the hills, and up some more hills. Up and down, and up and down. We knew it would be a roller coaster, a long roller coaster of hills. The wind wasn't as bad as forecasted, but it was still strong, and would get stronger as the day went on. Onward we hiked, and eventually we made it to the last hill before the first true summit. Oh it was heartbreaking the amount of elevation lost on the last hill.
Mmmm, some wind up there! Hill #1 The valley across the way Bross and Lincoln Not much snow up here On top of hill #1 Silverheels Walking up Hill #4 - Photo Credit: Caroline On top of hill #7, looking at all the hills to go... Heartbreak hill, was well, heart breaking...
On Hoosier Ridge, we take a nice long break, and I break out my celebration cookies. They tasted so good, I wanted to eat all of them at once! With the summit of Hoosier Ridge, I had doubled my (ranked) 13er count in one year. I started the year at 62, and now I was at 124. It's been a good year of hiking for me.
Thankfully both Red Mtn and Red Peak were near by, and didn't have 100 hills in-between. So off we went to collect the nearby prizes.
Happiness is? Good friends and GF cookies!!! - Photo Credit: Caroline Red Mtn C with the 10 Mile and Gores behind Looking back at all the hills we crossed. The hills on the way up Red Mtn C
The views from Red Mtn C are well worth the effort. I eat some more cookies.
Breckenridge, 10 Mile and Gore zoom Baldy and Boreas Quandary looking like a pyramid! Mosquito - 10 Mile - Gore Pano Pano from Red Mtn C, looking at Red Peak A and Hoosier Ridge
We skirted around the north side of Hoosier Ridge and found our only serious snow crossing of the day. No gear necessary, just well placed steps.
Nice back drop Skirting our way to Red Peak A We found some snow to cross on the backside of Hoosier Ridge - Photo Credit: Caroline
We took a much longer break than anticipated on Red Peak A, the unranked. The wind had nearly knocked me and everyone else over on the summit, so we were hiding on the leeward side. At least I had time for my last cookie. I had to build my reserve for the long hilly roller coaster on the way back. My ankles were already red, raw and swollen and every step was painful.
Not a bad view of South Park and Pikes from Red Peak A! The long hilly road home... oh this will hurt! So many more hills to go... The setting sun on the 10 Mile Quandary doesn't look skiable Sean confusing the passing motorists Swirly clouds Sunset, moonrise
Conclusions: Bring athletic tape and tape the ankles, or don't forget socks. Bring more cookies!
Now that's it!
My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):
Those views from Hoosier Ridge are just spectacular. I hiked it in both March and May of this year as an acclimation hike before doing 14ers and couldn't keep my eyes ahead of me because the views were so nice to the west! Thanks for the wonderful pictures!
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