Elks Range 14ers Traverse

[kendrickC]

I wouldn't normally post this on here, but I met several people during the course of my outing that expressed interest in whether or not I would finish this route and asked me to post something on here. So, here it goes...

On August 9-10 I completed a route linking all seven of the Elks Range 14ers from east to west beginning at the pavement at Castle Creek trailhead and ending at Capitol Creek trailhead. This was a solo and supported effort. John "Homie" Prater met me at Maroon Lake with extra food and a new pair of shoes.

The route ended up taking 44 hours 10 minutes. I got lost a few times, which added a few miles and vert here-and-there.

I just want to thank the other kind people I was fortunate enough to encounter throughout the course of this nearly two day effort (I didn't run into many others). My thoughts also go out to the injured climber on the Bells Traverse (I spoke with his climbing partner as I made my way up South Maroon) as well as the injured woman on Snowmass (I think I spoke with her and her partner just below the summit as they were ascending and I was descending).

Here's a link to route I took:

https://www.strava.com/activities/366542030" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'll do an actual write-up of this later when I finally get caught up on sleep and calories.

-Kendrick Callaway

[BenfromtheEast]

Oh, the self-promotion. Look at yourself.

Just kidding, obviously. This is an incredible feat! I'd love to read about it. Do you have any idea how many times this has been done? It can't be more than a handful.

[mtnhigh358]

Wasn't this done for the first time back in the 1990's? I think it was 1995, Neil Beidleman and a partner did it in something like 35 hours?

[SchralpTheGnar]

I did this yesterday, didn't think that it was that difficult either. I met one person along the trail towards Buckskin Pass and he said "Hey don't I know you" and I said "Yeah, I'm the person you wish you were"

[adamjm]

The route ended up taking 44 hours 10 minutes.

That makes a lot more sense than the Strava activity @ 7 hours, 48 minutes. I was going to applaud you for your numerous sub 2-minute miles...

Whats the deal? Just crappy GPS data?

[nuttelmc]

Nice job on the traverse! Yeah, Neil Beidleman and Jeff Hollenbaugh did 36 or 37 hours back in the 1990s (west to east), Jason Antin and Brandon Worthington in 2013 (west to east) in 42 hours and change, and now you (east to west). I believe those are the only full documented known times for the whole traverse. I could be wrong, but I've been eyeing this for a while and attempted it in 2007.

Congrats again!

[SkaredShtles]

I did this yesterday, didn't think that it was that difficult either. I met one person along the trail towards Buckskin Pass and he said "Hey don't I know you" and I said "Yeah, I'm the person you wish you were"

Pfft. I did it this morning and still drove back to town for an afternoon of work.

[kendrickC]

Oh, the self-promotion. Look at yourself.

Just kidding, obviously. This is an incredible feat! I'd love to read about it. Do you have any idea how many times this has been done? It can't be more than a handful.

BenfromtheEast,

See the comment from nuttelmc below. That's the history of known completions that I am aware of for this route. Of course, it's always possible that others have done it. I'm in the process of putting some thoughts down regarding this linkup, but my wordsmith skills are lacking. So, it may take a while.

-KC

[kendrickC]

The route ended up taking 44 hours 10 minutes.

That makes a lot more sense than the Strava activity @ 7 hours, 48 minutes. I was going to applaud you for your numerous sub 2-minute miles...

Whats the deal? Just crappy GPS data?

I have no idea what the deal is...I made a rough (mostly) hand-drawn map on Caltopo prior to this outing and it seemed like the route should be 45-50 miles. My Suunto Ambit and Strava both said 63-64 miles. I read an account of Neal Beidleman and Jeff Hollenbaugh's completion of this route and they estimated it at 65-75 miles.

Personally, I hate the moving time "feature" on Strava because it takes something like this where I was undoubtedly moving for at least 30'something hours (if you subtract my rest times) and says that I was only moving for 7 hours. I think when you're moving really slow up steep terrain it assumes you're not moving at all.

All of that being said, my mile PR is 1:47, but I haven't been able to string together consecutive sub 2-minute miles, yet

[kendrickC]

Nice job on the traverse! Yeah, Neil Beidleman and Kevin Cooney did 36 or 37 hours back in the 1990s (west to east), Jason Antin and Brandon Worthington in 2013 (west to east) in 42 hours and change, and now you (east to west). I believe those are the only full documented known times for the whole traverse. I could be wrong, but I've been eyeing this for a while and attempted it in 2007.

Congrats again!

Thanks, man! Looking back, going east-to-west might not have been the best idea since it saves all of the most difficult terrain for the middle to the very end of the route. The endless talus/boulder hopping from Snowmass to Capitol can be quite frustrating with a tired body and mind. Honestly, I had only done the Bells Traverse once and didn't really feel like downclimbing it (potentially in the dark). So, that was the deciding factor in my direction choice. Upclimbing the cruxes on the traverse in the dark proved to be spicy enough for me at the time.

If I do this route again it will be west-to-east and I would also like to explore the east face of Pyramid more. Staring at topo maps I see several potential routes, but I haven't been able to physically find them yet...

Did you attempt this route with Homie when he got stormed off around the Bells? If so, that sounds like it was a terrifying ordeal...

-KC

[handonbroward]

Nice job on the traverse! Yeah, Neil Beidleman and Kevin Cooney did 36 or 37 hours back in the 1990s (west to east), Jason Antin and Brandon Worthington in 2013 (west to east) in 42 hours and change, and now you (east to west). I believe those are the only full documented known times for the whole traverse. I could be wrong, but I've been eyeing this for a while and attempted it in 2007.

Congrats again!

Thanks, man! Looking back, going east-to-west might not have been the best idea since it saves all of the most difficult terrain for the middle to the very end of the route. The endless talus/boulder hopping from Snowmass to Capitol can be quite frustrating with a tired body and mind. Honestly, I had only done the Bells Traverse once and didn't really feel like downclimbing it (potentially in the dark). So, that was the deciding factor in my direction choice. Upclimbing the cruxes on the traverse in the dark proved to be spicy enough for me at the time.

If I do this route again it will be west-to-east and I would also like to explore the east face of Pyramid more. Staring at topo maps I see several potential routes, but I haven't been able to physically find them yet...

Did you attempt this route with Homie when he got stormed off around the Bells? If so, that sounds like it was a terrifying ordeal...

-KC

I think that there is a ton of potential on the backside (east) of Pyramid. Looking at that aspect there is so much more viable rock compared to the 2 standard routes.

Also...any link to the story you mentioned about getting stormed off the Bells? Had a pretty terrifying experience up there a few years back, I'd love to compare.

[BenfromtheEast]

So this sounds like the first time it's been done solo? Boom.