February 20 2009
Four year old Shaylee, six year old Kessler, Kim and I decided it was time for another winter getaway and since Walters Cabin near Shrine Pass (one of the 10th Mountain Division Hut) was free Friday night and since the kids were out of school Friday, we made a reservation. With the kids we decided to cheat again and use a hut instead of camp.
We left Vail Pass at 12:30 PM and headed towards Shrine Pass in snowshoes. Unfortunately it was cloudy and very windy with a windchill of 0F to -5F. It was much colder than our hut trip in January. The kids were bundled up well, but neither really liked the strong winds and we bribed them with candy and suckers into not stopping for many breaks since it was cold. We more or less went straight to the cabin with only a few short breaks, making the three miles on snowshoes in 2 hours 30 minutes. The cabin (11,223 feet elevation) was a welcome site after being outside in the cold.
February 21
It snowed four inches the night of the 20-21st, but quickly became calm and clear throughout the night. This allowed the temperature to drop and we woke up to a sunny but chilly -11F. The original plan was for Kessler and I to climb Peak 11,977, but he was having a good time playing with his sister in the cabin and they decided to stay behind and play.
I set off for the Shrine Mountain Ridge alone. Breaking trail was harder and slower than I thought it would be since there wasn’t a trail broken after the little snowstorm and I couldn’t see the old tracks. It took over an hour and a half just to reach the saddle between Shrine Mountain and Point 11,931. Since the sun was shining brightly and with little wind, it warmed up very fast and I worked up a good sweat climbing to the saddle (I actually initially reached the ridge north of and above the saddle). It looked like a fairly long way to Peak 11,977, so I didn’t take much time to dilly-dally. I climbed over the top of Point 11,931 and then followed the windblown ridgeline to Peak 11,977. The sky was perfectly blue and with great views with the Sawatch Range, including Elbert, Massive and especially Holy Cross; the Gore Range; the Tenmile Range and a number of other nice peaks as well. I shot dozens of photos before heading back down to Walters Cabin reaching it just in time for lunch.
After lunch we tidied up the cabin and headed back down to Shrine Pass and then back down the mountain to Vail Pass. It was a nice and sunny day and not nearly as cold as the day before (with only occasional breezes) so Kessler and Shaylee enjoyed talking to anyone they met along the way. We got several fantastic photos and a good time reaching Vail Pass after two hours from the cabin. It was a good trip.
Trip Report: Human Popsicles
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Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Last edited by Scott P on Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Great TR Scott! Always cool to see the youngsters out gettin it done.
Where ever you are... There you are.
Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Here are a few more photos:
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
- 4HClimber
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Scott,
Looked like great weather and a great outing!
Makes me want to grab my stuff and head out there tomorrow.!
Looked like great weather and a great outing!
Makes me want to grab my stuff and head out there tomorrow.!
"Everybody's got a mountain to climb" The Allman Brothers
- unclegar
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Nice pics!
...the mountain peaks belong to Him. -- PS 95:4
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.”
― Charles M. Schulz
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.”
― Charles M. Schulz
Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Beautiful pics! It's generally a good day for me if I'm going about 1 mph on snowshoes in the backcountry in winter - your kids are faster than me! 3 miles in 2:30! Maybe I need some bait! (candy & suckers)
It's great you're getting them outdoors, it'll be part of their adult life, also. That is very cool.
It's great you're getting them outdoors, it'll be part of their adult life, also. That is very cool.
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
WOW! Fantastic pics!!!
"To travel, to experience and learn: that is to live."
- Tenzing Norgay
- Tenzing Norgay
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Hello all,
Always love seeing kiddos out and about, much better than in front of a game! My 4 1/2 year old Aidan loves to snowshoe, he say's he is making rabbit holes when he uses his poles, and that someday he'll see the snowshoe rabbit that leaves all the tracks for us to follow. We plan on hiking to James Peak from our house, which would be a 8-9 mile RT hike. We did the Mosca Pass hike at the Sand Dunes National Monument from the campground that was a 8-9 mile hike, but it was in Sept. That hike took 8 1/2 hours, and Aidan hiked the whole way! More props to my wife for carrying our 7 month old daughter in the Kelty backpack, it was heavier than mine carrying all our other stuff. I think growing up at 11,000 feet will help them with their stamina as even after our 8 1/2 hour hike, after dinner he was still wanting to go to the dunes in the dark, needless to say mom & dad were tired. We are lucky to have St. Mary's as our backyard. As soon as I figure out how to post pic's I will, your's are awesome! Have fun with the kids!
Paul
Always love seeing kiddos out and about, much better than in front of a game! My 4 1/2 year old Aidan loves to snowshoe, he say's he is making rabbit holes when he uses his poles, and that someday he'll see the snowshoe rabbit that leaves all the tracks for us to follow. We plan on hiking to James Peak from our house, which would be a 8-9 mile RT hike. We did the Mosca Pass hike at the Sand Dunes National Monument from the campground that was a 8-9 mile hike, but it was in Sept. That hike took 8 1/2 hours, and Aidan hiked the whole way! More props to my wife for carrying our 7 month old daughter in the Kelty backpack, it was heavier than mine carrying all our other stuff. I think growing up at 11,000 feet will help them with their stamina as even after our 8 1/2 hour hike, after dinner he was still wanting to go to the dunes in the dark, needless to say mom & dad were tired. We are lucky to have St. Mary's as our backyard. As soon as I figure out how to post pic's I will, your's are awesome! Have fun with the kids!
Paul
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Re: Trip Report: Human Popsicles
Scott, love your quote!!