6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
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- pmeadco
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6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
From the Colorado Springs Gazette, Out There Colorado insert, 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
I thought this would be grist for discussion since people in this forum love to talk about which peak is the most {whatever}. We certainly have seen these peaks take their toll, yet again, this year. It isn't clear to me how the author came up with this ranking since, although some of these peaks are truly dangerous, some seem to claim few lives compared to others.
BTW, the picture at the top is my daughter and me on Capitol. What a surprise to see that pic in the paper!
I thought this would be grist for discussion since people in this forum love to talk about which peak is the most {whatever}. We certainly have seen these peaks take their toll, yet again, this year. It isn't clear to me how the author came up with this ranking since, although some of these peaks are truly dangerous, some seem to claim few lives compared to others.
BTW, the picture at the top is my daughter and me on Capitol. What a surprise to see that pic in the paper!
Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
On that list, I've only climbed Longs. So my opinion should be argued over the internet.
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
That Knife Edge on Capitol is crazy. Some pictures I see of it scare me to death. Then I see pictures like yours and I think "well that is hardly anything." I will anxious to get out on it myself eventually and see what it is like in real life.pmeadco wrote:From the Colorado Springs Gazette, Out There Colorado insert, 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
I thought this would be grist for discussion since people in this forum love to talk about which peak is the most {whatever}. We certainly have seen these peaks take their toll, yet again, this year. It isn't clear to me how the author came up with this ranking since, although some of these peaks are truly dangerous, some seem to claim few lives compared to others.
BTW, the picture at the top is my daughter and me on Capitol. What a surprise to see that pic in the paper!
I guess the terrain after the Knife Edge is actually harder though.
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
I've led on all but one of the peaks.
Sort of an odd list, "most dangerous"? I think Lizard Head is challenging for sure, but I don't recall it being particularly dangerous (much, much looser in the <90's than now). I guess there have been fatalities on it (?), but none come to my memory. Same for Peak 15, which I thought was an easy scramble on solid granite. Remote? Eh...you can go down valley and be on a super highway trail (Chicago Basin trail) in a couple of hours, good helo landing area within sight in NY Basin. Not that any rescue is easy....
But good fodder for discussion. Just my opinions.
-Tom
Sort of an odd list, "most dangerous"? I think Lizard Head is challenging for sure, but I don't recall it being particularly dangerous (much, much looser in the <90's than now). I guess there have been fatalities on it (?), but none come to my memory. Same for Peak 15, which I thought was an easy scramble on solid granite. Remote? Eh...you can go down valley and be on a super highway trail (Chicago Basin trail) in a couple of hours, good helo landing area within sight in NY Basin. Not that any rescue is easy....
But good fodder for discussion. Just my opinions.
-Tom
- LURE
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
You'd almost think that "dangerous" would be measured purely in accident and death rates and controlled for number of people. Which always seems to put Longs on top or so yeah? Especially because it has one of the most storied climbing histories going back into the 1800's. Of course it's far from a perfect metric cause you can't exactly quantify hiker preparedness and experience when tallying this stuff. The stuff that is truly probably considered the most dangerous and risky only have the most experienced people going out on, and therefore the lowest accident rate.
I personally have no idea, but to me I think about the last time I've heard of an SAR mission in the Gore Range for people hiking peaks. Surely it's happened, but I've never heard of it. A lot of those peaks are probably riskier than any fourteener - you hear about SAR missions on 14ers damn near every week. The people getting on Gore Range peaks are people inherently less prone to accidents, likely due to experience and skill that allows them to be on those peaks.
Interesting area of discussion.
I personally have no idea, but to me I think about the last time I've heard of an SAR mission in the Gore Range for people hiking peaks. Surely it's happened, but I've never heard of it. A lot of those peaks are probably riskier than any fourteener - you hear about SAR missions on 14ers damn near every week. The people getting on Gore Range peaks are people inherently less prone to accidents, likely due to experience and skill that allows them to be on those peaks.
Interesting area of discussion.
- Brian C
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
Interesting list and much more in the right direction than others I have seen over the years but I don't really think any of those peaks are inherently "dangerous", especially when compared to other peaks out there. I think of Longs Peak. It has more accidents than other peaks, but that comes from a higher concentration of people. If the crowds were cut 99% then the accident rate would likely drop to zero. I think of dangerous peaks being those where the easiest routes to the top carry high objective dangers.
Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
Eh "dangerous" connotes objective hazard to me, and few on this list have much objective hazard via standard routes.
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
Too many photos with fish eyes lens and/or go-pros make it look crazy. Knife edge is solid without concern of anything above you to fall down on you.Sean Nunn wrote: That Knife Edge on Capitol is crazy. Some pictures I see of it scare me to death.
As for Pk 15, I didn't think that was granite! Somewhat crumbly slabby crap on crux section that we climbed. The gully has a lot of potential for rock fall as it would be funneled onto a party.
I haven't climbed El Punto, but I've always heard that is puckering on the summit ridge due to unstable rock. Didn't make the list I guess, so maybe it's not that bad!
- pmeadco
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
I definitely agree. When I show people Go Pro shots of the knife edge I always have to explain "The Go Pro makes it look a lot worse than it is."d_baker wrote:Too many photos with fish eyes lens and/or go-pros make it look crazy.
- 12ersRule
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
While, I think that no 14er should be anywhere near that list, I think that you should have a special designation like Dr. Alpine if you lead all 6. The only place you seemingly get a Dr. title is the flatirons, that needs to change.
- djkest
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
If we are ONLY counting 14ers, I would probably rate them like this:
1) Little Bear
2) North Maroon
3) South Maroon
4) Crestone Needle
5) Longs Peak
argument could be made for Capitol Peak, as well
1) Little Bear
2) North Maroon
3) South Maroon
4) Crestone Needle
5) Longs Peak
argument could be made for Capitol Peak, as well
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- DArcyS
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Re: 6 Most Dangerous Colorado Mountains
After the latest Capitol accident, I gave some thought to this recently, but it was more in terms of Colorado's most dangerous rock. My vote gets that granite/granodiorite of Capitol and Snowmass. Yes, there's more brittle and rotten rock out there, but what makes it dangerous is that you have large blocks that can do serious harm if you're caught in the wrong position when one comes loose. It seems like there have been a significant number of accidents caused by rocks coming loose in this area. Two factors that might contribute to the instability are the weakening of the dirt that cements it together caused by excessive moisture (like that created by the huge snowfall this last winter) or the beginning of the freeze/thaw cycle in the fall.
After the latest Capitol accident, there was talk of the ridge up to K2 being used more often. I wondered if this was being done because people don't want to deal with the elevation loss and they want to add a little more spice to the climb. This is not a good idea, in my book. For this area, I'd do anything -- except stay home -- to minimize the risk of climbing on this rock.
After the latest Capitol accident, there was talk of the ridge up to K2 being used more often. I wondered if this was being done because people don't want to deal with the elevation loss and they want to add a little more spice to the climb. This is not a good idea, in my book. For this area, I'd do anything -- except stay home -- to minimize the risk of climbing on this rock.