Attempted murder on Broken Hamd Pass

[Mountainsroam_2012]

I was camped by the Needle standard route area. I got up Friday at 4am to do the traverse. I made the top of broken hand pass, wasn't feeling strong and wind was blowing about 30mph, so I called off the traverse and summited Broken Hand Peak. About 1/3 of the way down on a narrow part of trail in the cliffs, I approached a hiker. I leaned into the narrow section of trail about 10 feet before we met. This guy started cussing me about some azzhole from Texas with no trail manners, a big p**sy that didn't summit, etc. I kept quiet, but after about the 12 cussing me out incident over nothing, I lost my cool and said F u man, whats your problem bro?? He went completely psychotic and threw his backpack down, and charged me. He said you wanna go, I'll kill you, etc. I went into defensive fight position. I told him don't come any closer, he kept going nuts screaming and cussing me. I calmly said do not get any closer to me.. Rember we are right next to a steep drop on a narrow section of trail. Then it all happened real quick, and he went completely psychotic cussing Texas people over and over, reached down and grabbed approximately a 30lb Boulder lifted over his head in a psychotic rage. I lunged back a couple feet looking down at the cliff, trying to dodge this attempted murdering lunatics throw. I recovered my balance and the Boulder struck hard right in front of me barely missing my head. My lunge backwards might have saved me.Then the coward piece of garbage ran away up the mountain still cussing me.. This was the most despicable criminal action that has ever happened to me in the mountains.. I wish I could identify this guy and report him to the sheriff.. He is going to hurt or murder someone probably soon.. I'm assuming this psychotic piece of garbage is a local that hates all out of staters, cause he kept stating how he hated Texas people... Unbelievable..

[Mountainsroam_2012]

By the way I manned up and did the Crestones traverse the next day, and the Columbia Pt traverse the next day. I am a good person and have never been disrespectful to anyone in the mountains,. I've gotten out of the way up or down probably a thousand times in my mountain climbing years. I don't care where your from, I am happy to see people go to our sacred Colorado beautiful mountains..

[onebyone]

Thread has legs

[TheAlpineApe]

You need to file a police report if you have not already.

[painless4u2]

Nonetheless, Texans are still the worst. In every conceivable facet of existence.

Hmmmmmm.

[Mountainsroam_2012]

I haven't done anything, just got out of the mountains. It would be hard to identify him, except he was about 5'9" 160-170 lbs, wearing a circle brim hat with sunglasses, and a white guy.

I will now be armed in the mountains from now on unfortunately, sign of the times.. I told about 4 people this story on mountains over the next 3 days. Their responses where I would have kicked him off the mountain, unloaded my 45 clip in him, to just so shocked they didn't even know what to say..

I don't know anyone on this site, but it feels like a mountain climbing brother hood. How would anyone on here react to this situation? I should have just been the better man I guess and kept my mouth shut?

[derekpetrie]

I haven't done anything, just got out of the mountains. It would be hard to identify him, except he was about 5'9" 160-170 lbs, wearing a circle brim hat with sunglasses, and a white guy.

I will now be armed in the mountains from now on unfortunately, sign of the times.. I told about 4 people this story on mountains over the next 3 days. Their responses where I would have kicked him off the mountain, unloaded my 45 clip in him, to just so shocked they didn't even know what to say..

I don't know anyone on this site, but it feels like a mountain climbing brother hood. How would anyone on here react to this situation? I should have just been the better man I guess and kept my mouth shut?

It’s easy to say what I’d do in the hypothetical, but sometimes you can’t do anything to stop crazy. FWIW, carrying for self defense against other people is a double edged sword. Too many scenarios where you could be made out to be the crazy one.

EDIT: i am referring only to carrying while in the backcountry for use against other people. Not making a statement about 2A or gun control or conceal carry.

[Scott P]

I'm assuming this psychotic piece of garbage is a local that hates all out of staters, cause he kept stating how he hated Texas people

So are you from Texas and why did he think you were from Texas? How can he tell if someone is out of state? This is weird.

[Mountainsroam_2012]

Good point, I am not afraid of any man, the mountains have gave me many gifts over the years. I don't need to pack, but psychotic people like this make u want to.. I am prepared for death, but I will go out fighting.. I have a son and dad that need me. It would have been me or him if he didn't retreat like a little coward piece of trash, and I would have had to Boulder fight him to the death, or both our deaths over the cliff..

[Mountainsroam_2012]

I'm assuming this psychotic piece of garbage is a local that hates all out of staters, cause he kept stating how he hated Texas people

So are you from Texas and why did he think you were from Texas? How can he tell if someone is out of state? This is weird.

I am not from Texas, he was just a psycho that assumed i was a Texan, whom I guess he really hates for what ever reasons a crazy fool has in his sick mind?

[pvnisher]

Obviously this was a really stressful and threatening situation for you, certainly seems like it would be for anyone.
My warm comfy arm chair Monday morning quarterbacking has me wondering about the other side of the story.
I've heard a lot of one sided reports that seem unbelievable, and then when the other side comes out it makes more sense.

Sure, sometimes there's legit insane people with random violence. But more often than not it's not how it was reported.

Either way, I'm super glad neither of you are hurt.
And also know that if truly a random, psychotic encounter, that's super rare. In most cases having a side arm won't help you unless you're well trained and recently practiced. Small arms and CQB are perishable skills.
Without training, practice, and a head to know when to engage and when to walk away, untrained people often escalate minor situations into deadly ones.

Best case is to Get Off the X.
De-ass the area with the quickness.

I'm glad you're ok.

[bosnian2014]

Sounds like this could have been a right of way trail rage incident (analogous to road rage) that escalated into violence. As suggested earlier, you should file a report.