Making the Cut: A Bicentennial Finisher
Featuring....Tijeras Peak
(Photo by Kimo)
Starring: Carson Black
Cast of Characters: Steve Gladbach, Darin Baker, Carson Black, Terri Horvath, Marlyn Peet, Sarah (a.k.a, Wooderson or sometimes, Woody), Kevin (a.k.a., Papillon or sometimes, Papi), and Kimo
Special Guest Appearance By: (Mad) Mike & Dani Silvestro
Tijeras Peak (13,604')
Sangre de Cristo Range
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Views to the S/SE from the summit of Tijeras Peak
Trailhead: Music Pass
*We were able to drive within ~1/2 mile of summer-time TH, and car-camped in the meadow along the road
Route: NW couloir to gain N slopes -> NW ridge
Distance: ~9mi's RT (round trip)
*Elevation Gain: ~3750' (per my "route tool" on TOPO!)
*doesn't count the ~570' regain of Music Pass on the way out
Difficulty: moderate class 3 scrambling on NW ridge with some minor yet short class 4 moves if desired, couloir is moderate to almost steep snow (? high 30 degree range ?)
Note: snow conditions vary, and our conditions consisted of soft snow, boot deep; thus making the couloir not feel as steep. In my opinion, hard snow will make most climbs feel steeper.
(Photo by Papperson)
Gear: daypack w/Essentials, helmet, crampons, ice axe, snowshoes for some
Resources Used For Trip Planning: NOAA weather forecast, Dave Cooper's Colorado Scrambles guidebook, Garratt & Martins' Colorado's High Thirteeners guidebook, maps, txt message from the Silvestro's on current conditions (Thank you Dani!) & Terri's observations from her hike of Music Mtn on Saturday
Foreword
What's there to say? Carson was down to one last bicentennial, and he left a good one to finish on! I've had the pleasure of joining him on several of his remaining peaks over the past few years, so it was great to be with him on his finisher!
We put a solid crew together, with a solid plan, and we had an altogether solid day. No doubt.
What follows is a picture report of our day. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Welcome to the show....
Sunrise on our approach
Dirty Little Secrets in the Trees
(Photo by Kimo)
Getting Closer
Yes, he's a Happy Guy
The Silvestro's are about to 'ramp up'
Kimo might have Music on his mind
(Photo by Papperson)
Line up, folks! It's going to be one hell of a show!
Stare into the sun
(Photo by Terri)
The Exit
The Star of the Show
(Photo by Papperson)
Time for Tundra
Walking on Talus Time
(Photo by Kimo)
Woody with Music playing in the background
At the saddle between 13,290' and Tijeras, we meet the Special Guests on their descent from Tijeras where they were building their cairn art. But they're fast. Too fast to capture much on film, or, pixels.
I did see Terri giving the Madness beta on some Music though
Time to be Rock Stars
More Stars on the Boulevard
I would be remissed if I didn't include a photo of Stars that I admire & respect
(l. to r., Marlyn Peet, Carson Black, me, & Steve Gladbach)
By the way, B is for Baker. Ya' dig? 
What goes up, must come down.
(Photo by Terri)
Back to the valley floor, once beyond the Secrets in the Trees. (It's no secret that spring snow in the trees can be hell though. Right?)
Almost time for this show to come to an end. But there will be more episodes, and I look forward to them. Please stay tuned.
A fine place for a tree or two to lie down
(Photo by Terri)
Goodbye, Tijeras. And thank you! It was a wonderful performance you gave us.
(Photo by Kimo)
Hindsight & Personal Notes
Carson, on behalf of everyone on the trip, once again congratulations on finishing this journey! It was a great day to join you on this mountain, in such a wonderful area...with fantastic people.
I also want to thank you for being a great inspiration to me, as well as a good role model and partner in the mountains. Most important though, thanks for being a great friend to me!
I've shared more summits with Carson than anyone else. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 peaks or more! Correction: Make that 40 peaks and counting!
I look forward to many more summits with you Carson.
One last note. In hindsight, it's easy for me to be able to pinpoint some moments in my life that made a difference in my mountain adventures. One such moment was a trip back in 2004, to Ice Lakes Basin on a CMC trip led by Marlyn Peet. Also on that trip was Carson and Steve.
We climbed Pilot Knob one day, and US Grant the next. (But of course, Marlyn, Steve, & Carson went on to climb other high peaks in the area after the aforementioned peaks!)
Anyway, it was on that trip that I got to see how things should be on a mountain, and off the mountain, just by the way they (as well as Denise and Mary) accepted me into their company and by their quality leadership. (I was just a beginner to our mountains back then.)
Thanks guys! And you too Denise, if you're reading this.
Thanks for reading,
Darin
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