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a red fox sat in the middle of the street as if to greet me and grant me passage as i rolled slowly thru Breckinridge at 4:30 in the morning toward blue lakes 850 rd. Then right on McCullough Gulch 851 rd to the east ridge trail head. There was one car parked as i pulled up. Two hikers with head lamps on looking at the board who quickly dissapeared up the road and onto the trail by the time i had parked and grabbed my gear. Obviously, they didnt want company but it was comforting to know i wasnt completely alone on the mountain.
25 yds on to the trail, still within sight of the road, i was so out of breath! I had read about this, it was the altitude- after catching my breath i continued on into the trees. I had a little trouble following the trail farther up but with a little effort i could pick back up on it. it would usually dissapear under a snow drift. At about treeline, after several breath catching rests, i was met by a beautiful rocky mountain sunrise.
I was also met with a snow covered slope with no clear cut trail to follow but up!
my target became a patch of rocks up above. then more steep snow and a few more patches of rock where occasionally i could actually find the trail thru the rocks. not sure which was harder, stumbling up the rocks or trekking up the snow but it was all up and the breath catching breaks became much more often. I was really struggling but determined not to give up! While taking a break before the final steep climb to the summit i had removed my gloves to get a drink and a sudden strong gust blew one of my gloves away. I was able to retrieve it but i realized how a mistake like that could become very serious in a hurry under harsh conditions!
I began the final push to the summit at 7:50 am.
i summited at approximately 9:00 am the view was extraordinary! took it all in for a while 8) then began my way back down.
About half way down i began postholing very frequently, got of the trail back in the trees. Never picked back up on it and finally stumbled out onto McCullough Gulch roadand followed it to my car. Reaching it at about 12:30 pm with a new respect for mountains and a great sense of accomplishment. Climbing a 14er was definately the hardest thing i have ever done, but i did it!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
I still remember my 1st 14er. Wasn't that long ago. Mt. Yale. It nearly kicked my A$$! But I had that same sense of accomplishment and joy.
Planning on Quandary in Oct. Can't wait.
Good luck on your next many to come!!
Congrats on your first! It can become an addiction. One that can supposedly be satisfied by a ”58 step program”... Most of us here are part of that group!
some of my friends and myself are looking to climb this on the 4th, how bad was the snow for you since it looks kind of deep (coming from Texas where school is canceled for an inch of snow)
@kereed, i think youll find the snow fun but challenging its waist deep. i only postholed on the way down(later)not sure how it will be by the 4th but as everyone told me, START VERY EARLY am.
that sounds good, I was in the Chicago Basin a month ago so I have some experience with the snow but thanks for the update and I am excited to see this mountain in person
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