| Peak(s): |
Mt. Elbert - 14,438 feet |
| Date Posted: | 08/09/2011 |
| Date Climbed: | 08/02/2011 |
| Author: | stardust |
| Peak(s): |
Mt. Elbert - 14,438 feet |
| Date Posted: | 08/09/2011 |
| Date Climbed: | 08/02/2011 |
| Author: | stardust |
| Galit & Dina's 1-st 14er. Mt. Elbert - Northeast Ridge |
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My daughters are moving out of my home this summer and I wanted to share with them one of most valuable things of my life - mountains. We drove from Missouri to Buena Vista on August 1-st. I developed a route for backpacking : Start from Clear Creak Reservoir -> South on Colorado trail -> up Pine Creek to Missouri Basin -> up to Elk Head Pass -> possibly Mt.Belford -> down Missouri Gulch -> Up Clear Creek to Huron TH -> Mt. Huron -> back to Clear Creek Reservoir ( with some help of our car on road 390). But I had to cancel this plan after Galit and Dina put their 5 day supplied backpacks on their backs... Then I decided spontaneously to take them on the 1-st day to Mt. Elbert - before they developed feet blisters or produced more statements about discomfort - just get them on highest mountain in Rockies. Not that I was not aware about mountain sickness... So we camped near Half Moon Rd. On August 2-d, 7a.m. we were at Mt Elbert TH. Here we reached the first clearing at 11,600.  Here we met father and his son, marine. They became our on and off companions for most of the climb.  They later met with the young man, former soldier, who had a lot of energy not only to walk up with ease but also talk all the time about all kind of things. This is some beautiful flora of Mt. Elbert slopes.  Slowly we are above the tree line.  Looking up, my inexperienced daughters hoped it was a summit. Of course it wasn't. This frustration, when it looked like a summit, but it wasn't, Galit and Dina had to experience 5 times.  I am not new to mountains and always before I would take about 3 days increasing altitude and distance. But I also knew that many people come to Rockies just for weekends, climbing few mountains and they do just fine. I hoped for this. I Also took in account that Galit and Dina are very athletic, Galit is cross country and half marathon runner. But it was extremely hard on her. She would lie down every time we stop to catch breath. I was taking pictures of her, thinking that it is going to be funny to see them, but later, home, looking at those pictures I do not see anything funny at all .It hurts to see my Galit suffering. She said, that it was most physically demanding thing in her life so far.  Twin Lakes. The wether was changing.  Started to sleet, but we were so close and decid9ed to continue. Finaly on the summit. We could only see ourselves, a little bit of ground and the summit stick. Fog and sleet around.  Galit stood up for a picture with mom.  Galit and Dina - happy  Galit is sending love from Mt. Elbert to her boyfriend Kyle.  Cute little lake on the slope   Galit is taking a nap at the clearing near the tree line  It was successful after all, and I am happy.  Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow): 
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