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One of my fondest memories was going to my son Connor's third grade conference. The teacher very gently explained that Connor was apt to tell tall tales, and as an example, told us that Connor was claiming that he'd climbed a 14er. Of course, he's too young to have done that, right, she asked.
I explained that Connor has climbed 6 14ers, his first being Bierstadt when he was six, and since then the DeCaLiBron and Quandary. She was so stunned. I was so proud.
I'm still very proud, but Connor is 13. There's an old joke about parenting that suggests "love them until they're 12, then lock them in a closet until they're 17, and then let them out and love them forever." Harsh, but funny. Connor did a few more peaks with me, but then eased into his teen years deciding sleeping in was more important than climbing, and a couple summers went by.
Finally, as part of a camping trip, I convinced Connor to climb Huron with me last Friday. I wondered if he would go all gansta teen ager on me and complain the whole time acting like this was all beneath him, but it was really a terrific day. It appeared he really enoyed the climb, although he never actually said so! Getting him alone and talking to him for several hours was a real treat.
Is it just me, or is CR 390 the longest 12 mile road in the world with all that washboarding on it? My Honda CRV made it up the 4x4 road to the trailhead without too much trouble. We left the trailhead at 8AM and made timberline just before 9AM. The basin below Huron is such a beautiful place with all it's green and wildflowers. The H rule for the Sawatch is really true- for eye candy, stick to Holy Cross, Harvard, and Huron.
Connor started to stop and rest quite a bit across the basin and I was worried he would really struggle up the ridge, but he found new strength and really just took it on like a champ. We were on the summit from 10:30- 10:55, but with clouds coming in, we got off quickly. One lady had brought a couple long ropes to set up a double dutch- don't know how that turned out for her. The clouds looked like they were close to bursting open, but never did, and we stopped for a break in the basin for Skittles and pictures of flowers. We returned to our car by 12:40 to a bag of cookies and the long drive out.
I doubt I'll be able to get Connor back on a mountain this summer, but Huron was definitely a highlight for this summer.
Mighty Mighty Connor
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