Wetterhorn Peak Trip Report 07/18/2014

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Wetterhorn Peak - 14,021 feet
Date Posted	07/18/2014
Date Climbed	07/12/2014
Author	JROSKA

Class 3, Part 2, Act 1
Since making my initial venture into the Class 3 kingdom last August 12, up on Long's, I have been looking forward to Part II. Similar to my Long's trip report, this Wetterhorn account is primarily meant for those who are looking to test the waters of Class 3, are very new to it, and / or those with some apprehension towards exposure. As I drove away from Estes Park that stormy afternoon, my feelings were mixed. I found Long's tremendously rewarding and satisfying, but I left a bit intimidated and overwhelmed by the experience, unsure if I would ever try Class 3 again. However, as the days passed, the sense of accomplishment grew on me, and I knew that there would someday be a follow-up act. I've had my eye on Wetterhorn Peak ever since. Setting out, my goal was simple. I wanted to be able to look back on my return to Class 3, and say, unequivocally, "that was fun", and NOT have any conflicting emotions. If I could accomplish that, my mind would be open to other Class 3's, maybe even something more. If not, I'd accept my niche as a Class 2 hiker, and not look back. Simple as that. However, I knew that, in order to move forward, I had to give Wetterhorn a real shot. So, after patiently waiting for summer conditions to take hold, late at night on July 11, I headed southwest to Colorado's finest mountain range. I made this trip with friend / coworker, Lucas Flory. We left Denver at 10:30, with a goal of reaching the upper trailhead by 5:30 at the latest. With the weather forecast looking nasty, an early start would be essential. Clouds shrouded the full moon throughout the entire drive, and we arrived to a steady rain in Lake City - a bit discouraging. Upon reaching the trailhead, the rain had stopped, but I could still feel the dampness and humidity in the air. Still, we had made excellent time, reaching our destination at 4:45. There was enough time for a quick nap, and at 5:30 sharp, off we went. At times, the pace on my last few 14er hikes has been, to be blunt, poor. I'm trying to evaluate this, but for the time being, I'm fighting through it. On this hike, I was really slow out of the gate. Lucas showed patience with the sluggish start, and generally, we were both content to take in some scenery on the way. There's certainly no shortage of that on the Wetterhorn approach. After dodging a marmot that did not seem to want to let us by, now well into the light of day, I was finally moving faster. Of course, the growing concern at this point was the weather. There was a lot of cloud development for 7:30 in the morning. After crossing a few snowfields and reaching the yellow dirt section, we discussed the situation with another pair, (in picture), Sean and Mel. We decided to team up, and with an eye on the sky, pushed ahead. It seemed like at that very moment, the darkening clouds began to thin dramatically. By the time we reached the initial scrambling section in one of the gullies, the skies had parted and it was suddenly looking like a picture-perfect weather day. Now wide awake, I was very happy to be back on Class 3 terrain, and felt right at home. Instantly I flashed back to Long's, and remembered how comfortable I felt in The Trough. I had forgotten how much the arms are needed to assist in this, and that's what I love about it. My left shoulder has been weakened through two surgeries, but it's very satisfying to put it to productive use. On this climb, it caused me no issues. I apologize for the lack of pictures from this section. Again, I am new to Class 3, and still learning my tendencies. While l am not bothered by steep pitches or exposure, it seems like when I'm navigating through it, I'm not in the mood to "click away" on the camera. I was like this on Long's too. I follow my instincts. Maybe a tad business-like, but that's the way it is. If my feeling is, "let's just work to get through this", I'm not fighting that. I'm not about showing other people what I can do anyways. The way I figure, there are plenty of route pictures all over 14ers.com, and if my Facebook friends want to eyeball a very steep pitch, they are free to come out here and climb Wetterhorn themselves! As a group, the three of us worked well together, but we struggled a bit to find the exact point to pass through the rock rib (as outlined in Bill's description). Fortunately, Sean and I had our 14ers.com route printouts, with pictures. It's a bit more primitive than GPS, but it's still kind of cool to hold up the picture to the real thing and say, "it's a match". Just past 8:30, we marched past the Prow, and reached the upper notch. It reminded me of the Long's Keyhole, in that my heart was beating faster as I rose towards it, anticipating what I would see on the other side. I was curious to gauge my reaction to it. In all honesty, however, there was no reaction. (And no picture either, which would have fit well here) I simply noticed how close the summit was, and how reasonable the staircase looked. And of course, I could see that it was bone dry. And as the trailer in the group, I spotted Lucas and Mel already about 25 feet up the pitch, with Sean not far behind. So, up I went. I really believe that this is how exposure needs to be dealt with - a quick decision, without any standing around. No sightseeing, no procrastinating. A few seconds of analysis, followed with a "yes" or "no". If the seconds turn into minutes, it's time to turn back, in my opinion. All credit goes to Lucas Flory for this picture. That's Sean in the foreground, with me following. Next time I'll use a helmet. And, some more reflection on exposure. Up on Long's, I noticed it adjacent to the Ledges and Narrows, but because it was off to the side, didn't really feel it. On the other hand, I was a bit more cognizant of Wetterhorn's "straight on" exposure. Obviously I couldn't see it, climbing up and away from it, but I could sense it lurking behind me. Of course, it's just "focus on the task at hand". Cliché, but true. However, without even realizing it, I quickly found myself doing something else. I was having a conversation with Sean about some recent threads on 14ers.com. Basically, idle chat. I can see where some folks would find this to be quite irritating, and I'll have to be mindful of that with future hiking partners. But I found it to be a very effective technique toward dealing with the slight degree of anxiety that I felt. Who knows, maybe someday soon, I'll crawl across the Knife Edge while discussing the Green Bay Packers' chances of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. I'm also learning very quickly, that while it's healthy to not have fear over exposure, it must be respected and not ignored. Perhaps 20 feet short of the summit, ready for a quick breather after several minutes of climbing, but feeling great, I stood up a bit too quickly and abruptly, given the weight of the backpack. I felt myself momentarily pitch backward as my arms instinctively flew upward. My toes never completely left the ground, but my weight was just beginning to transfer to the heels when the backward momentum stopped. Without a doubt, this was the first step towards a horrendous, and fatal, fall. I crossed the line into carelessness on a high exposure slope, and this can NEVER happen again. It's OK to not be afraid, but to completely block it out is just plain foolish. I can't ever do that again, and I won't. I gathered myself together, felt the terrain flattening out, and at 9:10, I had finally reached Wetterhorn's summit! And, what a spectacular weather day. Of course I'd prefer to be a little quicker than 3:40 for 3300 feet, but that was of little consequence to me in the moment. I've never felt so much gratitude toward God upon reaching a 14er summit. Wetterhorn is a majestic peak. It is my new "favorite 14er", and that won't change anytime soon. I don't think I'm alone, either - I saw a lot of extremely happy faces on that summit. The descent of the upper portion brought no surprises. I continue to build evidence that it will take an awful lot for me to ever "face in" on a down-climb. I'm guessing that there would have to be ice, or incredibly loose rock, to be involved. I always want to have the full view of what's ahead. Obviously, "slow and steady" was the rule, and soon we were back down to the Prow, saying goodbye to Wetterhorn Peak. A very refreshing rain shower (with no lightning) closed out our hike, and we were off to the races to get back to Denver. I really enjoyed Wetterhorn Peak, and just as I was hoping for, it was lots of fun. I absolutely love being on Class 3 rock, the variety that it offers, and the different muscle groups that it involves. I was glad to be part of a strong team. And unlike Long's, on which I was very preoccupied on the summit and doing a lot of worrying about how I'd get down, I enjoyed every minute on Wetterhorn's summit and felt confident about the down-climb. I didn't feel overwhelmed by anything I encountered on Wetterhorn either. Part of that was due to research, but I attribute most of it to Long's, and to a lesser extent, Mt. Lindsey. It was immensely helpful to have something to look back on. I like to slowly build experience and draw on it - that approach suited me very well on Wetterhorn. This mountain even brought visions of my late grandmother Marie, who always encouraged me to test the limits of what I'm capable of, a practice I've often struggled with throughout my adult life. In terms of mountains, I'm not sure what my limits are. But I do know that I really enjoy Class 3 climbs, I plan to do a lot more of that in the future, and at the very least, I am open to trying something in the Class 4 realm. I am very happy that Wetterhorn provided some clarity on that subject, and for many other reasons, it's going to be a very special peak for me to look back on and reflect over. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Class 3, Part 2, Act 1

Since making my initial venture into the Class 3 kingdom last August 12, up on Long's, I have been looking forward to Part II. Similar to my Long's trip report, this Wetterhorn account is primarily meant for those who are looking to test the waters of Class 3, are very new to it, and / or those with some apprehension towards exposure. As I drove away from Estes Park that stormy afternoon, my feelings were mixed. I found Long's tremendously rewarding and satisfying, but I left a bit intimidated and overwhelmed by the experience, unsure if I would ever try Class 3 again. However, as the days passed, the sense of accomplishment grew on me, and I knew that there would someday be a follow-up act. I've had my eye on Wetterhorn Peak ever since. Setting out, my goal was simple. I wanted to be able to look back on my return to Class 3, and say, unequivocally, "that was fun", and NOT have any conflicting emotions. If I could accomplish that, my mind would be open to other Class 3's, maybe even something more. If not, I'd accept my niche as a Class 2 hiker, and not look back. Simple as that. However, I knew that, in order to move forward, I had to give Wetterhorn a real shot. So, after patiently waiting for summer conditions to take hold, late at night on July 11, I headed southwest to Colorado's finest mountain range.

I made this trip with friend / coworker, Lucas Flory. We left Denver at 10:30, with a goal of reaching the upper trailhead by 5:30 at the latest. With the weather forecast looking nasty, an early start would be essential. Clouds shrouded the full moon throughout the entire drive, and we arrived to a steady rain in Lake City - a bit discouraging. Upon reaching the trailhead, the rain had stopped, but I could still feel the dampness and humidity in the air. Still, we had made excellent time, reaching our destination at 4:45. There was enough time for a quick nap, and at 5:30 sharp, off we went.

At times, the pace on my last few 14er hikes has been, to be blunt, poor. I'm trying to evaluate this, but for the time being, I'm fighting through it. On this hike, I was really slow out of the gate. Lucas showed patience with the sluggish start, and generally, we were both content to take in some scenery on the way. There's certainly no shortage of that on the Wetterhorn approach.

After dodging a marmot that did not seem to want to let us by, now well into the light of day, I was finally moving faster.

Of course, the growing concern at this point was the weather. There was a lot of cloud development for 7:30 in the morning.

After crossing a few snowfields and reaching the yellow dirt section, we discussed the situation with another pair, (in picture), Sean and Mel. We decided to team up, and with an eye on the sky, pushed ahead. It seemed like at that very moment, the darkening clouds began to thin dramatically. By the time we reached the initial scrambling section in one of the gullies, the skies had parted and it was suddenly looking like a picture-perfect weather day. Now wide awake, I was very happy to be back on Class 3 terrain, and felt right at home. Instantly I flashed back to Long's, and remembered how comfortable I felt in The Trough. I had forgotten how much the arms are needed to assist in this, and that's what I love about it. My left shoulder has been weakened through two surgeries, but it's very satisfying to put it to productive use. On this climb, it caused me no issues.

I apologize for the lack of pictures from this section. Again, I am new to Class 3, and still learning my tendencies. While l am not bothered by steep pitches or exposure, it seems like when I'm navigating through it, I'm not in the mood to "click away" on the camera. I was like this on Long's too. I follow my instincts. Maybe a tad business-like, but that's the way it is. If my feeling is, "let's just work to get through this", I'm not fighting that. I'm not about showing other people what I can do anyways. The way I figure, there are plenty of route pictures all over 14ers.com, and if my Facebook friends want to eyeball a very steep pitch, they are free to come out here and climb Wetterhorn themselves!

As a group, the three of us worked well together, but we struggled a bit to find the exact point to pass through the rock rib (as outlined in Bill's description). Fortunately, Sean and I had our 14ers.com route printouts, with pictures. It's a bit more primitive than GPS, but it's still kind of cool to hold up the picture to the real thing and say, "it's a match".

Just past 8:30, we marched past the Prow, and reached the upper notch.

It reminded me of the Long's Keyhole, in that my heart was beating faster as I rose towards it, anticipating what I would see on the other side. I was curious to gauge my reaction to it. In all honesty, however, there was no reaction. (And no picture either, which would have fit well here)

I simply noticed how close the summit was, and how reasonable the staircase looked. And of course, I could see that it was bone dry. And as the trailer in the group, I spotted Lucas and Mel already about 25 feet up the pitch, with Sean not far behind. So, up I went. I really believe that this is how exposure needs to be dealt with - a quick decision, without any standing around. No sightseeing, no procrastinating. A few seconds of analysis, followed with a "yes" or "no". If the seconds turn into minutes, it's time to turn back, in my opinion.

All credit goes to Lucas Flory for this picture. That's Sean in the foreground, with me following. Next time I'll use a helmet. And, some more reflection on exposure. Up on Long's, I noticed it adjacent to the Ledges and Narrows, but because it was off to the side, didn't really feel it. On the other hand, I was a bit more cognizant of Wetterhorn's "straight on" exposure. Obviously I couldn't see it, climbing up and away from it, but I could sense it lurking behind me. Of course, it's just "focus on the task at hand". Cliché, but true. However, without even realizing it, I quickly found myself doing something else. I was having a conversation with Sean about some recent threads on 14ers.com. Basically, idle chat. I can see where some folks would find this to be quite irritating, and I'll have to be mindful of that with future hiking partners. But I found it to be a very effective technique toward dealing with the slight degree of anxiety that I felt. Who knows, maybe someday soon, I'll crawl across the Knife Edge while discussing the Green Bay Packers' chances of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.

I'm also learning very quickly, that while it's healthy to not have fear over exposure, it must be respected and not ignored. Perhaps 20 feet short of the summit, ready for a quick breather after several minutes of climbing, but feeling great, I stood up a bit too quickly and abruptly, given the weight of the backpack. I felt myself momentarily pitch backward as my arms instinctively flew upward. My toes never completely left the ground, but my weight was just beginning to transfer to the heels when the backward momentum stopped. Without a doubt, this was the first step towards a horrendous, and fatal, fall. I crossed the line into carelessness on a high exposure slope, and this can NEVER happen again. It's OK to not be afraid, but to completely block it out is just plain foolish. I can't ever do that again, and I won't.

I gathered myself together, felt the terrain flattening out, and at 9:10, I had finally reached Wetterhorn's summit!

And, what a spectacular weather day.

Of course I'd prefer to be a little quicker than 3:40 for 3300 feet, but that was of little consequence to me in the moment. I've never felt so much gratitude toward God upon reaching a 14er summit. Wetterhorn is a majestic peak.

It is my new "favorite 14er", and that won't change anytime soon. I don't think I'm alone, either - I saw a lot of extremely happy faces on that summit.

The descent of the upper portion brought no surprises. I continue to build evidence that it will take an awful lot for me to ever "face in" on a down-climb. I'm guessing that there would have to be ice, or incredibly loose rock, to be involved. I always want to have the full view of what's ahead. Obviously, "slow and steady" was the rule, and soon we were back down to the Prow, saying goodbye to Wetterhorn Peak.

A very refreshing rain shower (with no lightning) closed out our hike, and we were off to the races to get back to Denver.

I really enjoyed Wetterhorn Peak, and just as I was hoping for, it was lots of fun. I absolutely love being on Class 3 rock, the variety that it offers, and the different muscle groups that it involves. I was glad to be part of a strong team. And unlike Long's, on which I was very preoccupied on the summit and doing a lot of worrying about how I'd get down, I enjoyed every minute on Wetterhorn's summit and felt confident about the down-climb. I didn't feel overwhelmed by anything I encountered on Wetterhorn either. Part of that was due to research, but I attribute most of it to Long's, and to a lesser extent, Mt. Lindsey. It was immensely helpful to have something to look back on. I like to slowly build experience and draw on it - that approach suited me very well on Wetterhorn. This mountain even brought visions of my late grandmother Marie, who always encouraged me to test the limits of what I'm capable of, a practice I've often struggled with throughout my adult life. In terms of mountains, I'm not sure what my limits are. But I do know that I really enjoy Class 3 climbs, I plan to do a lot more of that in the future, and at the very least, I am open to trying something in the Class 4 realm. I am very happy that Wetterhorn provided some clarity on that subject, and for many other reasons, it's going to be a very special peak for me to look back on and reflect over.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Tornadoman	One of my favorites! 7/18/2014 10:10pm Wetterhorn has it all! It has a nice trail through a beautiful high basin, has outstanding views and a fun scramble at the end. Looks like you enjoyed it as much as I did. Good luck moving on to more class 3 and 4 peaks!
JA_son27	Beauty 7/19/2014 2:49pm We love that place! It is one of our favorites too
High_On_Thin_Air	nice job! 7/19/2014 5:28pm Can't wait to make it down there for that one myself! I love me some tasty exposure. Thanks for sharing!
rajz06	Nicely... 7/21/2014 11:19pm ...done and good recovery from what could've been a fatal error. Congrats!
matthewbe	One of the next 7/22/2014 12:04am On my list! Thanks for the report. I'm moving into more class 3 climbs myself. So far I've done the Sawtooth and Mt Lindsey's NW Ridge (which I highly recommend if you haven't done it yet). I'm hoping to get down for Wetterhorn and the SW Ridge of Sneffles this summer. Cheers!
Alpineair	Good report! 7/23/2014 2:37am Thanks for sharing.
bdloftin77	Good job!! 10/26/2014 3:33am Congratulations on the climb, and conquering class 3! I think many will find your advice and encouragement on exposure to be very helpful, too. I think the more experience and practice you have with both higher classes, and exposure, the more comfortable you will be with them. :)

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