Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk:
You (the person requesting this file download) fully understand mountain climbing ("Activity") involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, and death ("Risks") and you fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages you incur as a result of your participation in this Activity.
You acknowledge that information in the file you have chosen to download may not be accurate and may contain errors. You agree to assume all risks when using this information and agree to release and discharge 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and the author(s) of such information (collectively, the "Released Parties").
You hereby discharge the Released Parties from all damages, actions, claims and liabilities of any nature, specifically including, but not limited to, damages, actions, claims and liabilities arising from or related to the negligence of the Released Parties. You further agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and each of the other Released Parties from and against any loss, damage, liability and expense, including costs and attorney fees, incurred by 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. or any of the other Released Parties as a result of you using information provided on the 14ers.com or 14ers Inc. websites.
You have read this agreement, fully understand its terms and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
By clicking "OK" you agree to these terms. If you DO NOT agree, click "Cancel"...
My big thanksgiving break plans included: 1) boycott thanksgiving 2) study 3) work 4) study 5) study 6) work 7) study and 8) if a weather window presented itself go climb Mount Huron and finish off the sawatchers. A weather window did present itself but I decided to re-roll my ankle on my official boycott thanksgiving trail run around Centennial Cone two days before my planned climb of Huron. I knew Huron was out of the question but Chris (iliketrails) is down for anything, anytime so we resurrected the weekend and climbed the terrifyingly stout Mount Stanley +++++ a bonus hike off of Loveland Pass to watch the sun go down. Besides I had to test out some new gear. I recently scored a $6 hat from the little boys section at REI.
The initial plan was to snowshoe around Henderson mine off of the first switch back of Berthoud Pass but Stanley caught my eye. A little poking around on summit post showed an avy safe route coming off the west side of the summit of BP. I would call it the Northeast ridge route. It is a popular backcountry ski/snowboard area. In retrospect I am glad I re-rolled my ankle and Huron did not happen because I forgot how much of a pain in the ass winter "like" climbing is. I needed an easier day to re-accustom myself with snow and cold as I reverted back to wanting to have a gear bonfire.
Another reason 12ers are awesome is because we left Golden at 8 a.m. I really love sleeping. We hit the snow, sunshine in our eyes, Stanley in our hearts anddddd the first half a mile was a HUGE shit show. In the summer I ran everything with a pack that weighed maybe 4 pounds, trail runners, and a wind breaker. It never got more complicated than that. Now I had snow shoes, an ice axe, poles, extra layers, big fat gloves, googles, and a giant pack to hold it all. The first half mile was me vs. my gear. I put up a good fight but in the end it won.
There was lots of snowsport activity along the first mile and a half trek; dogs running around, people high-fiving, small talk, and happy smiles. We hit a northeast facing face. With only small amounts of snow and nice switch backs it was a breeze to the top. I would be concerned if this slope was loaded with snow but Chris measured the angle at 28 degrees, so maybe not be concerned? I don't know. I am trying to immerse myself in understanding snow science.
As well there was a large crown of what appeared to be a big slide off a southeast facing aspect of a no name 12er (12,092) which was to the northwest of us as we climbed towards the above mentioned face. Later we talked to a man who said that avy was a few days old and had been reported.
Once we gained the northeast face of (I don't know which mountain it belonged to) things got serious....seriously WINDY. We were now on a ridge and the snow was blown off into near by bowls making for some already crazy cornices. The snow all the way down into the trees of the basin looked nice. I wonder if coverage is still thin? Probably.
We went right (west) and made our way to a 12,391 foot bump. Here we saw the last people we would see for a while. Here the wind went from present to traumatizing. Chris ditched his splitboard and I ditched my snowshoes in front of a large protective rock outcropping and on we went to battle body moving wind for a few hours.
In my travels through life I have encountered wind. But never have I ever been consistently battered by the kind that sucks the breath from your lungs. It never let up. But on we pressed, false summit after false summit. Neither of us thought to speak...I wondered what Chris was doing behind me?
Finally the summit.....
Delightful:::::
The wind seemed to pick up even more on the way out. By this point I was angry hungry so Chris and I had the windiest picnic in the history of my life.
Eventually we got back to civilization.
This is the part of the story where I become enraged with jealousy. I brought my regular snowboard setup because making some turns was an option BUT my giant cankle would not go into my snowboarding boot so I seethed hatred while Chris rode his back down to the car. Actually I took photos and screamed out "EXTREME SNOWSHOEING" on the top of my lungs.
Also I love bananas.
We decided to go watch the sun set on Loveland Pass. As we drove west we laughed at all the people sitting in I-70 traffic (we would later be one of them). We parked at the summit and hiked southwest to a 12,414 foot point. We started early so we had some time to pass. To our surprise it was windy. Here's what we did.
Interpretive Dancing:
Tacky partial nudity:
Artistic arms up in mountain shot (overlaps with tacky partial nudity shot):
We post-holed our way to 12,414 and let mother nature wow us. It never gets old.
I wasn't quite done entertaining myself so I made a humongous spectacle next to the Loveland Pass sign. I cried a little for effect.
GEAR REVIEW:
My six dollar little boys hat that I dubbed Mullet Mania was a huge success. It kept my head warm and my face shielded. Bonus, it makes me look like I have a mullet.
The End.
" I am going to keep having fun every day I have left because there is no other way of life. You just have to decide whether you are a Tigger or an Eeyore. "
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
It must have been the year for wind. I encountered the same thing this summer and fall while I was out there. Have never experienced so much annoying wind, strong and unrelenting on nearly all of my hikes, as I have this year. Good job!
It does seem like there has been more wind to deal with this year - not sure what’s up with that. Also so sorry to hear you rolled your ankle on your Centennial Cone run. Guess I shouldn’t have posted that TR, eh?
I was planning on doing that run on thanksgiving before I read your TR. It is a favorite long run of mine. I have run it several times. My ankle was very weak from the first roll which happened on Wilcox on October 19th. My mind began to wander, as it does when I am trail running and boom I was down....again.
But good news. It’s still a bit sore and swollen but not so bad this time around.
Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.
Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.