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Ok - this one warrants Trip Report status to note: A) the unique late day attack plan - very intentional - and B) the unique return route?
Yes I have actually noted this area before re: Parnassus - coming at this area from north is just amazing to me.
But coming up on the 4th - the day with the best forecast of the weekend - I had been up listening to the Oysterhead webcast and also had nothing but time for that 4th. So rather than get there sort of late - and see some clouds higher up that would scare me down - I just set the whole plan around arriving late - and playing cat and mouse with whatever weather there was!
But all the chips fell in my favor as it was. I kept a steady watch because starting off a storm was passing over Berthoud Pass - but moving quick. And every other cloud that afternoon - despite forming up a bit - didn't press in.
But I did hit up that Bard angle weird - because I ended up on the very steepest shoulder - coming up like 70degree slope or something.
Summit
Summit West Parnassus looks like the portal to heaven!
So yes - thinking I was clever - on the way up I spotted some kind of weather old rock slide/goat path - and just for kicks I jumped in!
Is this a thing?
Part of me was thinking - 'this is a thing other people do when here - a shortcut back'
At bottom of slide looking up
It is debatable whether it was a shortcut at all. and was quite difficult at times. most of the top 3rd was OK - rock surfing
but the low end grew progressively steeper actually. and I was tired from the before mentioned webcast and that steep slope bustup too.
there were weirdly different sections of the slide too - like a real life video game with progressively difficult levels. at one point I just had to give in to my unconcious - I decided I would "Neo-like" just Matrix my way down the mtn.
But the slide path did lead to a place I now call 'the Alaksan Highlands'
That's slide path center - thru the rocks ledge up higher. And Bard is Center too.
Yes - started at 2:45 - landed at 8:20 - and then proceeded to Summit County along empty highways - it was beautiful.
finish line
But what's the deal? Tell me I wasn't the first one dumb enough to do that return move - right? That upper highland area was actually very nice - so it did work out beautifully more or less as loop route.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
But interested in your ascent route - did you go up Robeson on the way up? I took the Robeson ridge to get Englemann a few weeks ago and it was awesome. I found Englemann's 4th gully on the descent actually wasnt too bad.
Yes this should tell the tale - Purple Up and Green that down 'path'
on the way up - I meant to hit shoulder more to the left there - like I said that was not a good way up. but at the time I was busier scanning clouds than thinking about optimal way up.
But the return was nice because I had stashed water there and I managed to return to that exact spot on the way back without having to look around for my area.
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