Sunlight Peak Trip Report 07/19/2023

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Sunlight Peak - 14,061 feet Windom Peak - 14,089 feet
Date Posted	07/19/2023
Date Climbed	07/18/2023
Author	popcornchikn

Chicago Basin Grand Slam Fail
The Chicago Basin Grand Slam has been on my radar for a long time. After filming a race in Silverton, I decided this was the week. I started from the Purgatory trailhead at 4:15am. This was late, as I knew there were chances of clouds rolling in the afternoon, but I'm not a morning person. My plan was to run as much of this course as possible. Knowing that the first 4 miles of Purgatory are downhill, I was ready to make some good time to Needleton. By 4:30am, my pace came to a stand still. I had the gpx file on my watch, and was aware of a few diverting trails at the start of Purgatory. At the first junction, I knew to go right. As I always do, I looked at the trail to the left, to confirm the correct trail, then looked back into the pitch black aspen trail tunnel to my right. I saw it immediately; a set of wide, bright and yellowish eyes starting back at me, about 50' up the trail. I didnt panic, or even really react. I stared back for a second, then slowly backed away onto the other trail. Standing in the open meadow, 1.15miles from the trailhead, I weighed my options. I knew it wasn't a deer/elk as it didnt run away. It's probably a bear. I'll go back to where I was and see if I can make noise and startle it off. I slowly walked back to where I was standing at the trail junction. Immediately my headlamp illuminated the same set of eyes. It didnt move much, but I could see the smooth inquisitive movement in its neck. Now another two sets of smaller eyes illuminate; not far away from what is now obvious. Mother. At this point I hadn't made any intentional noise. I just kept my headlamp and thus my eyes on the main animal. Now there was some movement. I kept eye contact, and bent down quickly to grab the grapefruit sized rock at my feet. When I established my stance again, the main animal had disappeared and within an instant I heard the bushes rustling to my 3 o'clock, only 20' away. I yelled at it; kept a forward stance, and walked backwards on the other trail. Quick scans with the headlamp; Now in 360º. Here I am a mile into my journey, and I'm fairly certain I'm being stalked by mountain lions. I've seen this movie. I know what happens next. Now on the flanking trail, I found myself in an open meadow. No trees to hide behind. Great. Keep scanning. Stay big. Yell. Last resort, throw the rock that I've been grasping in my right hand. After a few minutes, surprising nothing happened. No eyes. No sounds. Now it's really time to asses my options. I'm not going back on that trail. Do I turn around and call it quits? I eventually decided to go as far left as I could away from the aspen groved trail, then head east parallel to the trail. I eventually found myself on a trail, running parallel and slowly diagonaling towards the Purgatory trail. These animals didn't want to hurt me. If they did, I wouldn't be writing this today. I startled them, and the definitely startled me. Thats it; a misunderstanding. It's now almost 5:00am, and I'm heading towards Needleton. My plan of running 9:00min/mile was out the window. I'd run 50meters, then stop and scan 360º. I did this until sunrise. Paranoid? Maybe. Safe? Unsure. But I'm making it to Chicago Basin, and I'm going to attempt the grand slam. I've got a long day ahead. Keep moving. Yada Yada Yada, I made it to Chicago Basin. Beautiful doesn't come close to describing it. I then encountered every other high alpine animal I wanted to see. A heard of Elk, the most mountain goats I've seen in one day, and all the small game, including the 14er mascot; the marmot. Honestly, I don't want to downplay the rest of the day, but this report has become about trail awareness, and I'd like to keep it that way. I summited Sunlight, rated at class 4, but seemed easy 3. I down climbed into the snow drift, crossed over and summited Windom. Thats when the grey clouds really started rolling in. I got back to twin lakes and decided to not summit the other two. My legs felt good, I had plenty of nutrition, and was ready to make a 20hr day of it. The weather seemed imminent, but didn't seem like there would be any electrical storms. That wasn't the reason I headed back unsuccessful. I had talked to a few people on the trail about my experience. At that point I still wasnt sure if I encountered bears or if it was a mountain lion. Two different people told me of trail reports of mountain lions on the purgatory trail, near the trailhead. I made up my mind, I'm not going back through that stretch in the dark again. I've done so many ultra marathons running through the woods at night. Solo excursions starting at 2am walking through the woods by myself. That never scared me. But today I've seen the potential. Trail awareness. To most of us on this forum this is obvious. This isn't Disney World. I've never liked running/hiking with headphones in. The main reason is I want to be present with nature. I want to hear the creek; the shimmering sound of the aspen leaves in the breeze; or just the sound of my steps. I am here. I want to be here. I am lucky to be here. But also I need to be aware of the wildlife. I'm on their turf. Yesterday morning, my encounter didn't make a noise. I had to spot them. But if I was lost in music or a podcast, would I have noticed them? I want to close this out with a passage that I read in the Upanishads the night before. Coincidence, maybe. But I take away this. I am not a macho alpha male. I was never scared. I never panicked. I never even felt the surge of adrenaline that I feel when I see a rattlesnake 15' away. I was present with my encountered animal. I felt them. I was with them. They're on the trail. "Those who see all creatures in themselves And themselves in all creatures know no fear. Those who see all creatures in themselves And themselves in all creatures know no grief. How can the multiplicity of life Delude the one who sees its unity?" Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Chicago Basin Grand Slam Fail

The Chicago Basin Grand Slam has been on my radar for a long time. After filming a race in Silverton, I decided this was the week.

I started from the Purgatory trailhead at 4:15am. This was late, as I knew there were chances of clouds rolling in the afternoon, but I'm not a morning person. My plan was to run as much of this course as possible. Knowing that the first 4 miles of Purgatory are downhill, I was ready to make some good time to Needleton. By 4:30am, my pace came to a stand still.

I had the gpx file on my watch, and was aware of a few diverting trails at the start of Purgatory. At the first junction, I knew to go right. As I always do, I looked at the trail to the left, to confirm the correct trail, then looked back into the pitch black aspen trail tunnel to my right. I saw it immediately; a set of wide, bright and yellowish eyes starting back at me, about 50' up the trail. I didnt panic, or even really react. I stared back for a second, then slowly backed away onto the other trail. Standing in the open meadow, 1.15miles from the trailhead, I weighed my options. I knew it wasn't a deer/elk as it didnt run away. It's probably a bear. I'll go back to where I was and see if I can make noise and startle it off.

I slowly walked back to where I was standing at the trail junction. Immediately my headlamp illuminated the same set of eyes. It didnt move much, but I could see the smooth inquisitive movement in its neck. Now another two sets of smaller eyes illuminate; not far away from what is now obvious. Mother. At this point I hadn't made any intentional noise. I just kept my headlamp and thus my eyes on the main animal. Now there was some movement. I kept eye contact, and bent down quickly to grab the grapefruit sized rock at my feet. When I established my stance again, the main animal had disappeared and within an instant I heard the bushes rustling to my 3 o'clock, only 20' away. I yelled at it; kept a forward stance, and walked backwards on the other trail.

Quick scans with the headlamp; Now in 360º. Here I am a mile into my journey, and I'm fairly certain I'm being stalked by mountain lions. I've seen this movie. I know what happens next. Now on the flanking trail, I found myself in an open meadow. No trees to hide behind. Great. Keep scanning. Stay big. Yell. Last resort, throw the rock that I've been grasping in my right hand. After a few minutes, surprising nothing happened. No eyes. No sounds.

Now it's really time to asses my options. I'm not going back on that trail. Do I turn around and call it quits? I eventually decided to go as far left as I could away from the aspen groved trail, then head east parallel to the trail. I eventually found myself on a trail, running parallel and slowly diagonaling towards the Purgatory trail. These animals didn't want to hurt me. If they did, I wouldn't be writing this today. I startled them, and the definitely startled me. Thats it; a misunderstanding.

It's now almost 5:00am, and I'm heading towards Needleton. My plan of running 9:00min/mile was out the window. I'd run 50meters, then stop and scan 360º. I did this until sunrise. Paranoid? Maybe. Safe? Unsure. But I'm making it to Chicago Basin, and I'm going to attempt the grand slam. I've got a long day ahead. Keep moving.

Yada Yada Yada, I made it to Chicago Basin. Beautiful doesn't come close to describing it. I then encountered every other high alpine animal I wanted to see. A heard of Elk, the most mountain goats I've seen in one day, and all the small game, including the 14er mascot; the marmot.

Honestly, I don't want to downplay the rest of the day, but this report has become about trail awareness, and I'd like to keep it that way. I summited Sunlight, rated at class 4, but seemed easy 3. I down climbed into the snow drift, crossed over and summited Windom. Thats when the grey clouds really started rolling in. I got back to twin lakes and decided to not summit the other two. My legs felt good, I had plenty of nutrition, and was ready to make a 20hr day of it. The weather seemed imminent, but didn't seem like there would be any electrical storms. That wasn't the reason I headed back unsuccessful.

I had talked to a few people on the trail about my experience. At that point I still wasnt sure if I encountered bears or if it was a mountain lion. Two different people told me of trail reports of mountain lions on the purgatory trail, near the trailhead. I made up my mind, I'm not going back through that stretch in the dark again. I've done so many ultra marathons running through the woods at night. Solo excursions starting at 2am walking through the woods by myself. That never scared me. But today I've seen the potential.

Trail awareness. To most of us on this forum this is obvious. This isn't Disney World. I've never liked running/hiking with headphones in. The main reason is I want to be present with nature. I want to hear the creek; the shimmering sound of the aspen leaves in the breeze; or just the sound of my steps. I am here. I want to be here. I am lucky to be here. But also I need to be aware of the wildlife. I'm on their turf. Yesterday morning, my encounter didn't make a noise. I had to spot them. But if I was lost in music or a podcast, would I have noticed them?

I want to close this out with a passage that I read in the Upanishads the night before. Coincidence, maybe. But I take away this. I am not a macho alpha male. I was never scared. I never panicked. I never even felt the surge of adrenaline that I feel when I see a rattlesnake 15' away. I was present with my encountered animal. I felt them. I was with them. They're on the trail.

"Those who see all creatures in themselves

And themselves in all creatures know no fear.

Those who see all creatures in themselves

And themselves in all creatures know no grief.

How can the multiplicity of life

Delude the one who sees its unity?"

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

johntmv	Snow conditions 7/19/2023 4:12pm Animal encounters are always scary, especially when you're alone and it's dark out. Glad you exercised some caution! How were the snowfield crossings? Going to attempt this grand slam in a couple of weeks, but hoping to be able to do it without spikes/poles and save some weight. Thanks!
popcornchikn	snow conditions 7/24/2023 2:26pm In a couple weeks I imagine it'll be full summer for you. I had spikes with me and was fine. Only a few spots to cross. If you're crossing from Sunlight to Windom, there was still a bunch of snow, but easy to pick a safe line

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