Team: dcbates80911 - Dave "Where is my water bottle?" Bates
Eatinhardtack - Zach "What is that smell?" Bauer
msc118 - Mindy "I left it in my car" Christensen
Trianything - Rachel "Breaking Trail" DeHerrera
Purplepaddler - Lauren "There is a hole in my pants" Myers
Absent Partner: COMedic04 - Ryan "I dropped my helmet" Johnson
Distance ~ 7.5 miles
Route: Lost Rat
We enjoy each other's company...simple as that. About a month ago, Zach placed the invite to join him on the Lost Rat Couloir. Most of us said yes.
Getting an early start was key so we planned to camp. Zach was on a three-peak weekend and would meet us up there. I picked up Rachel Saturday afternoon, while Lauren showed up around midnight and Mindy first thing in the morning. Ryan had to work and could not join, but wasn't far from our thoughts as we continued to talk about his Horseshoe Mountain misfortune (http://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=18241&start=0).
Grays with Lost Rat to the left
 Photo by Rachel
Setting Sun lights up Steven's Gulch
 Photo by Rachel
Zach and Dave around the campfire
 Photo by Rachel
This was the first couloir climb for most of us. The weather forecast wasn't great but acceptable. In reality, the weather was awesome. At 4:30am, we prepared for the day's activities while waiting on Mindy. Mindy arrived a few minutes later thanks to some nice people who gave her a ride. Unfortunately, she left some things back at the car. No worries, we had her covered.
Ladies heading up the trail
Torreys
Around 5:30 we were off, a little later then planned, but not too bad. Along the way, we talked to a few people and then made a break from the main trail. The hike to the couloir's base took some time as we navigated willows, snowfields, and rocks. At the base, we geared up and began the ascent right at 7:30. The snow wasn't too bad, but the telltale signs of previous slides were not lost on us.
Lost Rat - Our objective
 Image by Rachel
 Image by Rachel
Trying to find a path through the willows
 Image by Rachel
Zach getting closer
 Image by Rachel
Mindy navigates the rocks
 Image by Rachel
Gearing up for the climb
Rachel is Ready
Zach lead the first 1/4th of the climb. Along the way, we picked up a second Zak (now six in the party) who took over for a little while. Lauren took her turn to finish off the second quarter then it was up to Rachel. She broke trail the rest of the way, making it a lot easier on the rest of us. We did experience a couple rocks falls, a section where minor post holing took a toll, and then some foul smell enveloped those of us bringing up the rear (Zach?). Overall, the climb was a lot of fun and the views were awesome.
Zach leads the way
 Photo by Rachel
Formations around the couloir
Photo with all five of us - look in Rachel's glasses
 Image by Zach
Mount Edwards - 13,850
Dave and Lauren
 Image by Zach
Mindy and Zach above, Dave and Lauren below
 Photo by Rachel
Kelso Mountain - 13,164
Between ~ 9:00 and 9:10, our party exited the couloir and headed up the last 600ft to the summit. Along the East-ridge we encountered not strong, but a very cold wind. This added to the motivation to summit quickly.
Mindy, Zach, and the new Zak approach the top
 Photo by Rachel
 Photo by Rachel
 Photo by Rachel
 Photo by Rachel
 Photo by Zach
Zach and Rachel with Torreys in the background
 Photo by Rachel
Top of the couloir
Still roughly 600ft until the summit
Upon reaching the summit, the wind died providing a pleasant break. We ate, talked, took pictures, then descended about 600-700 feet down Grays' front to find our glissading lines.
Resting on the Summit
 Photo by Zach
 Photo by Rachel
L - R: Mindy, Rachel, Zach, Lauren, and Dave
 Photo by Rachel
 Photo by Rachel
Zach and Mindy head down
 Photo by Rachel
Dave heading down the mountain
Rachel contemplates her glissade - those dots down there are people
 Photo by Rachel
This is where fatigue turned to hilarity. Zach tried a "used" path, which had him bouncing around like he was on a trampoline. Not too long into the glissade he said something (we won't repeat) and decided to make his own track. Lauren had done a couple smaller glissades to this point where she discovered a small problem with her pants, a hole that channeled snow into her legs.
Zach's second attempt
Lauren explains her little problem
We all dropped into the bowl under Torreys at our own pace. At the end of my last glissade, we heard a strange sound. Zach new it was plastic sliding across crusty snow (thanks to Ryan). My water bottle had come loose and taken off, just like the Energizer bunny. It kept going, and going, and going. When the last of our group made it to the bottom, we turned to water bottle recovery thinking of COmedic04 and his helmet. Just under ½ mile later and a few 100 feet elevation drop, we recovered my bottle.
The Nalgene Search Team
We made the relatively short trip back to the cars, where we packed up and experienced a new aroma from Zach's three-day-old hiking socks...yuck. All of us (except Mindy) met in Idaho Springs for a late lunch and then headed on our way.
Lost Rat was a first for many, taking us into a new dimension of climbing. For something planned over a month ago, the day couldn't have been more perfect. Our fortunate group spent a beautiful day experiencing a safe climb, together.
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