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"...
It's been a slow year for me as far as mountaineering goes. My first summer as a father has proven hectic and trying and I haven't had much time to get away. But, with paid time off to burn, I decided to plan my first trip to the San Juans. I threw a dart and it landed on Sneffels. With Sneffels being renowned for its' spendor, this was the perfect introduction to this rugged range. I found myself drawn to the look of the Blue Lakes basin. I've been a resident of Colorado for four years now, and until now had not been on an overnight outing in the Colorado wilderness. With my pack loaded with all that I thought I would need, I set out on the long drive from Denver to Ridgway.
The drive was uneventful until a few miles south of Grand Junction when out of nowhere the whole of the Sneffels Range pops into view. I reached the Blue Lakes Trailhead at around 2pm and began the trek to the lakes loaded like a pack mule. I arrived at lower Blue Lake with enough time to set up camp and pull out the fly rod. It wasn't long before I snagged a cutthroat on a stimulator. (would have made an excellent dinner, but caught and released)
Satisfied with the catch and with dark quickly approaching, I took a few shots of my lofty surroundings and put myself away for the evening.
It came as no surprise, but the next day didn't start as planned. My alarm didn't go off, but luckily I naturally woke up at 6:30. Having checked the weather reports the day before and seeing that there was a 50% chance of t-storms, I wasn't enthused to see tall cumulus clouds quickly moving in over Dallas Peak.
The sun stayed behind the pass as I followed the switchbacks up and towards the southwest ridge of Sneffels.
I took a quick water break and with a cool breeze blowing, I pulled out a softshell along with my helmet to start the ridge.
By now, the clouds were getting wider and darker like the bottom could drop out at any minute, but against my better judgment, I pushed on. When I got to the top of the first notch, I looked southwest towards the Wilsons and noticed a squall line that was dropping heavy precip. This line of clouds were headed my direction and after a few minutes, had overtaken the Wilsons. The snow patches at center were not there before.
I continued up the ridge knowing that at any moment I too would be overtaken by falling snow.
The snow and graupel hit all at once and I had to pause for a few minutes to contemplate whether to continue or retreat. Most of the snow melted shortly after it hit the rocks, but some of it remained in small pockets. I was surprised that it didn't hinder my traction much, so I kept moving upward. The snow continued to fall until I reached the kissing camels and finally abated. The remainder of the climb was pleasant and dry.
The summit views were breathtaking. The north face seems to drop straight down into oblivion and the valley below the Uncompahgre Plateau seems to stretch north forever. I spent plenty of time on the summit taking in the views...too much it would seem. Victory! Looking back at Blue Lakes. The lowest lake is so blue I was afraid to filter water from it for fear of disolved copper Looking back at the SW ridge Teakettle
I descended the nasty standard route knowing that I would have to re-ascend the pass to get back to Blue Lakes. In hindsight, this was a mistake. The class 3 southwest ridge route is in better shape than the standard route. Spires on the SW ridge on the traverse back to Blue Lakes Pass
As I began the side-hilling traverse back to the pass, booming thunder was rumbling in the near distance. Then I saw a flash somewhere in the vicinity of Gilpin Peak just across Yankee Boy Basin and the unobstructed thunderclap one or two seconds later shook my bowels so that I nearly let it go. It was a sprint up and over Blue Lakes pass and I skipped most of the switchbacks down trying to lose elevation as quickly as possible knowing that I was still the tallest object for quite a radius. I stopped to quickly filter water at the outlet of the upper Blue Lake and continued back to camp drenched, but unscathed. I laughed a laugh of relief as I shed the wet clothes and curled up in my sleeping bag for an afternoon nap while the rain continued.
The rain stopped around 5:00 and I packed up and headed back to the trailhead for the long drive home. Looking back from camp after the descent One last look on the way back to the TH
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Some excellent shots of the scenery with the clouds/light/rock face! Beautiful! The San Juans are gorgeous! I've only been there one time, so will have to return someday! Thanks for posting! :D
I really like that shot of blue lakes - well done!
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.
