Yet Another Colorado Climber

The Second Flatiron July 2011

2011-07-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

scramblers

I haven't been back to the second flatiron for awhile -- it's not my favorite scramble, but it is a good one. It makes for a good after work climb where you can get done before the sun sets. Here you can see some of my scrambling brethren.

Dodge Block

Today I climbed the Dodge Block line on the Second Flatiron. It is a bit easier in my opinion than Freeway. You can actually make it as easy as you like by trending left. Here's a picture of the first pitch.

Proof I was there

On this day I not only saw the scramblers in the first photo, but also some roped climbers on my route. I stayed left of them and actually climbed below the rock that requires a "flying leap".


Aesthetic Scramble

By staying low and left, I found an enjoyable line that I hadn't explored before. I also climbed higher than normal. The final pitch just to the north of the pullman car has an easy escape. But it isn't visible as you ascend, so it takes a bit of faith unless you remember the ending.

El Camino Royale July 2011

2011-07-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

Normally I prefer to try new trails and new routes. There is so much in Colorado to explore it would take several lifetimes to see it all. But one climb I return to again and again is the El Camino Royale. It is the perfect balance between accessibility, excitement, and fun! You can string together El Camino Royale, Royal Arch, Yodeling Moves, Lost Flatiron, and Fern Alley for a wonderful day of scrambling.

Cactus

Here's a picture of the middle pitch on El Camino Royale. While you are heads down climbing, don't forget to look for cactus!

The upper pitch was a bit shaded making for a nice bit of scrambling. There are many lines to take up ECR, but the middle shady was my choice today.

The final pitch is a must do on most days. To give the folks at the Royal Arch a thrill seeing you at the apex is only right. But the downclimb is a bit more work than I want on some days and can eat up twenty minutes of time. If I'm in a hurry, I skip this pitch and head over to climb the Arch. I have also done the downclimb off the face of this top when I don't mind the exposure.

Great day in the flatirons!

Pyramid Peak

2010-12-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Brian and I decided on a climb of Pyramid Peak on September 11, 2010. I had planned to climb it earlier in the summer, but hit a cow elk just outside of Leadville which ruined that weekend.

I made sure I didn't roll thru Leadville at dusk to avoid the wildlife and spent the night in the Maroon Bells day parking lot. The overnight parking was full, but nobody bothered me since I slept in the cab.

Brian arrived from New Castle and we headed up the trail past Maroon Lake. The start of the trail to Pryamid is easy to miss, but we caught it and hiked the switchbacks to the boulder field. The climb up across the boulder field is a bit tedious as the Peak looms over you.

If the boulder field is tedious, it is not as bad as the slog up to the pass. This section was steep and slippery.

We were greeted at the pass by a small herd of mountain goats. Finally the climb starts to get fun. We found the gap where you have to jump over about a three foot opening. Then we shinnied our way across the cliff traverse. This was an interesting section, but not too exposed.

As the terrain gets steeper the rock gets smoother. This is rated class 4, but I didn't feel it was any trickier than a lot of class 3 I've been on. I guess I'm getting some comfort on this level of rock after much climbing in the Flatirons. A couple of climbers past us on this section and one kicked a rock down on us. It was easy to dodge and he apologized at the top.

Later that month I learned that Don (peakcowboy) had died on Kit Carson. He had wanted us to join him on Snowmass the same weekend we climbed Pyramid.

I only made the summit of three 14ers this year, but next year I plan to finish the Elks. I will also attempt Sneffels, Wetterhorn, and the Wilsons.

Flatiron Fun 2010

2010-08-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

El Camino Royale

Went climbing in the Flatirons for the first time this summer on July 18, 2010. Here's my favorite combination: El Camino Royale, Royal Arch, Hammerhead, Last Flatironette, and Fern Alley. I thought I had the approach to El Camino Royale memorized from NCAR to the Mesa Trail, but I missed the start.

Royal Arch Scrambler

Looking down Yodeling Moves

I was a little rusty on Yodeling Moves and got more confident on the Last Flatironette. I also missed Fern Alley on this go. I forgot that it is below the top of the Last. I decided to descend the Tangen Tunnel Route. I tip-toed around the poison ivy, and found my way down through the tunnel, but didn't find the wedding ring I lost last year.

Tangen Towers Problem

The next weekend I couldn't break free of work long enough to make it to Aspen, so back again to the Flatirons. This time I didn't miss El Camino Royale and I even remembered not to stray too far left where I got in a pickle last year.

Last Flatironette

The start of the scramble up the royal arch is a bit of a puzzle, but it gets easier. Next came the Hammerhead. Their are two crux moves on yodeling moves. The one just below the arch is a bit too smooth.

To start the Last Flatiron look to the left of the tree at the base and go up the ledge. You can climb the tree, but the ledge is more fun. Let the exposure on the top exhilarate you.

Scrambler

The start of Fern Alley is just below the Last Flatironette. Fern alley's lemon squeezers are not for the portly climber, but are quite fun.

Fern Alley

Ali-Ali and the Raven Ridge

2010-08-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

Matt Holy Cross

Matt and I biked some new trails at the lunch loop in Grand Junction: ali-ali and the raven ridge. Larry caught up to us after descending the Ribbon.

A quick scramble

We then took on the Holy Cross trail once again. Larry has mastered this most difficult trail, but I crashed twice. I was also a bit timid after rolling my ATV last month. I'm just now healing up.

Larry cleans the cross

Matt did an excellent job on Larry's old but sweet Marin. It is cool that every time I head to GJ they have built more trails out there. Next time, maybe Miramonte.

Ledge to big?

Castle and Conundrum

2010-08-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

Dalton below Castle

Dalton and I left town on Friday afternoon and camped on the Aspen side of Independence Pass. A cop came by and told us we weren't supposed to camp along the road, but as long as we were gone by early morning we could stay.

glissade from ridge to lake

We crossed the creek and parked at a nice camp site below the two water falls. We started the tedious hike up the road. The creek was flowing down the road at one point. Just past the end of the road we engaged a fun snow climb. Crampons weren't needed, but we had to kick steps a couple of times.

Dalton Class 4

As you enter the basin we encountered the nasty switchbacks up to ridge. The rock is loose and the way a bit steep. Once on the ridge it was a more enjoyable with Class 2+ goings. We strayed of the ridge proper, so Dalton found a Class 4 arete and I went up a nasty loose gully. We gained the summit and had it to ourselves for quite awhile.

glissade

We decided to bag Conundrum too, so we started to cross the connecting ridge. The ridge turned out to be very windy and cold. After hopping rocks to get to the Conundrum summit, we turned back to get to the large snowfield on the Gary Roach approach.

Dalton on lower glissade

The glissade started off a bit through the rocks. We tried to keep enough snow under us to surf over the rock field. The glissade below was a swift slope of fun. This mountain has more glissade available after you cross the lake basin. Very fun glissading down to the road. There were people sliding without ice axe or even poles, but luckily nobody got hurt. Of course after my Sherman encounter, I always take an axe.

After slogging back down the road, we took a nap at our nice camp. That night I won the hot dog eating contest. We didn't want to leave any food out, since there were bears in the area.

Obligatory Maroon Bell Shot

Sunday we took a trip up to Marble then took a nice long soak in the Penny Hot Springs. Dalton had a great time trying to get his rock wall just right to get the hotness dialed in. That night Dalton got sick on a mushroom burger at Little Annies. The next morning we had planned to climb Pyramid, but decided to just go to Maroon Lake to take a look at the Bells after he had a long night of puking.

Rainbow Falls ATV

2010-05-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

We made a trip up to Rampart Range only to find the trails closed. The ranger there was very pleasant and professional. He gave us a map and told us that the Rainbow Falls area outside of Woodland Park was open for riding. We decided to make the trip.

We took a quick loop around what I think was trail 348. This trail has a nice technical section to challenge your skills whether ATVing or Jeeping.

We then took the ATV only trail 633 which has a fun little rock to climb (more later). See picture.

This lead to trail 631 which was the most interesting of the day for me. The trail winds through tight trees and is a joy to ride.

Next was 633 more fun in the woods. We came to a hill climb which I was the first up, then Matt

We came back to our rock and three of us made it, but John didn't. He wrecked his bosses ATV! He then wrecked it again in a rutted down hill on trail 634.

Spring Mountaineering Wish List

2010-05-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks on the ATV, it is time to leave the motorized sports for a while because it is backcountry ski season here in Colorado! Here's my wish list for this year... no way to complete it, but let's see if I can do at least four:

Mt. Sherman - I would like to get a 14er descent in, so I thought this or Quandary would be an easy option.

From the Front Rage Descents book:

1. Quandary Peak: p 176, Intermediate, 5 miles :) :) :)
2. Mt Guyot: Advanced p 172, 5 miles :) :)
3. Pawnee Peak, SE Slope: Intermediate p 85 7.5 miles :) :) :)
4. Kelso: p 149, Advanced, 2.5 miles :) :) :)
5. James Peak: p 132, Intermediate, 8 miles :) :)
6. Skyscraper Peak: Intermediate p 116, 6 miles :)

I bought a new book "Powder Ghost Towns" about abandoned ski areas. Here's three from the book:

1. St. Mary's Glacier - p 51, 1 mile Intermediate :) :)
2. Jones Pass - p 63, 2.8 miles Intermediate :) :) :)
3. Climax - p 189, .75 miles Easy :) :) (For a really easy approach and gentle descents)

Riding Rampart Range

2010-05-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dalton joined James, Matt, and I for another early spring trip to ride ATV's at Rampart Range. Last time the snow drifts were a bit much and we got stuck many times.

At first my old Yamaha 400 had trouble with the snow drifts. The drifts were smaller and no trouble for the newer machines, but we had just a bit of trouble with the old girl.

We started down trail 673, but after removing many downed trees from the trail we came upon a large pine that was not removable. We decided to turn around.

Next we went on the Overlook trail and got further than last time. Last time the snow drift just past the creek turned us around. This time there was less snow, but as the trail comes back around and crosses the creek again we encountered a crossing that had been washed out. The snow drift on the opposite bank was a further complication. Again we had to head back the way we came.

We then chose to try Scotty's. Scotty's is a very fun trail with many whoop-te-dos, and burns. We finally found the section that gives Scotty a black diamond. This large sloping rock was a bit too steep for us to go down. Next time we hope to come up it.

Another great day at Rampart.

Stones River Greenway Trail of Nashville

2010-03-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I took a much needed Valentine weekend to Nashville. We are both country music fans and wanted to get to the Grand Ol Opry at least once in our lives. This is an outdoorsy blog, so I will spare you the tourist stuff until the end. First I will document my trail run at Stones River Greenway.

Stones River Greenway is a nice paved trail that follows the Stones River down from Percy Priest Lake. The scenery is cool as you wind your way through the trees. Parts of the trail get interesting when you make your way onto a canti-levered bridge system. I had taken the wrong spur trail which lead past some nice old buildings. This added a couple of miles to my planned 6 mile out and back. Just past the Kohl's parking lot you cross the Stones River on an old structure bridge. At this point two gals past me on the run. On the return portion we came to a lengthy hill. I could here the girls behind me saying they wanted to beat me up the hill. Well this Colorado trail runner is not going to let a couple of Tennessee runners beat me on a hill, no matter how out of shape I feel.

Back at the trail head I spotted some guys bouldering just across the river close to I-40. This got my desire up to try a little scrambling while I was in Nashville. Although I have no other Nashville climbing areas to compare it to, this is a nice place to climb.

Most of my time in Nashville was spent pursuing country music. Michelle and I seen Dierks Bentley, Montgomery Gentry, Diamond Rio and many others at the Grand Ol Opry. The next two nights we headed downtown to the honky-tonks to listen to some hungry artists. The atmosphere in Tootsie's Orchid Lounge was much livelier than any other bar. The line dancing and huge stage at Wildhorse Saloon was not my style.

I hit two breweries in Nashville: Blackstone and Big River. I also visited my first liquor store that did not sell beer. We visited the Belle Meade plantation. Oh yeah and we went to Willie Nelson's museum.

Mount Falcon Trail Run

2010-03-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

I'm training for a half-marathon in St. George in late April. My training schedule called for a six mile tempo run, but I was tired of running the trails close to home. I decided to see how much snow was on Mount Falcon. My plan was to take the Parmalee loop, then out and back on the Two Dog trail.

There is still plenty of snow on Mount Falcon, but most of the paths are packed. I did have to post hole a bit on a short section of the Meadow trail. Other places were melted off and quite soggy. There were some folks in snow shoes, but I found the trail running to be fun. You do have to watch your footing a bit.

The views of Denver were cool from the Two Dog trail, but a bit hazy. From here you also get great views of Mount Evans and Red Rocks.

Quandary Peak - North Ridge

2010-01-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

I had to work late Friday, so I was looking for a good day trip scramble for Saturday. The North Ridge of Quandary seemed to fit the bill. This route stays to the left of the 14ers.com Route #4 North Gully aka Quandary Couloir on the ridge and better rock. Roach calls this the Inwood Arete and Cooper calls it the North Ridge.

As we drove up to the standard trailhead it was amazing how many cars lined the road. It seemed like everyone was climbing Quandary.

From our trailhead at McCullough Gulch we could see that there was snow on the upper ridge. This along with the clouds building made us ponder whether we should attempt the climb. We decided to hike to the lake and assess it from there.

At the lake (N39 24.320 W106 05.800) we left all other hikers behind. The clouds had dissepated and the snow above was out of site. We decided to scramble and go up as long as we could safely retreat.

The first pitch allows you to choose how technical you want to climb. We picked a line that was probably lower class 5. The rock is fractured granite with many holds.

As you approach the gendarmes 500 feet above the valley, we stuck to the nice scrambling just to the right of them. You could climb these towers if you enjoy exposure.

Sticking to the ridge crest is recommended. Often it looks as if you could be climbing into trouble, but the ridge always either continues or provides an escape.

At around (N39 23.951 W106 06.051) the snow patches were becoming more prevalent. The snow was fine for making steps, but not deep enough for an ice axe to be useful. I would not have used crampons either as the snow/rock mix heavily favored the rocks.

Here we chose another 5.4 pitch just to get away from the snow/scree slopes that made each step tenuous. We weren't sure where this rock would lead us, but abruptly we were deposited on the gentle East slopes of Quandary.

We cruised to the summit as some more serious clouds were building to the West. We didn't stay on top long and its a good thing. As we descended the standard route the snow started flying and my ice axe started to sing. Dalton's hair was sticking up too so we motored down the trail. We left the trail at (N39 23.597 W106 04.933) which turned out to be a good place to traverse back to the pickup. We bushwacked down grassy slopes mixed with scree fields. Further down the scree turns to talus and the angle increases. We found a couple of abandon mines, but no mushrooms as we made our way back to the road. It was a short walk up the road to the truck at McCullough Gulch trailhead.

If you attempt this route in the next couple of weeks, you should consider how comfortable you feel climbing on snowy rock. Good luck.

Ellingwood Ridge

2009-09-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

After a failed attempt last year, I have been pining to return and finally see if I could complete the Ellingwood Ridge on La Plata Peak. I drove to the parking area on Highway 82 and slept in the back of my truck. Anticipating a twelve hour day I woke at 4 and left at 4:30 AM.
The point where you leave the trail was fairly easy to find in dark. It is just over a hundred yards after the two log bridge crossing the second creek. I heard some animal in dark: probably just a deer, but I was hoping it wasn't a bear.

It didn't start to get light until I started up the boulder field at around 7:30 am. I didn't finish the tedious climb over the boulders (pic 1) until 8:30. I missed the cairns at 39 3.38, 106 28.85 because I crossed the third creek too soon.

Finally the fun part of the scramble was here (pic 2). The first down climb is a good test of what is to come on the rest of the ridge (pic 3). Overall the ridge is a good mix of hiking and third class climbing. I made my way contouring and down climbing on the left side of the ridge never getting too far from the ridge crest. The weather looked bad toward Mt Elbert, but it was still sunny on La Plata.

Approaching the crux of the route, I went right as prescribed, but then hooked back left. The steep terrain forced me down farther than I wanted and I missed the dihedral described by Cooper because I was too low. Trying not to lose any more elevation, I found a few dead ends but always found an escape. Reviewing my route later, I probably followed Roach's line more than Cooper's.

The weather started rolling in at this point. It was snowing lightly and I could see that the summit was socked in. There was no turning back so I pressed on. Picture 4 shows one small chimney I climbed through. The best line follows the ridge crest at this point which lifted my spirits.

At this point you can see the obvious route to the left of the next peak. I enjoyed climbing the chock stone (pic 5), but the rock was a bit wet from the melting snow.

Once past this crux, I tried to make good time across the talus slope (pic 6) but my weary body could only move so fast. Pic 7 looks back on the route with the weather coming in.

After passing the East La Plata summit, I was tempted to do some more scrambling along the ridge (pic 8). But with thunder booming to the east, I followed the advise of the guidebooks and 14ers.com and contoured left across the loose gravel then up the rocks to the true summit. Cooper's terse description of the final ascent was perfect.

At the apex (pic 9) I talked with a guy who came up from Winfield trailhead. I made a mistake and followed him down the wrong trail for 1/2 mile. I was in a hurry to get off the top due to rolling thunderstorms and didn't realize I was on the Southwest ridge. This forced me to contour back to the Northwest trail wasting over an hour. As I was making my way slowly, the hail rolled in and my head started to crackle. I made quick progress straight down the mountain until my hair quit buzzing.

I plunge stepped down a dirt hill and crossed a grassy bench until finally I was back on track. The trail here is interesting for the many switch backs. In the valley bottom I hunted mushrooms (pic 10) on the long slog back to the truck.

Crestone Traverse

2009-07-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dalton and I set out to do the Crestone Traverse from Peak to Needle. Took off after work on Friday drove straight through and arrived at midnight and slept in the parking lot at the trail head. Up at 6 am we started hiking.
Above South Colony Lakes we encountered a herd of big horn sheep including a couple of lambs. There are a couple of snow fields you must cross, but they are well traveled enough to not need an ice ax for safety. A crew is working on the trail at Broken Hand Pass, which is good because the loose rock and dirt is annoying to climb.
After reaching the pass I took a wrong turn and headed straight for the Crestone Needle. We planned to climb the Crestone Peak first so we had to backtrack about a half mile. You head down into the very beautiful valley to approach Cottonwood lake.
As we started the ascent of the Peak we could see that the Red Couloir still had a lot of snow. There were climbers kicking steps and making slow progress. We decided to climb the rocks to the left of the couloir since Dalton did not bring an axe. The climbing here is excellent and fun. The route finding is fairly straightforward, but you can venture into Class 4 or better moves.
On top of the Peak there was only one other gentleman. We had a sandwich and enjoyed the views of the San Luis Valley and the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
You must descend quite a ways in order to find the exit ramp to engage the traverse to the Needle. Using Cooper's way points we found the exit and made our way across following cairns. We found the second way point to be at N37 57.961 W10534.648 of the traverse.
We encountered a steep snow field we had to cross and Dalton slipped into an ice crack. Luckily he made a nice self arrest using his knees and hands. I slipped in the same place and nearly pulled out the knob I was holding on to.
From here Dalton and I got separated for a bit as I was angling for the third way point and he was following his own line. The way gives up even more altitude as you make your way across.
To make matters worse my satellite coverage was cutting out. In the end, the picture Dave has in his book would have been worth more than the way point.
We had traversed too far around to the South and ended up climbing the south face. Rather than ending the climb with the steep Class 4 of the SW face, we encountered some low Class 5 pitch 300 feet lower (N37 57.823 W105 34.648, 13,855ft.). The rock was steep but solid and we finished the route with easier climbing to the summit.
We left the Needle summit at 6:30 PM. Our climbing was far from over. The descent down the eastern couloir was more difficult than I remembered it. This even required a few facing-inward downclimbs for me.
The hour was getting late as we made our way down Broken Hand Pass. I removed my ice axe to help in crossing the snow fields which felt less secure going down than up. As it grew dark we still had a quarter of a mile to the camp sites by the lake. We lost the trail and thrashed about for over an hour before finding it again. Again we lost the trail, but this time knew better than to try and make it by bushwacking. The bushes here are much too thick with many gullies to trap you.
To make things surreal we witnessed some very strange flashlights that seemed to hover and dash much too quickly across the valley floor. It must have been my tired mind playing tricks on me, but Dalton seen them too.
Finally we made it to the campsites and the trail was easier to follow. We trudged in the dark back to the parking lot arriving at midnight. No campfire for us tonight either after an 18 hour day!

The Lost Ring of Hammerhead Part 2

2009-07-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

After losing my wedding ring during a hike/ascent of Hammerhead's Yodeling Moves, I needed to get back up on the rock as soon as possible. I took off from work early on a Tuesday to make my way to Boulder. This time I started at NCAR and did a trail run approach sans backpack. My new Scarpa approach shoes are perfect for a run/scramble combo. The photo above is me at the bottom of Hammerhead. This photo shows the nice holds this rock has.

The second time up Yodeling Moves and the East Face of the Last Flatiron was just as enjoyable as the first. I hope to find my ring, but if not it will make a good excuses to keep returning to these nice climbs. This time I added on Fern Alley. This Class 3 scramble starts just as the Last Flatiron ends and is aptly named: A rock canyon with lots of ferns. Check out this photo of Hammerhead... this rock so much nicer to climb than the brittle sandstone around where I grew up in western Colorado.

I think one could combine the Casino Royale, Yodeling Moves, Last Flatiron, and Fern Alley for an awesome day of climbing. I didn't find my ring, so maybe that's what I will try next time. This photo shows the last pitch on the Last Flatiron. You can see the huge dead tree poking out at the top.

The Lost Ring of Hammerhead

2009-07-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

Scouring my Flatiron Classics book for a new scrambling route I happened upon a climb called Yodeling Moves. This route is on a rock called Hammerhead which is in the area of the fourth flatiron on Green Mountain. I took the Royal Arch trail from Chattaqua Park.

The bottom of Hammerhead just down from Sentinel Pass to the west of the trail about 50 feet. I forgot my GPS... but I will get coordinates next time. Half the fun is finding it for yourself anyway.

The climbing on Hammerhead is very enjoyable as you travel over a long arch. The holds are plentiful and secure, but if you look down too long you may feel a bit nervous without a rope. This is Class 4 territory and climbing this free solo without a partner always makes me pay close attention (photo 1). This second photo shows the route to the summit of Hammerhead on the west side that gives Yodeling Moves its name.

I continued on up to the Last Flatiron's East Face. This is more Class 4 climbing (photo 3) and is very enjoyable as well. The angle of the rocks in the flatirons makes climbing easy on the muscles. As you reach the summit, the downclimb would look a bit dubious were it not for the dead tree that is positioned perfectly. I can't imagine anyone placing this large tree here, so it is was awfully lucky for it to land so fortuitously.

What was not so fortuitous was my lost ring. I had taken off my wedding ring and put it in my pocket. Somewhere along the way it came out. I'm making it my mission to keep climbing these rocks until I find the damned thing.

Sweet Missouri

2009-06-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

My buddy Brian said he was going to attempt Missouri Mountain so I decided to join him along with another fellow named Don. Dalton and I had climbed Belford and Oxford last year and I remember it as a very enjoyable hike (photo 1). I wanted to camp, but I was at work Friday until 7:30 PM, so instead I left house at 3:30 AM. As we started up the steep switchbacks at the beginning of the trail the other Don was moving slow, so he sent us on ahead.

We were making good progress, but kept an eye on the approaching weather. Brian decided to turn around at 13,000 due to building clouds. I have many other goals this year, so I wanted to punch this ticket. I pressed on. The snow field just below the ridge caused me to put on the crampons. I was worried about my tiring quads, but it turned out to be quite a fun snow climb. Once on the ridge the trail was an alternate of bare and snow sections (photo 2), so I finally had to remove the crampons. At the crux just before the summit I wishing I had them on again. You must traverse a very steep snow slope below some pinnacles. To elevate the challenge, now there was thunder rolling along the next ridge.

I touched the top (photo 3) and got the hell off there. Oops! I forgot to mark the way point so back up I went. The clouds were rolling in fast. I contemplated a plunge step or glissade down the first couloir. I remembered from the guide book that the couloirs are easier farther down. So I crossed the crux again and found glissade trails down the next couloir. I really wanted off the ridge so I decided to go down (photo 4).

The glissade was by far one of the most fun in my experience. Although I didn't want to risk too much speed I still got up to 10mph according to the GPS. The snow was just soft enough to counteract the steepness. Once down the long couloir, there were two other chances for shorter glissades (last photo).

The walk back down the trail was sublime. It was raining, but I was waterproof. The wetness really brought out the colors of the rocks, shrubs, quakies, and pines. Seeing silouhettes of climbers on Belford was dramatic with the low hanging clouds.

Sweet misery. Brian and I grabbed some lunch at Doc Holiday's in Leadville before heading our separate ways.

Parry Peak Descent

2009-06-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

I was trying to decide whether to try Quandary or Parry Peak. The book says that Quandary is in shape until early June, Parry until mid June. After the great descent of Eva last year, Parry was chosen.

This time I made it all the way to the reservoir in my Dodge pickup. The open field to south of the dam is fairly steep, but gives way to a long and slowly ascending meadow deep into the valley. I crossed a couple of snowfields on the way up that required some deliberate stepping.

Three other skiers were making their way to Parry as well. I followed the skiers up the east most couloir as seen in photo 2. They were kicking steps in their AT boots, but I donned my crampons since I was in my mountaineering boots. The snow was good for kicking steps. I decided to leave my board at the saddle because a full descent was getting a bit dicey this late in the year. I did head up unencumbered and bag the peak. At this point I noticed two other skiers making their way up the slope. A final talley for the day was 3 telly, 1 AT, and me the lone splitboard.

The descent from the saddle was fairly steep at about 35 degrees with a narrow neck just below the ridge (photo 3). Once past the narrows, the middle section was superb riding. The bottom got slushy and flat as is the pattern. I made it most of the way across the flats saving me a bit of hike out. The skiers made it all the way across the flats, but I had to hike to the next drop off. This left one last piece of descent down to Fall River Reservoir. This section was steep and sticky with many obstacles (photo 4). I even lost my ice axe somehow and had to hike back up to find it lying in the narrow snow section in the middle of the photo.

I don't think this descent is going to last past next week so do it or don't. You can see most of the line in photo 5. The descent starts right of center in the photo on the prominent snow finger. It continues directly toward you in the photo thru the valley.

The descent ends just above the reservoir. It was a nice hike back along the foot trail next to the Fall River Reservoir shore. I made it back to the truck to find many vehicles where there was only three when I left! An old timer from Wyoming commented that his van and my truck were the only two American vehicles there. All in all it was an awesome day and I was very happy with the performance of my new BCA backpack.

Gray's Anatomy

2009-06-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Or "The Best Laid Plans of Kelso and Grays"

I missed all of May and the season is running out. I was trying to decide between Kelso Mountain and Parry Peak, but chose Kelso because of the short hike. So I set out to make a snowboard descent of Kelso Mountain as described in Front Range Descents. The road to the Gray's parking lot was clear. I was a little unsure about parking in private property, so I continued up. The face of Kelso looked a little barren anyway... it is a May recommendation.

I decided to go ahead and descend Grays. What the heck, my first 14er descent. The hike in was enjoyable despite the added weight of my Viole Mountain Gun snowboard. I forgot my sun glasses and left my ice axe and crampons in the car to save weight. Mistake. I talked with a couple of guys who were coming down with their skis on their back. Apparently the head wall was very hard packed and steep.

I ascended the Gray's trail with a slight shortcut that everyone was taking. I made it to about 13k and decided it was the best chance for the descent. I stashed the board and continued to the summit hoping the snow would soften. At least I would bag Gray's for the second time.

I was worried the snow was too hard packed and that there was no visible turns. I seen another skier making the descent so I decided to give it a try. Even though it was very hard packed you can make turns. The snow conditions made executing jump turns critical. The hike and the hard edge taxed my quads to the max. I fell once and slid for about a 100 yards. It made me kick myself for not bringing the ax.

I would advise descending right in order to follow the entire valley back to the parking lot. I hiked the trail not wanting to push my luck; I don't think it would have worked for my board. My legs cramped after a bit of hiking, but a short break and some cookies allowed a recovery.

I renew my promise not to leave the truck again without my ice axe. I believe crampons should always be in the pack too, be damned the extra weight. I think a glissade would be more fun than a ski or snowboard descent on Gray's for this June.

Waikiki 2009

2009-04-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

Before my company was sold we had a sabbatical program which would give you six weeks off after six years of service. I had planned to use mine to go to Nepal for a climb. After the sale, the new owners simply paid out the sabbatical as cash. Michelle and I decided to use the cash to go to Hawaii. Neither of us had been, and although Nepal would have been more of an adventure it was a great vacation.

We spent three days on Oahu, three on Kaui, and four on Maui. I will write a post for each island. Today Oahu.

We arrived late on Saturday, checked in and got two upgrades by luck. Our room was on the 17th floor with an ocean view at Ohana East in Waikiki. We had a late dinner and brew at the pizza joint adjacent to the hotel.

On Sunday Michelle and I went our separate ways. She had always wanted to swim with the dolphins, but I had no interest in such things. Instead I made my way to Diamond Head for a hike. Diamond Head is a short hike with some steep sections at the end. There are a boat-load of tourists who take part, so beware. I was surprised that they had not improved the upper portion where you have to climb through a gun turret. No big deal for me, but difficult for some larger folks. The views from the top are well worth the trip. Nice views of Honolulu and the other islands like Maui in the distance.

I spent the afternoon at Waikiki Beach. Waikiki is very crowded and the water is full of long board surfers. Even though the beach is small and crowded it is beautiful.

That evening we took part in Germaine's Luau. The Mai Tai's were the best I had all week. The pork was delicious and the show was pretty good. I didn't know what to expect in a Luau, but it sure wasn't what we got. Nothing bad, but it is simply a bunch of picnic tables and buffet style serving. Our host who traveled with us on the bus was very entertaining and made the experience way fun.

On Monday we took a beach day. We spent a bit of time just hanging out on the beach. I snuck a few Big Swell IPAs in my bag. Big Swell is truly a Hawaiian IPA. Nice and bitter, but mellow like the islands. We rented a water tricycle and peddled our paddle tires around the bay.
We had dinner and drinks at the famous Duke's Waikiki. We got lucky and found a table overlooking the beach. A fun place and the food was okay.

Splitboard

2009-03-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

After over a year of shopping, I finally bought a splitboard. I got a Viole Mountain Gun off of Craigslist. Before I took it backcountry, I decided to try it out at the resort first so that I could work out the kinks in a controlled environment.

To cap off the ski season, I offered to buy a lift ticket for anyone in my family who wanted to go up with me. I thought I would get one or two takers, but it turns out that seven people signed up! Becka, Dustin, Larry, Lexi, Kirstie, Matt, and Dalton all went with me to Powderhorn on March 21, 2009. Larry rented a suite at the base of the lift and the entire family showed up for a great weekend.

My splitboard is stiffer and longer than my old snowboard. It took some getting used to but I like it. It rides fine on the hard pack and slush... now I just need to get it into the backcountry powder. I need to adjust the back foot pin so that it is easy to put on and off. I also haven't tried out the skins yet.

Vail

2009-03-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

Every native Coloradoan should at least ski Vail and Aspen, right? With this in mind, I was excited to ski the famous back bowls of Vail, so I headed straight there from the Rivah and Northwoods lifts. I got a nice todo list of the best runs: Genghis Kahn, Champagne Glade, Little Ollie, etc. My first run was the Head Wall in the Sun Up Bowl and my first taste of powder over ice. It looked good on the way up, but it was hard to edge on the steeps. I endoed on the first run of the day.

I then took the Jade Glade to tick off the first todo. It was more fun than the Head Wall and would be a blast if there was deep powder. From there I headed to the Blue Sky Basin to stay ahead of the crowds. I headed down the Champagne Glade for an awesome run through the trees. It was powder with no ice and very few people. I just had to do it again even though there was much area to explore (photos 2).

Little Ollie (far ridge photo 1) came next and it was another fun ride through the trees on more mogul terrain. Then Resolution and Hornsilver from Pete's Express but nothing special here. I wanted to take Lover's Leap but the lift line was getting long so I headed back to the bowls.

I took Ghengis Kahn and it was again a bit icy underneath but fun. I then cruised over to Gorky Park where there was absolutely nobody on the slope. I know they were all avoiding the ice, but it was cool to have the whole bowl to myself. The lines at the main lift were long here too, but the singles line was fast enough that I braved my way back to get in Lover's Leap (snow field photo 3). I did it and it was the awesome steeps I was looking for.

It was getting on 2pm and I wanted to head back to the front side to finish out the day. I meant to take Whiskey Jack to Sourdough but got distracted and went too far on the ridge so I cut through the trees. It was not much fun but was an adventure that reminded me of the days of going off trail at Powderhorn in my youth.

I stopped for a beer at the Two Elks Lodge to rest my legs. The didn't have anything hoppy on tap, so I ordered a Shock Top and they hit me for $7.50. After the break I took the Northwoods lift, down Whistle Pig, and up the Wildwood lift into the Game Creek bowl. I had a focus on the Haro trail, but it was actually named Faro (photo 4). This little bowl is mostly blue and mostly forgettable. I took the Lost Boy trail on my way to the final goal: the Gondola. Lost Boy afforded great views and easy slopes.

I made it to the Gondola just before 4pm for a beautiful fast ride up the mountain. I ended the day with a descent of Columbine (photo 4) and International. I've looked at this run for over a decade from highway I-70 and finally seen it from the other side.

My cell phone caught a good pic so I included the third photo... my artistic contribution to this post. If and when I make it back to Vail I would like to explore the Sun Down Bowl next time. I would like to try Divide and Encore on the Skyline Express lift too. They both look to have some great black diamond runs. Otherwise I will leave this resort and the high ticket price to the tourists (last photo).

The Royal Arch in February

2009-02-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Mom came to town and I convinced her to take a little hike in the Flatirons. In the guide book the trail to the Royal Arch is only 3.5 miles long, which seems simple enough. I failed to remember the altitude gain on this trail. It turned out to be quite a hike, but mom was a trooper and made it all the way.

Coming from Moab, she wasn't too impressed with our arch. She didn't even classify it as an arch; she thinks it is two rocks leaning together. Oh well, we finished the day with some lunch at the Walnut Brewery.

Arapahoe Basin

2009-02-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

After fighting I-70 the day before, I decided to leave the house at 6 am instead of 7. This put me up at A-Basin a little bit too early. Luckily they opened the lifts at 8:30. To start the day I took the Pallavicini Lift to Pali Face. This run has some nice steep bumps. I missed the Radical and Standard runs, but had fun on Powderkeg, Wildcat, and South-Chute. Photos 1 and 2 give you a view of the upper front side of the mountain.

A-Basin causes you to do a bit of hiking everywhere. If you just ride the Montezuma Lift you are forced to hike a couple hundred yards to reach the Zuma Cornice and the double black runs off the backside. A better strategy is to alternate from front to back. Ride the Lenawee Lift which will get you higher and you can avoid removing your skis to get to the Zuma Cornice (photo 3 with Keystone and Breckenridge in the distance). Then ride the Zuma Lift and take Falcon or the Half Moon Glades.

I had the most fun on Schauffler and Groswald. These runs are very steep but open allowing you to choose your line. At the bottom I had fun on Eureka: a short run through the trees. The Torreys and Grays runs look a lot longer on the map than I found them to be. I was hoping for more tree skiing. Maybe I missed something.

Later in the day I took Exhibition which is a great mogul run right under the lift. I was a bit tired so didn't display my best exhibition to the folks on the lift. I ended the day with a nice little blue find called North-Fork. It makes a nice combo with the TB Glade which offers easy tree skiing.

I like A-Basin for its easy access. You can park right on the slope and have a BBQ. Of course you must arrive early to get a spot in the "Early Riser" lot. The snow was mostly very packed which was the only downside for the day. I guess I could have crossed the highway and gone off-piste. Check out the nice carvings in the last photo.

Breckenridge

2009-02-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

Why write about ski areas? Mainly for my own beta in case I go back. If you find it interesting great. I will return to the back country for some snow climbs and descents within a month.

Traffic was brutal again on I70. I parked in free lot and rode the new Gondola up. There were long lift lines everwhere. I kept going up trying to get away from the crowds, but even Imperial was crowded. I rode the Imperial Express Lift three times and enjoyed the above tree line skiing. From the last ride up I took the Magic Carpet Ride run. It was steep and powdery and highly recommended. Below the carpet ride there is some fun tree skiing on the Independance Chair, but way too many blue runs.

It took some time to work my way to Peak 9. Chair C seemed hopeful as a black, but the run was closed for racers. The blues were way to easy so I made my way to Chair E. Finally I found some steeps with trees. I decided to ski here for awhile and really had fun. My 153 K2 Apaches were awesome in the turns.

At 2:30 I decided to check out Peak 10. The blacks here were quite easy. The burn was fun bumps in trees. I was too late to hit the double blacks off to the right on Peak 10.

Overall the mountain is too much a resort... not for locals. Plus the price of $92 per day is too expensive. The long lift lines and two bus transfers to get back to free lot compounded the problems here. Oh well, it was worth a shot. Where next? A-Basin or Winter Park.

Eldora Mountain Resort

2009-02-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

At the base of the Indian Peaks is a quiet little resort called Eldora. It may be the closest resort to my house not counting Echo Mountain. It reminds me alot of my home resort Powderhorn. You can still see the signs of days gone by here. From the top of the Corona lift you get a nice view of, what is it, Parry Peak (photo 1)?

Glade skiing is the point here. This is a great area to learn the art of tree skiing. This place has more tree charm than most. For an introduction, start between the runs on Challenge lift like Powderhorn and Jolly Jug, then progress to the Jolly Jug glades (photo 2). From there go to the Bryan Glades (photo 3). The Bryan Glades were at the limits of my abilities/fun. The trees are a little tighter at top, then the run drops into a creek bed. I lost a ski trying to make a tight turn; my sign that this was my match. I know many are more advanced and can handle the Placer Glades, the Salto, and the Moose Glades. I hope to join you next time. For a mid-forties, mid-skilled skier I like the change of pace that the glades allow. I move slow, make some jump turns, snow plow a bit, then gain just a little speed when I can find a run out.

This is a good resort if you like groomed expert runs. Corona, Cascade, and Challenge are all easy black diamonds. The damn mule shoe was no fun: hard ass pack bordering on icy. Maybe the easterners are used to hard pack, but coming from Loveland; I didn't enjoy it. The one good bump run is called Psycopath (photo at bottom.)

The blue groomers are non-descript other than to say I don't completely understand the categorization. Some such as Powderhorn seem as hard as the blacks, and some blacks such as Klondike seem like they should be blue.

I-70 may be a bitch, but there was a wreck on US 36 which cost me 40 minutes. I would like to return to Eldora, but is it an easier commute than the corridor resorts? The jury is out. Next up: Breckenridge. Later in the season: A-Basin. Maybe Monarch if M want to take a soak at the Princeton Hot Springs.

Mountaineering Goals 2009

2009-02-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

I'm putting it out there for all to see. That way there will be motivation for me to complete my goal. Here are my mountaineering goals for 2009:

Mount Whitney -- I plan to climb the highest peak in the lower 48 with Brian, John, and Miles sometime in July. I hope to take the Class 3 route.

Ellingwood Ridge on La Plata -- After Dalton and I turned back half way in, I must return to conquer it.

Mount Sneffels, Southwest Ridge -- Close to my western slope roots and a Class 3 climb, I will knock this one off some time while visiting family in Grand Junction.

Capitol Peak -- The test piece for knife edges could be my first Elk summit.

Little Bear-Blanca Traverse -- One of the top four 14er traverses. 5.0-5.2 free solo climbing, yeah I think I'm ready.

Crestone Peak -- The Needle is my personal favorite so far, so I want to return to the Sangres. I can knock out a few extra 14ers here too: Humboldt, Challenger, and Kit Carson.

And for extra credit: Long's Peak Keiner's Route. I will take a guided trip with CMS.

For inspiration I've included a few photos from last year's Kokopelli Trip and a few links to some awesome climbing:

http://www.mensjournal.com/the-real-spidey

http://www.summitpost.org/list/310714/colorado-s-most-arduous-mountains-routes-and-rocks.html

http://www.climbclips.com/mediadetails.php?key=dfa173acc06aeffcdce7&title=Simply+Read+5.13d+-+Rifle%2C+Colorado

http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/features/cragofthefuture/

http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Colorado/Western_Slope/The_Fortress_of_Solitude/

Spring To Do List

2009-01-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

I pared down the extensive list of trails in the book Colorado's Indian Peaks by Gerry Roach to just those snow climbs that have the right mix of fun and challenge. With spring approaching, let's hope the snow consolidates soon so we can get to it:

Juliet on Mount Neva- I Class 2, Moderate Snow : Fourth of July Trailhead 7.8 miles
Southeast Face on Mount Toll - I Class 2, Moderate Snow : Mitchell Lake Trailhead 6.4 miles
Queens Way on Apache Peak - I Class 2, Moderate Snow : Long Lake Trailhead 9.0 miles
Southeast Slopes on James Peak - I Class 2, Easy Snow : St Mary's Glacier Trailhead 7.0 miles
Shooting Star on James Peak - II Class 2, Steep Snow : St Mary's Glacier 7.6 miles
North Star on North Arapahoe Peak- II Class 3, Steep Snow : Fourth of July Trailhead 7.8 miles
Snow Lion on Jasper Peak - II Class 3, Steep Snow : Fourth of July Trailhead 9.6 miles
Hopi Glacier on "Hopi"- III Class 3, Steep Snow : Monarch Late Trailhead 18.4 miles
Ooh La La Express on "Ooh La La" - II Class 3, Steep Snow : Middle St Vrain Trailhead 20.4 miles
Fair Glacier on Apache Peak - III Class 3, Steep Snow : Long Lake Trailhead 20.5 miles (Finest)

I know these pics have no snow. Get over it.

Ski Powderhorn - Ski Loveland

2009-01-25T08:37:00.000-08:00

Matt and I took a trip to Powderhorn on January 4, 2009. I had not skied Powderhorn for over 10 years and hadn't skied period for about as long. The new shaped skis made it easy to transition back from my snowboard. Things haven't changed much at Powderhorn in the past 10 years. I showed Matt all the nice jumps on Dude, Lower Dude (photo 1), and Snowcloud. Photo 2 is from the top of Wonderbump.

The binding on my rental skis broke on the first run. I had to walk down to midway and catch a ride down to the lodge to rent another set. I'm used to Copper Mountains high-speed lifts and long runs. The slow lifts and short runs of Powderhorn have at best a nostalgic quality. Not having to fight I-70 traffic makes Powderhorn great on the other hand.

On January 24th I took my first trip to Loveland. The slog up I-70 was a brutal 2 hours from Aurora. It was a windy snowy day, but lots of powder. I like the way the mountain is laid out: it is easy to move from one end to the other. Again, the lifts are not high speed and the runs seem short. To avoid the slow ride on lift 2, take lift 1 first then hop on 2 at midway.

I enjoyed the runs on lift 1 most (photo 3), but it is a lot less crowded on lifts 4&8 (photo 4). The wind chill above treeline was brutal. The shortcut under I-70 back to the lodge is quirky and cool.

Der Freischutz Scramble

2009-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

It's a beautiful January day with temperatures in the mid-sixties so back to the Flatirons I go for a climb. Don't tell the rest of the country about the great weather we have in Colorado.

This time I picked a climb called Free Shot which makes Gerry Roach's list of "classic" scrambles. From the NCAR trailhead you head up the Mallory Cave trail past two large boulders called the Square and Babyhorn. To your right is Der Zerkle and to the left is Dinosaur Rock.

I knew I was not quite up to Der Freischutz, but Dinosaur Rock beckoned. The face is a 5.4 climb, but I skirted around keeping the climbing easier (photo 2). I wanted to get a view of Der Freischutz. Check out the top photo.

Backtracking to the trail I found the base of DerF and the start of the East Face (N39 58.400 W105 17.299). This is 5.0 territory but doesn't the rock look inviting (photo 3)? I reached the ridge top and the route wasn't immediately evident. I back tracked a bit, but the downclimb wasn't appealing. Being my first time on this rock I wasn't sure I could escape the top, but I proceeded up. It turns out the downclimb is easier a bit higher up.

As the shot of adreneline coursed my body I decided to continue to Mallory Cave rather than continue up Free Shot which was now in view. There were many kids on the Class 3 approach to Mallory Cave so I back tracked and found a piece of crack and ledge to climb on upper Der Freischutz above Free Shot. It was a little snowy but I managed to shinny up.

At the top I discovered some climbers tackling the backside of DerF. The downclimb from the peak was challenging but quite fun. I had to duck under and through some boulders to make my way down to the trail.

I will be back in order to properly climb Free Shot (photo 4) and the South Face of Der Freischutz. I'm learning that making my own route can be just as rewarding. On the way back to NCAR, the deer herd in the large park has grown to about 15+ now. I even spotted 3 deer in the park far below the NCAR trail. Everyone was enjoying the fine January day in the Flatirons.

Flatirons - Angel's Way

2008-12-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

With Michelle out of town and high winds in the mountains, I decided to take a shot at climbing Angel's Way a rock ridge in Boulder's Flatirons. Angel's Way is a mostly Class 4 climb with spots of 5.0. Dalton didn't want to go, so I decided to take a look at it as a free solo.

I trust my discretion and skills, but can't take responsibility for yours. Therefore, I am not recommending this climb without a rope. 5.0 is still 5.0, so act accordingly. Especially in December when you can encounter snow and ice. The route is only open from 7/31 to 2/1.

It has taken me a couple of trips to identify exactly which ridge in Skunk Canyon is Angel's Way. Roach says it is 100 feet west of Satan's Slab and it is. Reading about it and being there are two different things for me. Here's the coordinates: N 39 58.700 W 105 17.333, Elevation 6479.

The climb starts out at 5.0 on small holds. There is a headwall with some buckets you can see in photo 2. The ridge above is Class 4 and about 1,000 feet long. The intensity of this climb without a rope was at my limits.

I tried to continue my day with a climb of Green Mountain, but the snow covered rocks made it no fun. I fell once on my shoulder which gave me a month long bruise. So I turned around and descended the gully. On my return to NCAR there was a nice heard of deer grazing in the broad field which lifted my spirits a bit.

Hunt 2008

2008-11-15T08:31:00.000-08:00

For me, opening day of hunting season is like Christmas morning for a child. This year my co-worker and friend Yan went along for his first hunt (photo 1).

Day one: Dave and Justin hiked to the bowl. Yan and I watched the bowl briefly then hiked above Dalton's rock. We crossed the thick oak brush into the upper parks and heard a couple of shots. This area has a lot of bear shit and sign, but we didn't see a bear. From the upper parks we hiked down to the Well's Gulch road making for a long day.

Day two: We decided to go up the Delta Airport Road. Steve and Yan went over to the Dough Spoons. Dave, Justin, and I went up to Alkalai Basin. Just as we approached the end of the road Dave spotted a group of cows. We each took two shots. We then spotted a few does lower down. There was a nice two-point with long tines so Dave dropped him. As Dave dressed out the deer, I hiked up to see if we were successful in our cow shots. I found one dead cow and started dressing it out. We found no others, so I decided to continue my hunt toward the upper park. By staying high I came out above the parks, so I watched for awhile (photo 2).

Day three: Ron showed up and he wanted to hike up to Indian Point. Yan and I decided to watch the bowl all morning. After no luck in the morning, I sent Yan up the ridge to Dalton's Rock and I hiked through the lower parks hoping to spook something. No luck this day, no sightings. (photo 3)

Day four: Yan and I hiked to the top again. We seen a bull high above the parks with 600 yards of oak brush separating us. I convinced Yan to take a long shot. He got settled and took aim, but the shot was too long. The bull didn't flinch. We decided to try and get closer. Climbing the boulders provided a quiet way to approach him. I made my way to the top of the boulders and tried crossing over to where the bull was located. Yan radioed and said he was lost, so I called of my hunt and returned to try and find him. Yan made his way to Dalton's Rock and saved himself. As long as you can get back on the ridge, you are fairly safe (photo 4).

Day five: Ron wanted to go over to the cabin, so we headed that direction. Yan went home. I hiked from the cabin over to the fence. I seen many deer but no elk. Can you spot the deer in photo 5? There were a few elk tracks which I followed until the snow covered them. This is a very nice hike through meadows and I would like to do it again. Just down from the road I spotted a nice three point buck. From the road I was to hike down to the stock pond. I met a few other hunters who were stalking a nice big buck. Once back at my atv, a guy said he knew where a bull elk was. From his directions I hiked down the hill on the other side of the stock pond from where we used to camp. As I approached the meadow I couldn't scope the bull. Then I heard a giant crash and I found that I was on same the ridge with the bull. I had my chance, but forgot the fundamentals. Always go slow, stop and look in EVERY direction. Had I looked to my left at the right moment maybe I would have spotted the bull sleeping. After following his tracks to a ridge I searched for him on the next. Turns out he was three ridges over and no time to shoot. With the snow I decided to follow his tracks. There was some blood in the tracks but not much. A couple of times I spooked him again, but never saw him. I called off the hunt as the sun was waning and it was a long hike back up to the road. My GPS shows that he took me on a three mile hike.

Day six: With the snow still fresh enough, we decided to go back up Dirty George Creek. I was to hike from Bull and Brown over to Point Camp. Steve would hunt Point Camp. As I ascended the hill I came upon six beds and many elk tracks. I tracked the elk in the exact opposite direction from where I was supposed to be heading, but never caught them. After an hour of tracking I called it off and started toward Point Camp. I came upon more tracks and spotted four cows heading down. They were moving like they were spooked. I followed the cows all the way back to the road. I crossed the road and followed them all the way down to private ground and called off the hunt. Dave picked me up and we went back to get Steve who was hiking from Point Camp to Bull and Brown. We had fun doing doughnuts in the snow.

As we returned to get Steve's ATV, we spotted many deer. I spotted a nice buck near the lake, but wasn't sure he had antlers. We went up and got the ATV and returned to see he was still there. Now he was lying down facing us. Steve couldn't spot him so gave me the go ahead. I dropped the three-point buck with a pretty nice 300 yard shot. We got the ATV down close so we didn't have to drag him too far.

Day seven: Rather than hunt the bowl and commit the whole day to a drag, we decided to pick up camp. Steve, Dave, and I were heading to Phoenix for the weekend for NASCAR. We got camp picked up, cut up some meat, then napped in prep for an all night drive to Arizona.

Flatirons - Mohling Arete

2008-10-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

The weather was warm and sunny on October 25, 2008 in the Boulder area, so Dalton and I took advantage by heading to the Flatirons for a scramble. The goal was to climb Angel's Way, a scramble with a couple of 5.0 cruxes in Skunk Canyon. You can approach Skunk Canyon by parking at NCAR and hiking North on the Mesa Trail about 100 yards past the bottom of the canyon.

Having never hiked in this canyon before, we weren't sure of the exact location of Angel's Way. It turns out that we had hiked past Angel's Way and climbed the Mohling Arete instead. Mohling Arete is described as mostly scrambling punctuated by a 5.5 crux by Gerry Roach.

We started the climb on the North face of the arete using small holds to gain the ridge (photo 1). Once on the ridge the scrambling gets easier, but the prospect of no easy escapes makes the climbing thrilling. After the first pitch you come to a small notch. It won't be the last. We decided to leap across this notch to the other side.

After some more Class 3 climbing (photo 2) you reach another notch. This one will test your route finding skills. Here's the hint: look to the left for a tree. The slings on this tree tell you this is the right way to go. The downclimb is rated 5.4 (photo 3).

We decided to end our climb here since at the time we weren't sure we would get another opportunity to escape. We downclimbed through a lemon squeezer (okay chimney - photo 4) and hiked back to the truck.

The Mohling Arete continues up with a couple more notches and a 5.5 headwall. I would love to return to this rock now that I know it's secrets. But first I think I will tackle Angel's Way. So many rocks and hopefully as many sunny weekends.

Kokopelli Trail: Day 4 - Bitter Creek to Loma

2008-09-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

THE LAST DAY OF BIKING
by Don Lyman

'Twas the last day of biking, when all through the desert

Not a creature was stirring, not even a lizard;

The mountain bikes were slung by the RV without care,

In hopes that they held together for the last leg of the dare;

We rode down the cliff side we might end up dead,

While visions of endos danced in our heads;

And Larry on Marin, and I on my Haro,

Rounded the Western Rim for a long honkin' hill,

When on the horizon cut the river grand,

I sprang from the bike to push through the sand.

Through Rabbit Valley we flew like a flash,

Spooked a horse/rider causing a dash.

The slog to the crest with camelback in tow

Gave the luster of mid-day to Salt Creek just below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a place to go swimming, just under the pier,

Larry descended the hill, so lively and quick,

But I crashed in a moment, I made a wrong pick.

We thought of Dad's eagles but only crows came,

And I whistled, and shouted, and called Larry by name;

"Now, Troy Built! now, Lions! now, Mary's and Home!

No Rustlers! no Steve's Loop! no Handcuffs I'm done!

To the top of the ridge! to the top of the hill!

Now coast away! coast away! coast away all!"

On Troy Built he left me, his bike it did fly,

Great views of the river, rock cliffs to the sky,

On to Lions Loop the sprocket heads flew,

With a pack full of Gatorade, and Cliff Bars too.

The double track of Lions, is best going backward

The rocky ascent the other way is awkward.

As I pumped up the hill, my chain jumped a tooth,

I was frustrated, mad, sad and uncouth.

Far down below, a lone tree with two elves at its base,

Sat Steven and Ross, come to size up the race;

A bundle of beers they had flung in a chest,

Liquid courage for peddlers, now not at their best.

Don's eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

He swallowed two Coor's, his nose like a cherry!

His dry little chain was bound up like a knuckle,

Ross had sun tan lotion to lube the debacle;

The cream did the trick: quite clever I say,

And the sojourners moved on to the last leg of the day;

Mary's Loop since the 80's has become quite well-known,

And is traveled by bikers from Tampa to Nome.

I've ridden and blogged it many times my own self,

Suffice it to say, its a fun little shelf;

Like Larry checks me with a twist of his head,

Let's go back to a story of a thing that need said;

On Lions we met two bikers oncoming,

They asked where we came from; then turned with a jerk,

Because Larry said "Moab"; the thought was berserk,

Back to our tale, the final ascent we arose;

We cranked to the top, to his wife gave a whistle,

And down to the truck hand in hand like a missile.

Kokopelli exclaimed, as we drove out of sight,

"Happy Riding to all, and to all a good bike."

Kokopelli Trail: Day 3 - Dewey Bridge to Bitter Creek

2008-09-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Day three and we rise early. Our butts are aching and who knows what the day will bring. We eat breakfast, mount up and cross Dewey Bridge to take an immediate left. It doesn't take much riding to find that Larry's flat is getting so bad we have to stop and fix it (photo 1). As we cross into a wide valley the trail moves away from ridge, causing me some worry that we missed a turn (photo 2). I decide to keep going after consulting the map and it turns out we are fine. A couple of miles in you can spot some cool arches along the cliffs.

Once the Kokopelli trail turns toward ridge, the ride gets fun. After a gentle ascent to gain the ridge there is fun biking as the trail follows the ridge top. There are big bare sections of slickrock here (photo 3&4). We don't see any other bikers, but we meet up with motorcycles, ATVs, and Jeeps. At one point we experienced a surreal site as we pass a Suzuki Samari with a couple that remind us of mom and dad. After crossing a long flat we stop beneath a large boulder for a snack. Two miles from highway we crossed a fence with lots of petrified wood around. Or was it bone? Once you reach the fence and the saddle point of the ridge you are rewarded with a fun descent back to highway 128.

The trail follows the highway for a ways, then follows a dirt road out across desert. This is a long and boring ride to reach the river. Once you approach the river you are treated to an exciting descent to the river that is more fun than intense (photo 5&6). Here Larry and I took our first dip of day. From here the Kokopelli snakes a nice single track along river.

The nice single track ends too soon and then you face a long ascent leading away from the water. Here the desert scenery looks a lot like the moon. We follow the trail as it winds back down to the river and we take another dip at the Cisco landing. Here Larry decides he likes the river.

The next section of the Kokopelli includes a long and straight section as you make mileage through the desert (photo 7). Though there's no technical riding here, it is nicer than I thought it would be due to cliffs in the distance that separates you from I-70 and adds to the aesthetic. I broke the buddy rule here getting about six miles ahead of Larry. I was just cruising. Finally we reach the road to west water after a descent by ranch land.

The Kokopelli is paved again as you ride up asphalt on the West Water Road. Far up the road you return to dirt at a well marked diversion point. The 4WD road backtracks a ways making you feel like you wasted some time and energy, then winds through the pinions toward the Bitter Creek overlook (photo 8). By now the day was getting very late and Larry was getting to end of his rope. We both hadn't expected this part of the trail to be so long and we weren't certain where Steve had parked his RV. Larry called in the rescue squad.

Kari De and kids come up in my pickup and brought us pasta and beer. We found Steve's RV right at the overlook at the end of the road. Larry and Kari both were surprised he would drive it up this rough road. The next morning we discovered the outhouse that was blown apart by the wind that Steve and Ross were joking about. In the daylight we found that it was quite a nice camp spot with an awesome view.

Kokopelli Trail - Day 2: Bull Draw to Dewey

2008-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

All the hard work gaining altitude on day one is rewarded on day 2. The dirt road that descends Thompson Canyon is a fun and easy downhill (photo 1) to the Hideout Canyon overlook. The views from the ridge are expansive and humbling (photo 2). We met our first group of Kokopelli travelers coming up road opposite our direction. They weren't too friendly, but we would find out why as we cruised down all the terrain they had to crank up.

The descent to Onion Creek is a bit more technical, but still not hard (photo 3). We took another dip in the creek at the Hideout Canyon campsite, but it was not as cool or full. The trail from here makes an ascent to a gap over to Fisher Valley. The road then zigs here and heads back North. After a mile you reach the first truly awesome biking challenge. The descent here is a black diamond descent that is quite fun with many obstacles that hold your attention (photo 4). The ascent on the other side required a hike-a-bike when going our direction.

At the top we met up with a FJ Cruiser rally. About 20 FJ Cruisers were about to descend the difficult section we hiked up. They gave us some water and we started the only extended uphill on this section (photo 5). At the top we met the second set of Koko travelers. We didn't converse with them too much. They were from Germany and didn't speak much English, plus they looked very tired. After seeing the very long gravel road they had to come up, we understood their consternation.

I'm glad we were descending instead. The gentle slope of the road made for a gread downhill cruise if not for the gravel. The front forks on my bike are about worn out and the rattling was notable on this washboard gravel of a road.

The Kokopelli Trail takes a left onto an ancient jeep trail just past Blue Chief Mesa. Here the biking gets technical again. Larry went first and made a nice descent hopping rocks and ratcheting his pedals. I followed with pride usurping fear, but crashed and bent my chain of all things. I was happy I had my chain tool, although I used it in an unconventional way to get my chain straight enough to continue. (photo 6)

Once you rejoin the main road the ride gets easy and fun (photo 7). We reached Dewey Bridge and our camp just as the sun was setting. I took a dip in the Colorado River. Larry lost his cookies: I guess downing an entire can of apple juice wasn't a good idea in hindsite. Steve and Ross came by with a cold Coors and we shared a joke or two over the campfire. Half way home and enjoying life!

Kokopelli Trail - Day 1: Moab to Bull Draw

2008-09-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

We trained all summer and the day was finally here: the start of the Kokopelli Trail. My brother Larry and I planned to ride the 140 miles from Moab, Utah to Loma, Colorado in four days.

I snuck out of work Wednesday afternoon and headed for Grand Junction hoping that we could get two camp trailers set up and get to bed before it was too late. We dropped off my camp trailer at Dewey Bridge and everything was going as planned until Larry's transmission went out pulling mom's travel trailer up the steep road out of Castle Valley to Bull Draw. We left the trailer in the middle of the road and coasted in the pickup down to a spot where we could call my sister Veronica to come rescue us. She had not had much sleep, but her and James came and pulled the trailer to the campsite. We discussed whether we should still continue the ride, but Larry was determined.

The next morning I got to hold my new grand-niece for the first time. Aubrey is a beautiful little angel. Then James gave us a ride to the Slickrock trailhead. We felt pretty good even with little sleep and it was a beautiful day.

The Kokopelli trail does not necessarily include a trip around the famous Slickrock bike trail. It seemed a bit odd to instead ride our bikes up the well maintained dirt road. The slog up Sand Flats Road is not terribly exciting except for the scenery (photo 1). As you slowly crank your peddles you can see the shadow of every pebble on the road. This section involves hike-a-bike much of the time at least it did for us.

Once you reach the plateau of the Porcupine Rim you can tell you've gained altitude because of the changing vegetation. The turn off where you leave the

Sand Flats Road is very scenic with a combination of huge rocks, trees, and colors that make it seem as if it was landscaped on purpose (photo 2). Here you encounter the

first and only single track of the day. We met a group of riders who were dropped off at the top and were riding down to Moab. They were having more fun than we were.

The single track ends once you reach Porcupine Rim. From here it is a never ending ride up a four wheel drive road as you try to get to the Loop Road. A couple of deer hunters on ATV's joked that we should be riding our bikes rather than pushing them. As you look down into Castle Valley you can see the burn area from a massive fire this summer 2008 (photo 3). You do encouner an old mine in this section and a truck from long ago.

Just when your quads have had about all the pump they can stand, you finally reach the La Salle Mountain Loop Road. From here your mountain bike turns into a road bike for the remainder of the trip to Bull Draw. After all that ascent the downhill on pavement through the aspens is liberating. My GPS clocked us at speeds up to 35 mph.

Once you hit Castle Valley Road the pavement starts back uphill for the final ascent of the day. After a couple of miles the road crosses a creek, so we stopped to clean up and cool off. The long and winding road seemed to last forever (photo 4). As each pickup or car passed us we questioned our mode of transportation (photo 5).

We finally made it to camp with about a half hour of daylight left. We payed our dues with the long and gruelling ascent and we looked forward the the descent on day two. James and Veronica came up to share our campfire and a celebration brew. A fitting end to day one!

Harvard and Columbia Traverse

2008-08-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

My third attempt at making the Harvard to Columbia traverse looked promising on 8/20. Michelle was out of town, I had the truck, and the forecast called for less than 30% chance of showers.

I set out from Denver and made it to the trail head by Saturday afternoon. Hikers returning from Harvard looked haggard and warned me of close lightning strikes. The hike in was pleasant and clear and I found a campsite in the trees.

That night I froze in my summer bag. I woke at 4:30 and started out at 5:15. I wanted to get an early start to avoid afternoon storms. Turns out it was a good plan.

The ascent of Harvard (photo 1) is a fun and easy hike. You get spectacular views of the ridge between the two peaks as you make the long climb (photo 2).

I made the summit of Harvard and started the traverse to Columbia. You have to work at it to scramble on the first half mile from the top of Harvard. If you are in it for the scrambling, I recommend that you take the harder road: it will be more fun.

Once you get on the ridge proper stay as high as you can (photos 3,4,5). There is always an escape route if you search for it that isn't harder than Class 4. The climbing here is as intense as you want it to be. There is a fair amount of exposure and you are a long way from civilization so I found it a very enjoyable experience.

The storm clouds were brewing as I reached the rabbits. My camera view screen was broken, so the picture here is accidental (photo 6)! As I passed the rabbits the skies cleared so I felt better about my ascent of Columbia. As I was going up, a mountain goat was coming down the ridge. He came within 5 feet of me. Very cool (photo 7).

On top of Columbia the clouds were building again and thunder was rumbling. In fact my hair was starting to crackle so I high-tailed it off the ridge and down. The descent is a horrible mix of dirt and scree. This was the least enjoyable part of the trip and I think we should all volunteer to improve this trail. I can't imagine trying to ascend it (photo 8).

Mount Princeton

2008-08-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I decided to hit the Cottonwood Hot Springs for our anniversary. She was going to go for a massage while I climbed Harvard and Columbia. I knew the trip was going to be tight since it is a 14.5 mile hike. I would need to get up very early. Well I didn't. Plan B was an ascent of Mount Princeton.

The road up to the radio towers was narrow, but very passable in a 4wd vehicle. In fact you can find parking farther up the road if you want to cut down on the hike. Slogging up the road isn't my idea of a great time, but soon enough you get off road on the trail. As the road makes a big switchback, Mt Princeton comes into view. You might be tempted to leave the road here, but continue up the road seemingly the wrong way. Look for the steps in picture 1 for the true trail.

Once you ascend the grassy knob you come to rockier terrain. Traversing the boulders is as close to scrambling as this trail gets. Photos 2 & 3 give you a good idea of the meat of this hike. This is a popular trail with people of all abilities. There was even a lady wearing ballerina shoes.

While this was an enjoyable 14er ascent, I must get back to scrambles. The obligatory summit shot: photo 4. With my second attempt on Harvard-Columbia foiled, I thought that photo 5 properly captured my despair. Just kidding... check out the bristlecone pine behind me. The soak at Cottonwood Hot Springs was a fitting end to the hike.

Mount Sherman Glissade

2008-07-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

After climbing Belford and Oxford the day before, Dalton and I were pretty well spent. Rather than backpack in and climb Mount Yale, we decided to climb Sherman instead.

There many good spots on the road up to Sherman to car camp. We found a spot even though it was dark and had a wonderful campfire and a couple of brews. We slept in the bed of the truck with the bedcover pulled for wind protection. It worked out pretty well.

The ascent was routine but fun. You can get a sense of it from photo 1. You follow the road then head up the ridge where it meets the left side of the photo. From there you follow the ridge to the summit in the middle of the picture. There are many kids on this route because it is an easy 14er and I'm sure they enjoy seeing all the old mining equipment on the way up (photo 2). As we approached the ridge we had to cross a large snowfield that was still in place in late July. From the ridge the hiking is a fun mix of rock and dirt. We reached the summit early and enjoyed the view of all the mountains in the region (photo 3). There were quite a few tourist from Japan at the peak... must have been a group thing.

On the descent we decided to glissade the snowfield just below the ridge crest (photo 4). I didn't bring an ice axe (big mistake) so I found a long stick to use as a brake. The angle of descent was steep and I gained quite a bit of speed. When I reached the boulder field at the bottom I was going way too fast and impacted the rocks, jumped up and ran off the rest of my momentum. My right cheek was black and blue but I made it back to the truck. Lesson learned: always bring an axe in case you find some fun snow.

Mount Oxford and Mount Belford

2008-07-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Every fourteener hike has its own character. For the ultimate climb I recommend Long's Peak. For pure fun you can't beat the Crestone Needle. But here's a new one. For a quintessential Colorado mountain climb, I would recommend Mount Belford and Mount Oxford. You get it all, steep hiking, beautiful views both panoramic and nature settings, wild flowers, wild life, exposure, and just the right number of fellow hikers. You can even add in some scrambling and bushwhacking as Dalton and I did.

I was surprised and pleased that Dalton agreed to go hiking with me on this late July weekend in 2008. The plan was to climb both Saturday and Sunday with a car camp in between. We decided to tackle the Belford to Oxford traverse on Saturday, then head over to Sherman on Sunday if we had enough steam.

From the Belford trailhead, you head up a steep slope for about a mile. Dalton's back was hurting, so I wasn't optimistic we were going to make it far. Steep slopes from the road are typical on Colorado hikes, and I had burned Dalton before with promises that "it will get easier up ahead."

This time it was true. Once you break over the initial slope, you are treated to a pleasant hike through a beautiful valley with majestic pine trees, columbines and other wild flowers, plus a bubbling creek (photo 1). Enjoy this part of the hike because you are in for more steep climbing once you get to the slopes of Belford (photo 2).

The long steep climb to the top of Belford is right there in front of you. The seemingly endless switchbacks will try your patience, but won't send you over the edge. At the base Dalton and I tried to make the most of it by straying off trail and engaging the rocks to the left. A little forced scrambling whetted my climbing appetite, but just barely (photo 3). There isn't much to work with, although I might recommend continuing left to some steeper stuff.

Once you summit Belford (photo 4) there is a big traverse over to Oxford. On our descent to the saddle, we seen many weary travellers returning from Oxford. Dalton's back was feeling reasonably good, so we pressed on. As we ascended Mount Oxford, we crossed the last vestigases of a snow field. On top of Oxford we enjoyed the great view of Mount Harvard, Columbia, and Missouri. From here you can see the great expanses of valleys that divide these high peaks.

On the return the faces of those weary travellers making their way back to the summit of Belford were haunting us. Dalton wanted to descend the valley that separates the two peaks rather than stay on the trail to Belford. I warned him that it could involve quite a bit of bushwacking, but secretly I wanted to get off trail myself. The initial slope into the valley is covered in scree that will test your balance. Once the steep stuff is over, it is an easier hike down the grassy slopes (photo 5).

Eventually the valley curves right and the downslope's angle increases dramatically. Rather than lose too much altitude and risk heading away from the parking lot, we decided to skirt the ridge that surrounds Peck's Peak. Plus we found some nice cliffs to scramble on our left. We made our way traversing and scrambling for a more extended time than before (photo 6). I think you could add to the climb by continuing up Peck's, but I couldn't convince Dalton to give it a try so we continued on a more level course.

After topping out on the ridge we could see the road and the parking lot. The way there didn't look easy though. The slopes are steep and the forest is thick (photo 7). Bushwhacking the bottom portion was no joy. The downed logs, loose dirt, and thick foliage was pissing Dalton off. I'm used to a fair amount of bushwacking but was ready for the hike to be over myself.

In the end, what a great day. Dalton bagged his first two fourteeners! I have now climbed mountains with both my boys and it is a memory I will always cherise. We headed down to South Park to find a place to camp and ponder a climb of Sherman.

Apex Mountain Bike Ride

2008-07-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

My wife is in town, so I had to fore go another attempt on Castle Peak with Brian and stay close to Denver. So in prep for a Kokopelli ride, I decided to take on the Apex trail.

Located just outside of Golden, Colorado, the trail starts at the Heritage Square parking lot. Taking a right at the first trail junction leads to a slope with a perfect grade for climbing (photo 1). This is called the Pick and Sledge trail. The Apex ride up the creek bed is much rockier. Once on top you are treated to a very nice ride through the trees (photo 2).

The trail then leads around the hill and then starts a steep descent off the backside. I endoed on the way down and bruised and scraped my arm and leg (photo 3).

La Plata - Ellingwood Ridge

2008-07-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

Dalton and I set out to climb Harvard and Columbia, but I couldn't get my Mitsubishi Eclipse up the North Cottonwood Creek Road. Why would someone try to take their sports car up there? Well, my wife had the pickup out of town that weekend.

The Ellingwood Ridge on La Plata Peak was also one of my goals so we decided to opt for it instead since the trailhead is on the highway. Since it was still early on Saturday we decided to do a little fishing at Twin Lakes. Dalton and I backpacked in about two miles in and set up camp. That afternoon we hung out by Lake Creek and relaxed. After a backpacker supper the mosquitos were so bad we decided to turn in early. We knew we needed to get an early start the next morning anyway.

We knew this trip was going to be a long day, but we were surprised in how far it felt just getting to the first big slope and boulder field. Then the boulder field seemed to go up forever (photo 2). I did find a camera tripod which was cool. By the time we arrived at Ellingwood Ridge Dalton has started cramping. We scrambled a bit up the trail, but I was worried that we would get in trouble if Dalton got worse so we turned around. We did meet up with one other pair of climbers. They both had their harnesses on and were carrying a rope. After seeing the ridge for myself I think this is a good idea (photo 3). With a snowy winter, even in mid-July the remaining snow causes one to engage harder moves.

Even though we didn't summit, it was still a great day. I was very happy that Dalton finally agreed to join me on a climb and gave it his best.

El Camino Royale and Royal Arch Climb

2008-07-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Dalton and I headed up to the FlatIrons above Boulder on a Wednesday evening after work to enjoy a classic climb of the El Camino Royale and the Royal Arch. This is indeed an enjoyable scramble.

We approached from the NCAR trialhead even though some books recommend the Chautauqua trailhead to get to the Royal Arch. I think that NCAR is a better way to get to the El Camino because you can leave the trail once the big rock comes into view and bushwhack up. Be sure to leave the trail before you hit the Woods Quarry.

The El Camino Royale is 800 yards of pure scrambling fun. Climbing the Royal Arch is more intense and it seems that going up is scarier than coming down. Even Dalton was deliberate in spots, but then again he was climbing in his sandals.

We arrived back at the car after dusk and headed down to Pearl Street in Boulder for some beers at BJ's.

Slick Rock Bike Trail

2008-07-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well my niece decided she must have a June wedding, so she plans it with a week's notice. What this means for the YACC is a trip to Moab, Utah rather than a rafting trip on the best water in quite a few years.

Having family in Moab means that I have biked Slick Rock many times. Since Larry and I are planning a Kokopelli trip in September, I decided I should bring my bike to the wedding. Dalton and I busted ass out of Denver on Friday night and spent the night in Grand Junction. Saturday morning I took my bike to the Lunch Loop area and took a trip up Pet-e-kes, over to Little Park Road, then down the Eagle's Tail. This was a nice warm up for Moab on Sunday.

Sunday morning I was supposed to help clean up after the Saturday night festivities. Instead I ditched my duties and headed up to Slick Rock. I was surprised to find only a few vehicles in the parking lot. Has everyone abandoned Moab, or is it the heat?

Since I was riding alone and there weren't very many people on the trail, I didn't push my luck too much. I walked a few sections that normally I would have chanced a ride. My training hasn't been hard-core up to this point, but I found that I am in pretty good shape. I pulled some of the hard hills (picture 1) and made the full 11 mile trip in good time.

Picture 2 is a classic view of biking on great rock with the La Salle's in the back ground. The third pic proves I made it out to Shrimp Rock and back. The final picture shows the section where Jeepers and bikers share this super area.

I can't wait to ride this with Larry so we can compare skills!

Mount Geneva to Mount Santa Fe Traverse

2008-06-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

On June 29, 2008 Sean and I planned to ascend Mount Geneva, Mount Santa Fe and Mount Decatur. We felt this would be a good tune up for the summer hiking season. It is always fun to climb some 13ers since there are far fewer people: providing a more pure alpine experience.

To get there you take Guanella Pass Road, then make a right at FR 119 and take it to the gate. From the gate hike up the road past a nice cabin. We weren't sure exactly where to leave the road, so we decided to start bushwhacking just past the first Y. It turns out we ascended a very steep section of Mount Landslide. In hindsight we should have continued up the road further before leaving it. No matter, it was a good quad burner. Once atop Landslide we followed the ridge crest over to Geneva. This section is a pleasant high altitude hike with the usual stunning Colorado views (photo 1 atop Geneva). The descent from Geneva offered the only scramble section for the day, but you must work to make it happen. It is worth it since following the trail is quite uninteresting.

The ascent of Santa Fe is again steep and by now the legs were feeling weaker. Once atop Santa Fe we felt like conquerors so we chose to descend the steep ridge heading straight for the road far below (photo 2). This meant we wouldn't bag Mount Decatur, but from this apex it looked like a long way over there with much altitude loss and gain.

About half way down the face of Mount Santa Fe we found a wonderful snow field. I failed to bring an ice axe, but Sean had his. The run out seemed safe and the angle wasn't extreme, so I felt comfortable doing a glissade sans axe. It was quite fun! We found another steeper glissade heading down to lake. This one was a bit more challenging, and I started thinking I should never leave the truck without an ice axe. You never know when you will encounter good snow even in the dog days of summer. Check out the third photo.

Once down to the lake we plunge stepped the rest of the snow past the beautiful waterfall in this last photo. Our goal was to avoid the quagmire in the basin, but it pursued us no matter our course. We light-footed it across the swamp and were fortunate to find the road home.

Second FlatIron 2008

2008-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

More fun times climbing Free Way on the Second FlatIron high above Boulder, Colorado. On this fine June day my climbing partner was my son Dalton. It was the first time Dalton had joined me; usually it is Matt. Both are better scramblers than I am, but I still have just as much fun.

Approaching the 2nd from Chautauqua Park there were many people on the trail. Too many. The bottom of the climb is the most technical, just because it is steeper and has fewer holds. The holds become more plentiful the farther up you go.

Eventually we climbed to the point where you must make a flying leap to the rock below. The jump isn't hard to make, but it makes one ponder it for a few minutes. The jump is much easier than trying the downclimb.

We climbed to the high point because the last few hundred feet is a whole lot of fun. When you do this you must downclimb in order to reach the exit point on the North side of the rock. The exit point is always a bit of a move if you don't do it all the time, but not hard.

I think Dalton had fun on his first FlatIron climb!

Holy Cross Bike Ride

2008-06-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

My brother Larry and I hooked up for a mountain bike ride for the first time. Larry has recently taken up the sport and is gung ho to ride the entire Kokopelli trail in September. We headed out to Fruita Colorado to take on Mary's Loop. Instead we took a wrong turn and ended up riding Rustler's Loop.

After finishing the easy ride, we headed into town and the Board N Buckle to pick up some riding gloves. The friendly staff recommended a fairly new ride called Pet-E-Kes in the lunch loop area on the road to Colorado National Monument. Pet-E-Kes is an intermediate trail that is quite a hoot to ride.

At the top of Pet-E-Kes we decided to head down Holy Cross. Holy Cross is an expert ride with a few crucial crux sections. Larry and I walked our bikes quite a bit. He even crashed and gashed his leg. The trail is named after a particularly gnarly section next to an old wooden cross. We stopped and watched the Yeti Team give it a whirl. Most made it, but even some of them could not clean the steep rocks.

Stay tuned for more on our Kokopelli quest...

Mount Eva Descent

2008-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

On the last day of May, 2008 Sean and I hiked to the top of 13,130 ft Mount Eva and skied down. Well I snowboarded down. The road was not entirely passable up to the reservoir, so we had to hike the road for about a mile. From the reservoir you head south up a steep drainage from the upper lakes for about a quarter mile. From there you head west to the ridgeline. The mileage from the main reservoir is about 2.25 miles to the summit of Mount Eva.

The final leg to the summit is a fairly steep snowclimb. I had to remove my snowshoes and front point the final 300 feet. It might have been nice to have crampons, but the ascent was never unsafe.

From the summit you ski down the ridge line for about 100 yards to an old tower station. From there a notch in the ridge allows access to the snow slope. This slope was perfect corn snow. Bearing to the left allows access to another slope down to the flats and marshes.

After the flat marshes you get a final snow slope down to the upper reservoirs. This snow was much slushier. The stickiness of the snow caused me some problems on my board, but we made it back.

Square Top Ski Descent

2008-05-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

My first ever backcountry snowboard ride took place on May 24, 2008. Sean and I traveled to the top of Guenella Pass from Georgetown, Colorado for an ascent and ski descent of Squaretop Mountain. The pass had just opened the day before, so the timing was perfect.

Sean is a seasoned veteran of backcountry skiing and chose this excellent outing. He recommended that I bring along my snowshoes just in case. The only backpack I have that is suitable for stowing snowshoes and attaching a snowboard is my multi-day pack. It is rather large, but hikes well and I removed as much weight as I could. It turns out that the first mile from the trailhead was mostly dry. Then once you pass the notch and see the lower lake, the snow was fairly well wind-packed and there was not much postholing. The lower lake was already thawed. From here you can see Square Top. Another couple of tele-mark skiers chose to ascend the snowfield we planned to ski. We chose to climb the lefthand ridge. The snow was easily climbed without snowshoes or crampons. We summitted ahead of the other party.

From here the fun 1,000+ ft snowfield was ahead of us. It was about 10:00 AM and the sun was doing its magic on the snow. We decided to take a break and waited about 20 minutes to let the snow soften up a bit. The upper part of the mountain was still a bit icy when we started down, but the snow softened within a couple hundred feet. You can see our route in the first photo. It goes down and to the right, then back left just past the cliff band. The turns down the snow were heaven and I enjoyed every one of them! We had to bear right near the bottom to avoid landing in the lower lake and its icy waters. Check out Mount Bierstadt and Evans along with Sean in the last photo.

For a first descent the day turned out perfectly. We ended the trip with lunch at BeauJo's and a good Pick Axe IPA.

North Star Mountain - East Ridge

2008-04-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

I recruited Nick to go along with me on a Colorado Snow Climb of North Star Mountain's East Ridge. This climb starts at the parking lot at the top of Hoosier Pass on Colorado Highway 9. There is a nice sledding hill just up from the parking lot.

We started out on the jeep road that circumscribes the first hill. I understand that part of this road might be private property, but it didn't appear that the mine owners are too interested in keeping people out. They are mostly concerned with people getting hurt on their property. I promise not to sue. There was one part of the road where the snow was particularly steep. Moving over this snow perpendicular to the slope was a delicate affair.

Once you reach the first saddle the mass of North Star confronts you. It is a fun slog up the slope on a huge snowfield. By the time Nick and I made it to the long ridge, we were quite tired. The weather was turning very windy and cold, so we decided to eat lunch and turn around.

On the return we encountered a few ski-mountaineers skinning up the mountain. It would have been fun to have my snowboard, but instead just snowshoed down. Nick did not use a balaclava so his face was quite wind-burned upon arrival back at the truck.

I must return to North Star Mountain again. I would feel safe climbing this mountain alone and the avalanche danger appears low.

Ice Climbing

2008-03-29T16:25:00.001-07:00

I took an ice climbing class from Colorado Mountain School on March 1st and 2nd. The first day we learned the basics of ice climbing. We drove to the Big Thompson falls East of Estes Park about 9 miles on Highway 34. After crossing the river and a one mile steep hike you come to a nice but short frozen water fall. The keys to ice climbing are to stick the front points of your crampons into the ice with your feet level. Keep your heels down. Don't move your feet at all once placed. Placing the ice tool is a bit art and science. You should try to find a slight depression in the ice. Swing your tool with assertion to produce a satisfying "thunk". If the ice "dinner plates", don't pick a new spot thinking the ice is bad. Swing your tool in exactly the same spot. You have removed the loose ice, so the second swing should seat nicely.

As in rock climbing, you should keep three points on the ice at all times. Tying a figure-eight follow through with gloves on is a new experience. There were five in our class the first day and we had fun climbing various routes on the ice. One in particular was an ice column. We learned how strong even a small amount of ice is. We learned how to create an Abalacov anchor by drilling a "V" in the ice with an ice screw. You need a short piece of wire to push a sling thru the corner of the V. Once the sling is thru, you can pair it with a carabiner to create the anchor. It is often used on rappels since a minimum of equipment is left behind.

The second day it was just Christiaan and I in the class with Bill. We went up to Rocky Mountain National Park to practice some vertical ice. The approach this day was much longer and the weather was much colder. We took turns climbing two different routes. On vertical ice it is much more important to keep your feet still. Once you lose footing it is hard to kick around and find another spot. You must get used to leaning back off the ice trusting your ice tools. This allows you to see your feet and find the next spot to front point. When placing an ice screw, you might be tempted to angle the ice screw down as you screw to create an angle. Research shows that a slightly upward angle is stronger since it is the first few threads that hold the load. A downward angle could chip away at the ice at the front. Ice screws are around $60 a piece, so this sport is not cheap (unless compared to snowmobiling :-) )

Atlantic Peak

2008-02-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

For my second snow climb from Dave Cooper's "Colorado Snow Climbs" book, I chose the first climb in the book: Atlantic Peak. The Atlantic Peak ascent is a ridge climb, so there is little avalanche danger. I was going alone, so I picked one of the easier routes in the book. I also wanted to grow in my skills and confidence before tackling the more challenging routes. This route proved to be just the ticket. Easy enough to feel safe, yet challenging enough to keep your attention.

To reach the trailhead from Denver, take I-70 to Copper Mountain. Take Highway 91 for 6.4 miles to a large plowed parking lot on the east side of the highway. I left the house at around 7:00 AM, and arrived at the trailhead at around 9:30 AM. Leaving earlier would have been better, both for snow conditions as well as avoiding the ski traffic rush up I-70. There were already quite a few vehicles in the parking lot, so I donned the snow shoes and started out. This area is popular with cross-country skiers, so etiquette instructs that you don't tear up their lanes with your cramponed snowshoes.

The approach to the ridge follows a four-wheel drive road for 1.1 miles. You then cut across the wide snow park and ascend up through the trees to reach the broad ridge at the bottom of Atlantic Peak. Check out the first photo which looks back on the approach. Crossing the park proved to be a little tedious due to the powdery snow on this mid-February day. My snow shoes are of slightly larger than average surface area, yet still sank in the snow for quite a ways. Ascending through the trees was a fun exploration with pockets of sinking snow. Once on the wide ridge, the going in snowshoes turns becomes a problem for your ankles more than a sinking issue. Even with my heel-raisers in place the ascent is a bit steep, pointing my toes upward past the comfort zone. Once I topped the rounded hill, I eschewed my snow shoes, stashed them where I could find them on the descent and proceeded on with my boots and poles.

After flattening out for a ways the ridge steepens and narrows. The climbing becomes mixed snow with some rocky sections requiring some low-end scrambling. You can see an example in the last photo. On February 16, 2008 the snow on this ridge was very hard-packed. The drop off on each side of the ridge is long and dangerous. I wished I had brought my crampons. Dave doesn't say they are required, but I advise you to bring them along just in case. I took slow and steady steps, making sure that each foot placement was solid as I proceeded along the ridge. Since my pace was slowed it took me a while to traverse the seemingly endless ascent. I didn't quite make it to the top of Atlantic Peak. My legs were not in prime condition and the hour was getting late, so I stopped for lunch. The middle photo shows the broad ridge to the right of the center. The ridge continues heading to the right in this photo. Atlantic Peak is the third summit which is not very pronounced in this picture. See if you can spot my snowshoe tracks up the broad side of the ridge.

You could see many skiers and snowshoers in Mayflower Gulch far below. I was the only one on this climb, but it was comforting to know that there were others around in case of emergency. Not sure how I would get their attention so far away! There were a group of people building an igloo in the park, and others exploring the old mines.

The descent was fun but uneventful. I tried glissading a couple of times, but the angle of the slope was too low. I think I will try this route again and attain the peak. It is safe enough to go alone when you can't find a partner: at least in my humble opinion. Take responsibility for yourself.

Grizzly Peak

2008-01-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

Dave Cooper's Colorado Scrambles book has given me many enjoyable weekends in the Colorado mountains, so when his new book "Colorado Snow Climbs" came out I had to get it. The book is great. I decided to start out with one of the easiest climbs in the book: Grizzly Peak. This climb is relatively safe to do alone, so I felt reasonably safe.

The Grizzly Peak climb starts at the top of Loveland Pass. This route follows the ridge line so there is little avalanche danger and the wind packed snow requires no snow shoes. I took my ice ax and crampons, but used neither. My mountaineering boots and hiking poles were adequate. However, the book states that an ice ax is useful on the final ascent which I never reached.

The first section is a gentle climb to the Grizzly Peak ridge. It is a good cardio workout at altitude. Once I reached the ridge it became very windy. I had my balaclava on, but there was still a portion of my nose and cheeks exposed. As I started down the ridge to approach the second peak the wind was blowing me very hard. I was warm, so I continued on.

As I approached the intermediate peak on the ridge, the weather was turning bad. I decided to not push my luck all the way to Grizzly Peak and turned around. When I got back to the truck my nose and cheeks had some frost-bite. Still it was a very enjoyable early January climb. My first winter snow climb!

Mount Morrison

2007-12-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

Just outside of Denver, Colorado near the Red Rocks Amphitheater is Mount Morrison. I joined Sean, Sam, and Mark on a climb of this close in mountain on 11/17/2007. I had not been out of the house since hunting season and I was really getting antsy.

This hike is good for late fall and winter. We decided to tackle it in order to keep our legs in shape for ski season. To get to the trail head simply take the Morrison exit off of C-470 and go to entrance 4 of Red Rocks. Immediately after the turn off there is roadside parking and the trail head is just across the road.

It turns out that the beginning and ending of this trail are quite steep. The middle section gives you a bit of a break on the angle of incline. The first photo looks back at the trail after the initial steep section. You come up to the point at the center-left of the photo then follow the ridge around. The second shows the trail ahead from the middle leg. You simply follow the ridge to the face of the peak.

As you follow the ridge you can see the Red Rocks Amphitheater below you at times as well as nice views of the city of Denver. As you approach the final ascent of the mount, the level is easily Class 2. I may return here soon to make this ascent more interesting with a bit of scrambling. Check out the nice scrambling rocks in the third photo.

There are many deer in this area so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. All in all a very nice hike. Not too exerting yet enough to satiate your climbing jones. Here's a nice view of the Red Rocks Amphitheater. I wonder if you could hear U2 sing "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" from up here?

Hunt 2007 - Part 3 of 3

2007-11-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

After hunting exclusively in the towers area all week we decided to ride up the airport road and hunt around a basin. Plus after Friday's pack Dave and I didn't want much of a hike. After having a flat on Dave's trailer, we decided to take three pickups each with an atv in the back. This made us a bit late as we headed up the road. Last year I ran out of gas on this road, so I took along an extra gas can.

As we started getting into the pinions, Justin spotted some deer near the catch pond. We spotted a nice buck, but couldn't get off and get our rifle's in time. Dave and Justin headed out and spotted another little buck and took him. The buck traveled 10 yards up hill with a 6 inch hole in his side. Steve and I went farther up the road. Steve decided to walk down at the gulch where the other buck headed. I found a nice opening on the hill and decided to glass for awhile.

I spotted the deer in an upper meadow. I was hoping Steve would get a shot, but he didn't. Dave drove his atv right into the park where the deer were. If I could have shot from here, I wonder if I would miss.

Later we decided to go on up, even though it was midmorning. Steve and I went to the end of the road. He went down to overlook the meadows. I went up and across to overlook the far bench. I made it all the way to upper texas, but not to where D got his bull.

The forest ranger gave me a ticket for not having current stickers. Steve filled his buck tag with a nice 3pt. My atv made it back to the truck with plenty of gas to spare. Not sure what happened last year, though we did go across the top then.

Saturday night we cut up two hind quarters at camp and Sunday we broke camp and went back to town. I spent nine hours at Dave's cutting up meat.

Hunt 2007 - Best of 3

2007-11-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

I took Tuesday night off from hunting to watch Dave's son Justin play in the pee-wee football superbowl. Wednesday Michelle and I built the rest of Millie's fence. Steve and Dave both had to work and Dalton had to return to Moab to sell his 4Runner.

Thursday it was only Dave and I hunting. I decided that it was high time I went up into the high bowl to get the bull I seen in there opening morning. Two young guys pulled a six point out of there opening morning. We followed two other guys up the towers trail. Every time we caught them they would take off ahead. Finally at Dalton's rock, I passed them as they stopped to watch the sunrise.

As I continued up, I heard some rustling in the trees. The hunt was on. Turned out to be just a bunch of beef cows in the high meadow.

As I topped the ridge and looked into the bowl I spotted two bulls sparring. Very cool. They were at least 600 yards away, so I decided to try to get closer. The bulls where whistling and bugling.

It took me an hour and a half to come down the hill, cross the oak brush and meadow. The willows and oak brush got so thick I was getting stuck with thorns and sticks. Finally I made it onto the boulder outcroppings above the high meadows. I knew those two bulls were here somewhere, likely bedded down as it was approaching noon. I found a nice bench and set up my backpack as a shooting bench and decided I would stay here all day if necessary. I even contemplated spending the night here. If I built a fire and used my space blanket it might be less than miserable overnight.

I was getting chilled sitting in the shade so I decided to find some sun and a different angle. It didn't take long before I spotted a nice bull lying up hill from the meadow where he was sparring with his buddy that morning. My blood was pumping, but he wasn't at all aware of me so I took my time and found a nice rock to take my shot. I dropped him in his bed with one shot! I was very happy.

I gathered my things and worked my way down to the meadow thru more oak brush and then up to his bed. By now the day was warm and I stripped down to shirtless to do t he dressing. I felt very wild there bare skinned with my knife covered in blood. A couple of hunters watched from the ridge below Indian Point as I finished skinning my bull. I didn't have a bone saw to quarter him, and the hour was late enough that I knew I wouldn't have time to return to this place from my atv today. So I skinned the elk head and removed it from the neck. I set off for the atv with antlers in hand. I would return tomorrow for the meat.

The trip back to Dalton's rock was an hour and a half of nasty bushwhacking thru thick oak brush. There is a reason not too many people hunt up here. I was getting tired by time I reached my atv at the towers.

I made it back to camp before Dave and Steve did. They had taken an evening hunt up the diagonal road to try and get a buck. We celebrated my successful hunt and decided to try and get the bull out via W Gulch rather than the towers trail. The next morning we left my atv at the end of gulch road and headed over to the towers trail. As we headed up the road we came upon a guy who had high-centered his 2WD truck in the ditch. We tried to get him out with Steve's truck but no luck. We were the first ones onto the trail, but we were way past sunrise. The hunt wasn't fruitful this morning. As we headed on up we found a better trail to my elk from Dalton's rock. If you stay a bit lower by skirting the bottom of the open parks the oak brush isn't quite as thick. It still didn't change our plan to head down into w gulch for the pack.

We loaded my pack with a hind quarter and the backstraps. Dave took the other hind and we put the front quarters in the tree. The trip down the gulch as a bitch. By far the worst pack ever. The vertical is brutal for quite a ways as soon as you start down. I think taking the tower ridge would have been easier. To make matters more fun, as we arrived at the atv, we spotted a buck running. We decided we better go hunt him as tired as we were. He went up and around the hill and eluded us. Dave chewed my butt for talking him into hunting that buck. lol.

My first elk in three years made me very happy. Thursday was my best day hunting, Friday my worst!

Hunt 2007, Part 1 of 3

2007-11-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

Unlike last year, this year I wasn't going to miss opening day. Steve and I were the only hunters, Dave had a football game, Dalton went partying with his friends, and Ronnie couldn't leave Denver until Sat. morning.

We hunted the bowl in the morning, then heard shots above Dalton's rock. We decided to go higher. I seen 4 cows in the meadow below Dalton's rock, but didn't get a shot. Just then I heard shots on the back side of Dalton's rock. Steve tracked and shot a nice 5-pt bull. His first opening day bull ever.

Sunday with the whole crew, we decided to hunt radio towers again and then haul Steve's bull out. We woke to a blizzard. The ride on the atv's was a pelting of ice in the face. We decided to stay in Dave's truck and see if the storm let up. Finally in the afternoon the snow let up and we were hoping for some good hunting. Dalton headed up to his rock as we dressed out the elk. We didn't have any luck.

Monday Dalton wanted to go hunt his meadow. The road to his meadow starts at the powerline and heads diagonally across the desert. Dalton watched the meadow while I took a walk up the hill and then back to the peak toward Well's Gulch. No elk tracks in sight, but I did see some cat tracks at the top of the peak. This peak offers nice views in all directions.

Since I told Dalton I would be back at the ATV by noon, I headed down the ridge. As I approached the meadow at the end of the road I spotted a little buck. He wasn't a hundred yards from the ATV, so I decided to fill my tag. I considered taking the 300 yard shot, but decided to try to get closer. I sneaked to within 150 yards and crouched to take my shot. A clean drop with one shot.

The two does with him were hanging out waiting for him to join. They seen me but were not spooked. I watched them for a while and took some photos. The buck turned out to be a small 2pt. I lost my camera so I can't post the photos :-(

Castle Peak

2007-09-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

Brian and I made an attempt on Castle Peak on September 15th. It had been five years since I was in the Aspen at all and even then it was a quick trip to meet Angie to get Matt home. (I-70 was closed due to a sink hole in Vail.) I had never been up the Maroon Creek Road, and let me tell you it winds through a very beautiful valley.

The road eventually turns to dirt and becomes more and more difficult. You can actually take a jeep or ATV most of the way up the mountain. As for us, Brian took us up past a couple switch backs, and then we parked just below a nasty hill. No use tearing up his SUV when we came to hike! We hiked up the 4WD road that you can see in this first picture. We parked down below tree line in the valley you can see in this photo.

We hiked to the end of the road to a parking area. From here the trail traverses a boulder field then gains the ridge behind the cliff at the left top of the second photo. Castle Peak is the mountain you can see behind this foreground peak/cliff face. Brian has been having trouble with his neck from all those years of hockey. At this point it was really starting to bother him so we had a decision to make. Push on or turn around.

The weather had been looking sketchy all morning long and as we looked up to the ridge above we could see that it was snowy from the night before. Other hikers were going on, but we decided to turn around. The ridge is only rated Class 2, but Brian said it is challenging. I was looking forward to the climb, but I didn't want to push our luck either.

On the hike back down we met up with a lady and her dog. As we chatted with her, the poor dog took a rest. As she started to move on, she couldn't get Fido to get up: he was pooped. Quite funny. Once back at the truck, we headed down and caught up to gal and dog. We gave her a ride back to camp.

Brian and I contemplated a short hike to the Maroon Bells viewing area, but instead decided to get lunch at a great sandwich shop in Aspen. I can't remember the name, but it is directly across the street from the Aspen City Market. Thanks for buying lunch Brian! We'll conquer Castle Peak another day.

Dalton Invades Las Vegas

2007-09-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yet another post that has nothing to do with climbing. This Vegas trip was to celebrate Dalton's 21st birthday!

We took off from Denver in our new Dodge pickup. We picked up Dalton in Green River. We were very late, so Dalton had to wait at the gas station in the sun. From there it was a long trip across Utah to Mesquite where we spent the night. James, Veronica, Jessi, and her friend Mike went to the rodeo, but all we did was go to the seafood buffet. We had a little after party in V's room.

The next morning we met up with Angie, Matt, and Natasha at the Indian Reservation. We played some slots that actually give you quarters and bought some fireworks. Once in Vegas we decided to do the stuff you don't have to be 21 to do. So the first day we rode the coaster at NY, NY. We attended the Excalibur jousting show yet again. Dalton wanted to and it was his birthday, but if I never see this show again that would be fine. Dalton didn't make it to midnight to celebrate his 21st.

Sunday morning we cruised down Fremont Street. We stopped into the Gold Nugget and had Dalton's first legal drink. We all did a shot of Petron.

Sunday we went to Circus Circus to win some stuffed animals for Cayden and allow Dalton to celebrate with his mom, brother, and sister. We then went to Toby Keith's Bar in Harrah's. Check out the bartender pasting D's license to his forehead. James and V went back to the room, and we took D and Jesse to the Picasso art show in the Bellagio.

Sunday night we went to the Ooo-Lah-Lah show. Very nice show with cute girls. Back on Fremont street Dalton had a large drink with his mom, and got his picture with more girls. Dalton crashed early. I tried to wake him to go to the strip club but he was done.

Monday we went and had lunch at Hooter's. Check out the girls here!

While I'm glad we drove the new truck on this trip, the next time we go to Vegas I am definitely flying.

Mount Audubon and Paiute Peak

2007-09-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

I finally hooked up with my buddy Sean for a scramble on Mount Audubon on August 26,2007.

Taking the Brainard Lake trail to the lake we then made our way over to the south east ridge. Ascending to the ridge requires travel over a steep boulder field.

Once on the ridge it is easy Class 2 scrambling until you reach the notch. Gerry Roach's Indian Peaks book doesn't give a hint as to the route finding here, but I will spill the beans. Make your way left (South) about 100 yards back from the peak. Scramble around the peak on a narrow ledge and you will find your way to the saddle. This picture is looking back so the route is on the right of the photo.

Once you reach the top of the ridge, it is back to some boulder scrambling as you make the final ascent of Audubon. Once on top you will meet up again with the crowd.

The skies were getting a little cloudy, but we decided the trip over to Paiute was worth a try. The descent has nice views, and the ridge has a couple of nice scrambling spots.

The ascent of Paiute offers more sustained scrambling and is quite fun. Sometimes you have to force the scramble, because you can easily bypass some of the cliffs.

The descent of Paiute we took turned it out to be a challenge in itself. As you head for the lake the slope contains loose rock and scree. One must be careful not to roll rocks onto one's partner.

Reaching the lake we caught a couple skinny dipping in the cold mountain lake, so we slowed our descent. The trail back to the parking lot completed the 10 mile round trip.

Sean and I enjoyed a celebration beer back at the truck, then stopped off for a quick drought to seal the day.

Rattlesnake Canyon

2007-09-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I made a trip to Grand Junction to build a fence for Mildred so the dogs will have a place to stay when we travel.

Ever since mom and I went for looking for dinosaur bones, we had wanted to check out the arches in Rattlesnake Canyon. I met my mom, Dalton, and Carmen for the hike. This was the first time I had met Carmen, Dalton's friend. She is a great gal and fun to go hiking with.

This was also the first time my new Dodge Ram was taken off road. The road into Rattlesnak Canyon is an easy 4wd trip to the trailhead. We did manage to miss the turnoff and went all the way to Glade Park. The turnoff is just after you get to the top of the Colorado National Monument.

We hiked down and into canyon, then once you get around the bend you start to see the arches. Check out the pictures above.

Dave Cooper, author of Colorado Scrambles, wrote an article on Rattlesnake Canyon in the Denver Post. On the last arch, Cooper says you can scramble up to make it a loop instead of an out and back. No way. Check out the picture, would you free climb this slickrock? Not me. Not even Dalton who scrambles better than me.

After exploring for another way to get up on top, we decided to start the long hike back the way we came. Dalton tried to take a short cut just before the corner. It is a climbable scramble, but after failing a couple of times we convinced Dalton that the girls wouldn't make it even if he did. Check out Dalton in the last picture trying to make this climb.

Mom got tired hiking back up to the ridge, but she made it. It was another hot day in the western Colorado desert, but a lot of fun.

Long's Peak - Clark's Arrow

2007-09-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

I had three goals for this summer: Mount Elbert, Mount Evans, and Long's Peak. This then is the crown jewel of the summer, and as it turns out, for all time. Climbing Long's is a spiritual experience unparalleled. My general philosophy is that one should seek out new experiences and try different mountains, but Long's is such a unique mountain that I hope to return many times.

I got a bit of a late start arriving at the trailhead at 5:30 AM. Most books recommend leaving at 4 AM in order to get off the summit by noon. It turns out that Clark's Arrow route is shorter than the Keyhole route, so a 5:30 start is just fine.

I passed a few parties on the trail up the the junction where Keyhole and Clark split ways. Just before the junction I spotted a herd of elk just above tree line. Quite a scene and the start to a great day. The scramble up to the Loft was fun but not great. The climbing is not sustained and just not quite steep enough to be truly engaging. There is a ledge just before the final ascent which provides an escape route to the left. I've read that in some years there is snow and ice year round on the loft which would make it more challenging. On August 5, 2007 there was no snow, so an ascent straight up and to the right of the loft might have added the kick this section needed. Nevertheless, the views of the Ship's Prow from here are amazing.

Once on the saddle between Meeker and Longs I followed the white rock piles leading to Clark's Arrow. I wasn't confident about the weather so I decided a detour to Meeker's peak was unnecessary; I am not chasing the 13er list anyway.

When you get around the corner to the back side of Long's Peak the crux is near. The down climb here is challenging and fun. Once past the Notch Couloir you start to see climber's on the home stretch. The climbing here can be made more challenging if you desire.

The homestretch consists of two cracks loaded with people going up and down. My advice is to off route and bypass the crowd rather than waiting your turn. The summit has exhilarating views in all directions. I even met a guy who came up the Kliener's route (a route I hope to take one day with the guidance of the Colorado Mountain School.) One thing about the girls you see on peaks: most are quite shapely!

I decided to make a loop of it and take the Keyhole route down. Once I was back down off of the homestretch I got behind a couple who were descending very slowly. There isn't much room to pass without being rude, so I chilled and enjoyed the scenery. The trip across the narrows would be a bit nervewracking for someone not used to such exposure (see picture). At the top of the trough I seen my opening and bypassed the slow-pokes. The climb down the trough is somewhat loose, but otherwise uneventful. There were still people coming up and it was getting on to about 2 PM.

The trip along the NW ridge to the Keyhole provided more alpine experience as I didn't encounter any other climbers. Encountering the Keyhole for the first time is cool: it is quite a rock formation. From the Keyhole you descend the boulders to the boulder field, then it is simply a long hike back to truck.

On the way back I saw some ptarmigan (quite tame) and seen a middle aged woman who had sprained her ankle. Not good as she was still 5 miles from the trailhead. One last cool thing about the Long's Peak Trailhead: no charge to park here! Very nice.

Bierstadt to Evans - Sawtooth Scramble

2007-07-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Matt and I bagged two fourteeners and scrambled the Sawtooth ridge on Sunday July 15th, 2007. It was a great day and a great to spend time in the mountains with my son Matt. He has become quite a 17 year old mountaineer.

Getting to the Beirstadt trailhead at the top of Guanella pass, we were delayed for a short time by construction on the road. Once at the trailhead we noticed one thing: lots of people climb Beirstadt. I would guess it is top 5 along with Gray's.

Crossing the willows is no longer the adventure it used to be. The trail and planks now make it easy. The trail to the summit is uneventful, yet quite scenic. Close to the top is a snowfield to cross and a bit of Class 2 rock scrambling. This was the goal of most of our fellow climbers, but Matt and I were just getting started. After sharing a Busch NA, away we went!

The ridge between Bierstadt and Evans is called the Sawtooth. It is aptly named and recommended by Colorado Scrambles. The first half of the Sawtooth requires quite a bit of downclimbing. Although challenging, it is less fun for me than climbing up. Matt took the lead and did a great job of route finding. Just past the low point of the ridge the climbing gets more intense. Matt scrambled away and I lost him. As I climbed the steep rock I started to worry more and more. I have told him not to get separated, but you know teenagers. I met up with some other hikers with a dog, at this point they had to turn back because it was just too steep for Fido. Don't bring your dog on this route: humans have this advantage over dogs. It turned out Matt didn't get too far ahead and was waiting for me at the top of a nice pinnacle (not the one pictured.)

We were killing quite a bit of time, so Matt convinced me to leave the standard route which circles the last cliff to the left (NW). Instead we headed straight for Evans, circling to the right above Abyss Lake. Leaving the recommended route is something that experience has taught me is usually not a good idea. In this case the obstacles included some boulder hopping, loose rock and especially one snow couloir that was impassable without crampons and an ice axe. We decided to climb further down to go around the snow rather than risk it. Finally we decided to climb a gully which got us back into some fun scrambling. We again gained the ridge and met up with the trail to the top of Evans.

We were quite tired by now, yet trudged on to the summit of Evans. We started to hustle a bit because the clouds were rolling in and the day was aging.

On the descent from Evans we again deviated from Dave Cooper's route to Mount Spalding and instead headed straight down the creek. Following the creek is the only way to avoid the cliffs of the Sawtooth. The trail was steep and loose plus it started to hail pretty intensely. Luckily we were prepared with light coats which we donned. Once we climbed down the cliffs the weather cleared up and the day was beautiful again. The only problem was the two or three miles of swamp and willows to cross. There is a nice path through the willows so it wasn't too bad and we passed a nice waterfall. Matt and I talked about how we might hunt this valley and I tried to give him some pointers on how to hunt.

As we reached the Jeep it started to downpour again, so we were feeling relieved to be back. All in all it wasn't my favorite scramble and it was a very long day. We probably covered 10 miles.

Mount Elbert Scramble

2007-07-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

On July 4th, 2007 Matt and I climbed the tallest mountain in Colorado: Mount Elbert. While Mount Elbert is the tallest at 14,333 feet, it isn't the hardest mountain to climb. The normal route is only a Class 1 trail. We left Denver at 6 AM and arrived at the trail head at 9 AM. We got a bit of a late start, since normally you want to be off the top of peak in Colorado by noon to avoid thunderstorms and lightning.

Matt and I decided to make the trip a bit more interesting by following a variation of this route up the gully on some Class 3 rock. My focus is not to climb all the 14ers, rather I am interested in climbing all of the scrambles in Dave Cooper's Colorado Scrambles book. On the other hand it is surprising that it took me over forty years to bag this peak!

I must say this scramble was as much fun as some of the scrambles in Cooper's book (photo at left). The climbing isn't sustained, but is long enough to be as good as the Kelso Ridge on Torreys. Dave explains in his book that there are thousands of Class 3 climbs in Colorado's mountains and he couldn't include them all. He also purposely left some classic climbs out. While not quite a classic climb, I suspect he left this route out to protect it from the throngs of people who might want to bag the biggest and get in some scrambling. My advice is to always look for adventure and not to rely on documented trails all of the time (all while respecting nature).

The route to tree line is sustained elevation gain, with some steeper sections. At the start you follow the Colorado Trail, so I completed a small bit of that goal. About a half mile above tree line we left the main trail and headed for the small lake. I believe you could make the climbing above the lake as difficult as you want: easily 5+.

Above the cliffs is the false summit where we rejoined the trail. Matt was getting pretty tired at this point and he vowed to take a nap on the summit. Arriving at the summit we encountered a light crowd. The views of all the mountains surrounding Elbert is amazing.

The descent seemed very long. Matt smoked me on the way down, so I guess that nap was a good idea!

Flatiron Scramble

2007-07-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

Matt and I took a trip up to Boulder for a day of scrambling. Our goal was to climb Angel's Way which Gerry Roach's Flatiron Classics book describes as mostly F3 with a few F4 cruxes. F4 translates to a 5.0-5.2 climb, but we were going to see if we could make it over the cruxes without ropes.

We approached Angel's Way via the Skunk Canyon Trail as I understood from the book. I was glad we took this route for the adventure, but it is not the most direct approach to Angel's Way. Instead you should just go to NCAR and take that trail.

As it turns out the whole area around Angel's Way is blocked until July 31st for raptor nesting. So Matt and I decided to just head over to the Shanahan crags.

I was a bit disappointed because I thought I had thoroughly explored the Shanahans, but I was in for a pleasant surprise. Last year I had tried to climb the northern most Shanny, but it proved to difficult. This time we started farther north on the rock, just passed the Slab.

The scrambling on the second Shanahan is very similar to it's brother, but a little more intense. You can make it as hard as you want; well up to 5.1 I would say. The route is punctuated by a vertical cliff that looks climbable, but with ropes (see picture). Instead we traversed south for 100 yards and then back across polished rock to bypass the cliff. Matt went on up, but we weren't sure of a walk-off from the absolute top, so we decided to descend near the area of the cliff. We found an escape off the south side of the rock by passing under a chock stone (picture without people).

We then walked up and around this rock and found another piece of scrambling rock above the Shanahan. This proved to be fun easy scrambling to a nice summit. We planted a dead stump in the pothole at the top as our flag.

Walking off we found a very nice hidden cave on the south side of the Shanahan rock. It looks like a great place for a guy to bring his girl ;-)

We will be back in late August to attempt Angel's Way again. Stay tuned.

Elk Hunt 2006

2006-12-23T04:37:00.000-08:00

Camp Wells Gulch
For the first time in ten years I missed opening day of hunting season. Dave and I actually missed the first two days because we were at Lake Powell. I had not been to Powell in a few years so it was good to get down there and do a bit of fishing. It was a great time and very relaxing.

So my first hunting day was Monday and we hunted the radio towers. I went to Dalton's rock via the ridge trail, but seen no elk.

Tuesday we again hunted the radio towers and I went to second notch. Down in Well's Gulch I saw a cow elk and took a shot. I hiked down in the bottom but found no sign of her. I then hiked all the way around the gulch and back down to camp. This year we camped in Well's Gulch rather than on Peterson Mesa. That evening we took Steve's jeep up the road to the right that end at the bottom of Alkalai Basin. Dalton shot at a herd of elk crossing a meadow, but missed. We can't keep missing shots!

Wednesday we went back and hunted the meadow where Dalton shot. I went across the valley and up the far ridge. Dave hunted up the ridge to the left that defines Well's Gulch. Dalton watched the meadow all morning. I seen quite a few deer up on top in the thick pinions at the end of the Alkalai Basin road.

Thursday we got snow which should have helped the hunting a bunch. We took the ATVs up the Delta Airport road. Dalton and I hunted the top of Alkalai Basin, Dave took the bottom. We seen a big buck, but didn't shoot it because we had no tag. In the afternoon we went over to Bull&Brown and met some guys shot a couple of bulls up that trail. We tracked some cows but eventually lost their trail. On the way back my ATV ran out of gas. Dave had to push me all the way from the top down to the airport. Major bummer.

Friday we still had snow so we went back and hunted the far ridge at the Radio Towers. I saw mountain lion tracks which was cool, but no elk. No actual elk that is, there was plenty of elk track going every direction. I came very close to the herd according to Dave, who was spying from the main spot on the Radio Towers trail. Dalton again missed shots way low almost to the desert.

Saturday Dalton watched from our main spot on the Radio Towers trail. At 11 am Dalton spotted two cows in the lower park, but he missed. I hiked around and down in to see if I could spook them. My feet were really sore hiking back out.

Sunday I took the point at our spot, Steve took middle and Dave stayed on ridge. Dave shot a cow. I shot at a bull and missed. Pack out was fairly easy. I definitely need to practice shooting more and in different situations. There are a lot of elk in our area, but you need to make the most of the shots you get!

Next year I'm getting my bull.

Castlewood Canyon - 2nd Trip

2006-12-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

On our second trip to Castlewood Canyon we decided to tackle the 5.8 climb just as you reach the Grocery Store wall. This climb proved to be great fun. The start looks harder than it is. Then the crux is about 15 feet up. I used my knee to help mantle up to the first ledge.

The second half requires a bit of a left traverse. There are some nice hand holds that then lead to an under grab to get to the top.

We then climbed a crack that is down the trail to the left. This crack was an easy and not very interesting climb. Since we had taken the time to rope it up I climbed both cracks and then tried to straddle climb it.

Finally we went around the corner to the right. The rope slid into the crack and after a couple of times trying to rig it we gave up. Some of the eyelets on the top are missing so there isn't a good way to rig the rope.

Castlewood Canyon - Grocery Store Wall

2006-12-23T04:03:00.000-08:00

Sean and I decided to do some roped climbing in Castlewood Canyon. It was my first roped climb outdoors. After years of scrambling and over a year of gym climbing it was about time. We decided to go to the Grocery Store Wall and picked a couple of climbs to warm up with.

We had some trouble identifying the climbs, but picked what we thought was one of the easiest climb on the wall. I believe we climbed Peaches and Scream which is rated 5.6. You can check it out over at Mountain Project. It is listed as a trad climb, but you can top rope it.

It is fun easy climbing until the crux. About three quarters of the way up there is a slight overhang of rock that doesn't have an easy holds. It requires a bit of friction and a bit of faith for a couple of fourty-somethings who are not rock gymnasts. Basically you need to be comfortable with dynamic moves to get past this piece of rock.

We then went around the corner and practiced on the far side before the wall breaks up. The climbing was more my level here and we had fun. The rock is a bit jagged in places here and I nicked my brand new rope. Check out the picture and tell me if you would climb this rock.

I had a great day climbing roped for my first time! Thanks, Sean.

The Second FlatIron

2006-12-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

Sean and I decided to scramble the second flatiron of Boulder's famous FlatIrons. Matt and I had done it a couple of times this summer, but it is a fun climb so I was happy to return. To approach from Chautauqua Park simply follow the guide signs to the 3rd FlatIron. Before you reach the third, you will come to a sharp switchback with a rock face sloping to the sky. It is not marked, but this is the start of the 2nd flatiron.

One of the joys of the second is that you never take the same route twice. Sean says that it isn't much different than Third FlatIron climbing. The third just doesn't have an easy escape from the top.

I divide the climb into 3 sections. First is interesting scrambling on fairly steep rock. When this rock is wet it can be quite challenging and I would not recommend free climbing.

Second is the crux with a tricky move or two. As you get up a couple of hundred feet the hand holds get farther apart and some friction moves might be necessary.

Once you are past the hardest section, the climbing angle eases a bit, but you climb yourself to a point. You can take a flying leap from this point over the gap to the other side or you can down climb a bit and escape to the other side that way. From here the Pullman's car soars above you as scramble easily to the top.

The Keel

2006-12-23T03:48:00.000-08:00

In September I met up with a new climbing partner named Sean. He was searching online for FlatIrons and found this blog. None of his other buddies wanted to do any scrambling so we decided to hook up.

On our first outing we decided to try the Keel. The Keel is just to the south of the Shannahan crags. The scrambling here is easy, but the wayis n ot obvious and the rock is broken. It was fun but not the best scrambling in the FlatIrons.

We decided to proceed up to Bear Peak. From where we were it required a bit of bushwhacking. The peak was quite windy, but the view is great. Sean is a cool guy and knows his stuff when it comes to climbing, so here's to more adventures together.

Father Dyer Scramble

2006-09-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Matt and I took a trip to Summit County to climb Father Dyer Peak. The trailhead is 2.4 miles up Spruce Creek Road. Spruce Creek Road is 4.2 miles south of Breckenridge, Colorado. My camera batteries crapped out, so these photos were taken with my old cell phone.

The hike follows the Wheeler trail for about a half mile until you hit the Crystal Lakes 4WD Trail. Hike this road until you get to the cabin and lake. The scramble is now just in front of you.

This east ridge offers easy and fun scrambling all the way up. Matt took some of the more challenging climbs to the right of the ridge. This made me a bit nervous, but he had a great time. Check him out in this photo.

After eating lunch on top, we decided to descend to the left bowl rather than continue on to Crystal Peak (13,852 ft). We had much fun glissading down the snowfields in this valley! As we traversed back to the trail we decided to climb a coulior back to the ridge. This couloir had some nasty rotten rock that made for interesting scrambling.

As we returned to Crystal Lake, I found an arrow head. Quite unusual to see one above treeline. That native american must have been hunting mountain goats.

Just as we returned to the truck, the downpour started. There were quite a few people still going up the trail as we descended. I chuckled to myself thinking of them out there soaked in the rain.

The scramble is well worth the trip, but just a warning: the traffic is horrendous getting through Breckenridge and back to I-70. It took us over an hour to get back to the highway. Then of course I-70 is always busy on the weekends. Might be better to take 285 back to Denver.

North Arapahoe Peak to South Arapahoe Peak

2006-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

I should have gone with my friend Brian to the Mt. Harvard to Mt. Columbia traverse. It is a scramble that I am keen to complete. However I haven't spent enough time at home lately, so I decided to find something closer.

I decided to head back to the 4th of July Trailhead like my trip to Mt. Neva. This time I would head up the Arapahoe Glacier trail instead of Araphoe Pass. More specifically to do the scramble from North Arapahoe Peak to South Arapahoe Peak.

After a couple of switchbacks on this trail, it takes a long eastwardly stretch which had me worried that I would miss the point where I should head straight for North Arapahoe Peak. Stupid me, I left the Scrambles guide book in the damn truck. So I was unsure of my path. I decided to hike across the grassy slope and head straight for the peak. The grassy slope turned out to be not so easy. It was riddled with rocks and ruts unseen from a distance.

The final approach to North Arapahoe Peak can be made into a nice scramble if you try. Once at the top, look for the direction dial that points out all the peaks you can see from this lofty point. From here your path is clear, the ridge is quite obvious.

The first part of the ridge is easy hiking, route finding, and scrambling. The fun begins! Slowly as you progress the scrambling gets more focused. The crux of the entire ridge comes fairly soon. Check out this picture (notice the painted arrows.) You have to face climb this short section, but it looks a bit harder than it is.

The next crux is a downclimb that can be bypassed via the cairns, but what would be the fun in that? The guide says that some people rappel this section and I can see why, but I wouldn't. It did take me some time to route find my way down. Check it out in the second picture above.

The final piece worth mentioning is the start of the ascent of South Arapahoe Peak. Route finding here is aided by cairns, but they are hard to spot at times. The key is to cross the ridge into the next gulley fairly soon as you climb. Then you will come to a fun chock stone shown in this picture. Once around this it is an easy hike to the large cairn at the top of South Arapahoe.

I had promised Michelle I would be back home by 1 PM and I was seriously behind schedule at this point. It was about 11 AM. Can you make it back in two hours? No. At least I can't. I tried to pick up my pace on the return trip across the ridge which added an extra element to the fun.

As I approached North Arapahoe I was blindly following cairns thinking they were leading me around the peak. I lost the trail at some point because I soon found myself back in Class 3 territory descending the south face. There are many cliffs thru here so I tried to continue traversing east. It added some adventure to the end of the day for sure. There is a lot of loose rock here because nobody goes this way.

I finally made it to the steep grassy slopes and a quick descent to the trail. This scramble is very fun and highly recommended. Check out this picture of the entire ridge. It is not as intense as Mt. Neva, but still offers some fair exposure. Next up is a trip to Sections 24 and 25 on the Colorado Trail.

Colorado Trail Section 23

2006-07-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Ah, finally. Nick and I resumed our quest to complete the Colorado Trail with a trip to section 23 in the San Juan Mountains. We decided to make a big loop up Lost Trail Creek, across section 23, then back down the dirt road to the Lost Trail Campground and the Rio Grande Reservoir. I was imagining the ascent up the Lost Trail would find us pushing our bikes most of the way, but it turned out to be a nice ATV trail. There was lots of uphill for sure, but also gentle rolling in valley. The last push to the pass was the toughest. On the way I seen a nice four point buck.

When we got to the pass, we found no trace of the camp we had to abandon last October. Check out our epic here. Finally on the Colorado Trail, we enjoyed a nice bike ride down into the most isolated section on the entire C.T. If you don't mind a climb, I would recommend not taking the bike detour mentioned in the official guide.

The pass is guarded by an army of goblins. These crags are just begging to be climbed, so I decided to give one a scramble. The rock is a bit rotten so route finding is a slow go. Check out the arch crag I climbed.

After pushing our bikes the better part of three miles, we finally made it to the pass and our reward: the descent. It doesn't get better than this. A very fun downhill ride into a beautiful valley. I did wreck on a steep stretch covered in baby heads. When I landed I bent my first two fingers backwards, swelling my hand and making it hard to brake.

There are several stream crossings on this descent. I tried to cross every stream, but wrecked twice on the deeper crossings. Although secluded we did encounter many fishermen, a couple of motorcyclists, and plenty of hikers.

At the end of CT 23 we realized it was 10 miles back to rio grande reservoir and our camp. Nick had seriously under estimated the length of this section (Nick has this tendency. It's the reason Dalton doesn't go with us anymore!) The road starts out with a long uphill slog for first couple of miles, but then its mostly downhill and fun ride on a wide dirt road. Flying down the hill, I came upon a nicely banked corner. I thought I would whip around it, but fell again on the damn gravel. I lost a little hide on this one.

All together it was a thirty mile trek, but we weren't overly tired at the end. I must say this was a great day and a truly spectacular ride. Five sections to go!

Mt. Neva

2006-07-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I took a trip to the Indian Peaks Wilderness for a scramble up the north ridge to Mount Neva. Starting from the Buckingham Campground (also called the Fourth of July Trailhead) its a hike all the way up to Arapahoe Pass. However, I mistakenly took the diamond lake trail and it turned out to be a great move. Although the going got swampy after leaving the trail and heading for the ridge, I soon came upon a cabin and an old mine. The bushwacking was Class 2+ allowing as much rock scrambling as you want to add. I hit an impass at a fast moving creek that was at least 3 feet wide. After contemplating a wade, I decided to jump the creek since the water was moving fast. Bad move. I tweaked my back but good on the landing. In hind sight I should have removed my backpack before the hop.

In the cliff bands just below Lake Dorothy I happened upon a plane crash. Check out the picture... it looks to be a Cessna from the flaps. The scramble is fun up to Lake Dorothy and a good warm up for the ridge to come.

Finally on North Ridge, the first scramble continues your preparation for the Class 4 scramble above. The scramble on the North Ridge looks most daunting from the lake (see picture), but gets less intimidating the closer you get. Once on the crux it is pure fun. The downclimb immediately following the crux forces you to the left.

The main crux, downclimb and second crux constitute the highlight of the trip so enjoy it! The final scramble is anticlimatic, but if your adreneline is pumping it provides a gentle let down as you head for the summit. At least I felt confident enough to get in the picture :-)

I ran out of camera battery on top of Mt. Neva so no photos at the summit. I followed Dave Cooper's advice from his book Colorado Scramblesand found a descent that split two lakes below. This downclimb is a fun scramble over a vast boulder field.

The boulder field and snow fields continue on long trek back to Arapahoe Pass trail. I stayed high which led me to one more challenging downclimb over wet rock caused by melting snow. All in all this scramble tops both the Kelso Ridge on Torres and Father Dyer Peak. For me it ranks just below the scramble on the Crestone Peak for challenge and fun.

The Second Flatiron

2006-07-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Matt and I took a trip to the second flatiron. As our confidence grows, we have started scrambling on a few Class 4 rocks. We approached this flatiron from Chautauqua Park and like last time took the wrong trail initially. We took the West Side trail which cuts off most of the scramble.

We still managed to get in a couple hundred yards of climbing in a steady drizzle. By staying on the north west ridge you can escape to the north in many spots. It is a fun scramble and with fewer holds than El Camino Royale, it makes route finding a good mental drill.

After a second go at this ridge, Matt and I decided to find the true nadir of the face as Richard Rossiter describes in Rock Climbing the Flatirons. I didn't know the definition of nadir: the lowest point of anything. Well we found the nadir, but by then the drizzle had turned into full blown rain. Even the flatirons turn into slickrock in the rain. The other definition of nadir seemed appropriate in this case: an extreme state of adversity.

We decided to give it a try anyway, and started climbing. There were a couple of tricky spots and Matt's tennis shoes did not grip as well as my 5.10's. We made it up about half way on the climb called Freeway. There are no easy escape routes here, but Matt and I downclimbed a small gulley which ended in a nasty crack climb. Muddy and wet, we inched our way down to safer climbing. Quite fun.

With the rain steady on, we decided to not push our luck further and instead just hike on up to the Royal Arch. Matt climbed his west side under chimney again. Our climbing on the second was to the right and below the large block called the pullman car in this photo.

El Camino Royale

2006-07-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

The El Camino Royale climb is a scramble up the Regency Flatiron. This rock is located just below (east of) the Royal Arch in Boulder's Flatirons. Matt and I approached this flatiron from the Chautauqua Park trailhead, but a shorter approach would be from the NCAR trailhead as described in Gerry Roach's Flatiron classics. From NCAR take the Mesa Trail north until you see a trail that heads for the Regency.

This scramble is rated class 3, the holds are plentiful and the climbing is superb. We stayed on the northeast ridge on our first ascent as recommended by Gerry and there was never a time when I felt nervous. Matt is much faster going up than I am so he led the way. In contrast, I am a bit faster descending than Matt is.

Because we took the long way there, we didn't have a lot of time, because we wanted to spend some of Indepence Day with Michelle. So rather than a full second ascent Matt decided to see how far he could go in ten minutes. He made it an impressive 300 yards! But it made him very tired. I climbed a bit on the south east face. We met and descended a fun chimney as you can see in the picture.

Matt wanted to check out Royal Arch so we hiked up to the south of the Regency. We probably could have scrambled the royal road again and downclimbed to the west after seeing it from below. Matt climbed the class 3 east side of the Royal Arch and also climbed the chimney underneath the west side.

Rough Canyon

2006-07-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Another weekend in Grand Junction and another scramble up Little Park Road. This time Matt, Gracie and I went to Rough Canyon. The trail descends a gnarly old 4x4 trail and splits. Going left leads to rough canyon or right leads to the micah mines.

We hiked for a bit and found some nice boulders to try. Matt showed me how to get up the boulder in this picture. He had to transfer his hands a couple of times in the crack, smear quite a bit, and finally use his knees to conquer it.

The funnest place we found was a chimney climb. Chimneys are great because they give you that false sense of security that you can always use your muscles to avoid falls. As we climbed, of course some hikers had to happen by which added a nother worry to my mind: Gracie. She was a good dog and didn't bother them.

As we were descending the chimney, Matt stepped on a chock-stone and it gave way. It fell, but luckily Matt didn't. The descent seemed to worry Matt more than the ascent. For me it was the reverse.

The final fun spot was a small overhang that we found. Matt tried to climb it for awhile and couldn't quite get it. Then the old man had to show him how it's done. The key was foot placement, smearing, and good old fashion muscle. It made us even after he schooled me on that boulder.

Ribbon Trail

2006-07-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Michelle needed to go to Grand Junction to care for her mom and grandma, so the past two weekends I have been travelling from here to there. This hasn't stopped Matt and I from scrambling though.

I didn't have a guide book on good climbs in Grand Jct., so I just had to use my instincts and head for the crags up Little Park Road. They sure have done a lot of improvements since I was a kid growing up here.

The first spot I tried was the Ribbon Trail. This trail leads out onto some very large slick rock that would be fun to mountain bike on. Instead of following the trail, head west toward the cliffs probably 1,000 yards from the parking lot. All along this canyon are places to scramble. The rock is much softer than the Flatirons.

Check out the pictures. Does anyone know the names of these climbs?

Shannahan Crags & The Slab

2006-07-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

After the fun we had at the Harmon Cave, Matt and I couldn't wait to do more scrambling in the Flatirons. We researched the Flatiron Classics book by Gerry Roach and decided to try the Shannahan Crags. These crags provide over 600 feet of consistent scrambling.

How to get there: Don't park at the end of Hardscrabble Road as this book suggests, there is no longer public parking here. Instead continue past Hardscrabble and either park on Lehigh Street or Lafayette Drive. Take Broadway to Greenbriar. Greenbriar turns into Lehigh in Boulder.

Approach: Follow the South Shannahan Trail until it reaches the Mesa Trail. Make a right on the Mesa Trail for a couple hundred yards and turn left when you reach a nice park. If you follow this walk in the park you will avoid the steep canyons and scree and come out at the base of the crags. (We learned this the hard way, by going south on the Mesa Trail, then cutting up to the Sphinx. This forced a bush-whack over a steep canyon.)

The South Shannahan crag is a fun and exhilirating scramble. The small cliffs near the top are the crux, but aren't as hard as they look. The holds are fairly consistent and frequent. Lot's of fun.

The North Shannahan crag is a little more challenging. When Matt and I first approached it, we weren't sure it was it because of the difficulty. We continued on
to the Slab. We didn't know it was the Slab, but the climbing looked easier. Turns out the routes on the South end are rated 5.0. Matt went to the right on a route called Syzygy and I think I took Up and Left. A fall from here would be scary, but not fatal. The rock isn't too steep. We escaped from the top and took a long hike around the north end of the slab. The vegetation is thick on the front side of the slab and it took us a while to reach our staging area (and the water!)

Harmon's Cave

2006-06-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well my son Matt came to stay for the summer and we agreed to go for a scrambe at Harmon's Cave. Gerry Roach's Flatiron Classics book said there was a lot of good scrambling in this area with six different summits to climb. We brought Gracie along because she loves to hike and I figured she would be okay at the base with two of us there.

We approached the area via the NCAR trailhead. The hike from here isn't very far and Gerry's book described the take off point well: leave the Mesa Trail 100 feet south and uphill from its junction with the Bear Canyon Trail.

As we approached Harmon's Cave we found that the cave itself has an iron grate covering the entrance. Also they have closed off all climbing within 100 feet of the cave. We were disappointed, but still found plenty of scrambling without encroaching on nesting raptors.

Most of the climbs are less than 100 feet so you can try many different routes and Matt and I explored them well. The arch that Gerry said you can climb thru proved too small for me. Check it out in Matt's picture.

The scramble of note for the day is when we made our way to the highest summit of the six. To avoid the cave area we picked our way slowly on the ridge. The final pitch has some nice jug holds that make the ridge easy but exhilirating. On the way back to the trail we bushwacked a bit and had to cross a long expanse of scree. Not fun for Gracie!

Royal Arch

2006-06-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Another weekend and another chance to go hiking and scrambling in the Flatirons. This time I chose a trip to Royal Arch and a bit of scrambling in Fern Alley. I was hoping that the trail was not blocked off like on Mallory Cave. Luckily it wasn't, but much of the south side of the third flatiron is. Nesting raptors you see.

As you take the Royal Arch trail from Chautauqua Park it climbs to the west and there are some great views of the Flatirons. The route thru Bluebell Canyon leads to Sentinel pass. When I started to descend from the pass it made me a bit nervous wondering if I was on the right path. Luckily I was, so don't let the descent fool you. The final step ascent to Royal Arch involves many switchbacks and steep hiking.

The Royal Arch itself is not like those around Moab, but is cool nonetheless. Check out the picture. I did have great views of downtown Denver.

I hiked back down to the top of the switchbacks and left the trail in search of Fern Alley. I climbed up the north side of the fourth Flatiron, but I'm not sure I ever found it. I did a bit of boulder scrambling, crossed the top of the fourth, and then started back towards the trail. About halfway down I found a nice scrambling rock that had slings on some trees.

I donned my climbing shoes and gave it a go. It was the perfect challenge on the climb up and I had quite alot of fun. I climbed along the shelf at the top of the slab until I could not go any farther. This forced me to downclimb about half of the route. Luckily there was a nice crack, but it was still a nervous time. At the bottom I was relieved and very happy. Quite a fun day.

Mallory Cave

2006-06-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Gracie and I went for a hike to the Mallory Cave in the FlatIrons above Boulder. I also wanted to do a bit of scrambling. I found a great little book in the library called Flatiron Classics: A Guide to Easy Climbs and Trails in Boulder's Flatirons which describes many cool climbs that nobody knows about.

This was my first hike in the Flatirons and I must say I was very pleased with the area. It is a very beautiful and peaceful place so close to Denver. Once we got to the cave we found that the area is closed until October so as not to disturb the bats. I guess we will return in October! Here's a picture of Gracie trying to scramble... she whined so I had to help.

With the first goal unattainable, Gracie and I headed on up the trail to look for a nice rock to scramble on. At the top I found a nice rock and slipped on my climbing shoes. Check out the photo. I was scrambling up a section that was at the edge of my comfort zone, when a couple of hikers approached our area. Gracie was not on a leash and was starting to whine because she couldn't see me. I couldn't move down the rock quickly, so I had to scramble up instead, swing from a small tree into a crevice so I could get down and collect Gracie before the hikers approached. Quite a n adventure.

mtn101-10

2006-05-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

mtn101-10
Originally uploaded by dlymanjr.

A cool photo of my climb on Dragon's Tail.

Dragon's Tail Couloir

2006-05-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

After thinking about it all winter, I finally met my goal of learning the fundamentals of mountaineering. I took a class from Colorado Mountain School titled Mountaineering 101. My instructor was Ed, and my classmates were Al, Mark, and Pete.

On Saturday we hiked up above Bear Lake in Rocky National Park to a nice snow hill to practice and learn. The notes here are just memory aids for me. It is my pathetic attempt to to recall the instruction given. Likely I forgot over half of what I was taught, and didn't understand the rest. Please take a real course from Ed if you want to do this kind of thing for real. Oh yeah, and feel free to set me straight in the comments section!

For steep snow, use the cross over step. Standing sideways to the hill, step up by crossing one foot over the other. This position is off balanced. Then step up with your other foot. This position is balanced. In the balance position, you move and plant your ice axe.

Your other option is the duck walk. By pointing your toes out as you climb you relieve the pressure on your calves. This is the main goal of both of these techniques.

If you find yourself losing your footing and start to slide down hill, here are the techniques for stopping.

Sliding on back, feet first: put the ice axe pick in the snow by your shoulder, your other hand at base (don't choke up). Roll over and put your weight on the axe. If you have crampons on, use your knees to aid the slowdown. If no crampons use your toes as brakes, raising your hips.

Sliding on back, head first: plant pick by hip and flip your legs around.

Sliding on stomach, head first: plant pick by your shoulder and you will flip around into the proper position.

For roped travel we used the short roping technique. The person on the end will use a figure 8 follow to connect to the rope. All people in the middle use a simple overhand knot loop an arm span apart. The lead climber also uses a figure 8 knot to connect.

Sunday we climbed one of the top snow climbs in Colorado. The Dragon's Tail Couloir is mostly class 3 terrain, with short sections of class 4 snow. At least on April 30th it was.

We seen other climbers demonstrating unsafe behavior. There were skiers who were not roped at all. We seen rope teams with too much rope between them. We decided to get away from these climbers to avoid being flossed of the mountain.

Where the climb got really steep we encountered some very sloppy loose snow. It was quite a rush to make it through this section.

Because the slope was steep at the top, our guide Ed decided to anchored us using a picket. After reaching the picket the second climber has to collect it as fast as he can. Ed's advice: "no fiddle fucking around." Gather it and attach it to you somewhere above your knees quickly.

As we reached the top of flattop mountain, there were some skiers and snowboarders waiting to descend. Those folks are extreme to go down that snow.

As we descended we found a nice spot to do some glissading. The slide was good but not great since the snow was a bit sticky in the early afternoon.

We then had lunch as we reached tree line. The hike back to the parking lot gave me a chance to reflect on the climb. It was quite an exhilirating experience! In the parking lot it felt cool having tourists watch "the mountaineers" come in.

Cop Stop

2006-04-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

The strange thing about the last five antlers I've found: the were all from the left side. Weird.

Anyway, on the way home I got stopped on 285 near Shawnee doing 10 over. The trooper was very nice and was going to let me off with a warning when Nick started asking too many questions. He almost talked me into a ticket. Luckily, we explained that Nick was from the Ukraine and then the trooper was cool.

He did ask me about the human bone that I had strapped to my backpack. In truth it was just an elk bone that I was bringing to my dog Gracie. I can't imagine what was going thru his mind!

Shed Hunting

2006-04-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

Nick and I were itching to get out and take a hike. Although we have done a little this winter, it was not enough to quench the thirst. We decided to take our chances that there were a few antlers left in the woods for us to find. We headed off to the Lost Creek Wilderness area for the day.

We were heartened that we were on good grounds because we actually spooked a herd of elk soon after we started hiking. We followed their tracks for the better part of the morning, but didn't find any antlers.

Along about noon we decided to stop for lunch. One of the simple pleasures in life is a cup of Nick's hot sweet tea. Luda also made us a nice apple cake for dessert.

We decided to mosey on back toward the truck when I found my first horn! It was a spike antler lying in the mud next to a creek. Soon after Nick found a nice 3-pt on a grassy hill side. I couldn't let him out-do me, so I was glad to find a small rag horn in the woods. Not a bad haul for a Sunday!

All of the antlers we found were over a year old, so we were thinking that maybe the elk had not shed for this year yet. Hard to believe, but it was the only answer that would give us an excuse to go out again next week ;-)

Atlanta History Museum

2006-04-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

I spent my last day in Georgia at the Atlanta History Museum. This museum recalls the civil war, folk art, and the history of the Masters. It also has two great displays of traditional southern houses. The first was a two story upper middle-class farming house. The second was the Swan mansion. I highly recommend a trip here to see how the better half lived in the 1920's.

I also took a trip to the Oakland Cemetery to check out some old headstones. This cemetery has some famous people as well as a whole section of civil war heroes.

Chattahoochee River

2006-04-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

Friday I took a hike along the Chattahoochee River. I would say the river is a bit bigger than the Colorado River at Moab. It was good to see flyfishermen and rafters enjoying the river. I found a nice spot along the riverbank to just relax and reflect.

As I continued my hike, I decided to stick with the riverbank instead of following the norman trail. This lead to a very interesting section with some nice cliffs to scramble. If you are in the mood to use your hands along with your feet, I would recommend this section.

I finished up the hike by kicking back on a tree growing at a slant. Viewing the full moon thru the tree branches was eerily beautiful.

I also spent some time Friday at the Atlanta Natural History Museum. While it is a nice museum, it doesn't compare to Denver's.

Blood Mountain

2006-04-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Thursday brought a unique opportunity for me to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail. Having no familiarity with Georgia, I wasn't sure which section of the trail to tackle. The start of the trail would be logical, but driving there held a risk of getting lost. There are also sections that promise waterfalls, but I picked Blood Mountain since it is the highest point of the AT in Georgia. My peak baggin' bias at work.

Although the trees have not fully bloomed, the Blood Mountain Wilderness is still beautiful. The rolling hills are obviously different than the rugged Rockies, but cool in there own right.

The trail itself has been thoughtfully constructed to provide a very interesting climb. This trail to me feels exactly like a trail should. Growing up in Western Colorado I was used to vaguely defined trails and a lot of bushwacking. In contrast, the eastern part of the Colorado Trail and many 14er trails seem too wide and too well defined. The AT is a perfect balance of these extremes.

The trail itself has some nice sections that are Class 2 climbs. The bottom section crosses a couple of creeks and is heavily wooded. As you ascend the views become more frequent, culminating in the shelter at the top. You can do a bit of bouldering at the summit, so bring your gear.

Book Freak

2006-04-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Wednesday signalled the start of Michelle's conference and thus a chance for me start doing the stuff she has less interest in. Whereas Denver has a shining beacon for book lovers in the Tattered Cover, I found no equivalent in Atlanta. Instead I found many smaller yet very unique book stores to explore.

The used book stores in the Virginia Highlands area offer a eclectic selection and I found a few gems, but my favorite is the A Capella bookstore in Little Five Points. I made an awesome find in a 1923 book titled "Mountain Climbing". It is now proudly displayed in my cubicle.

Before Michelle went off to her conference at the Georgia Dome, we took the Coca-Cola tour. The history of Coke is an important American success story and the tour makes it fun. At the end you get all the Coke product you can drink. Michelle fell in love with the Apple Soda from China and the Birch Beer. I liked the Italian appertif that has a strong aftertaste similar to tonic water.

Stone Mountain

2006-04-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, so if its your first time in Georgia it is obligatory to visit the largest attraction in the area: Stone Mountain. Well for a Colorado kid this thing isn't a mountain; what it looks like is a giant rock dropped into the middle of the forest.

We took the gondola to the top and the view is awesome. Trees for miles. The trail from the bottom looks like it would be a great mountain bike ride if there wasn't hundreds of tourists on it.

The paddle boat ride on the local lake was very relaxing. We ended the day with a laser light show shot against the rock wall. The laser show displayed a great tribute to the South and to America.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention the three Southern generals carved into the side. Quite impressive, but not as big as Mount Rushmore.

Piedmont Park

2006-04-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I spent a week in Atlanta, Georgia. She was attending Juanita Bynum's conference and I went along just for fun. When in a new town, I've found a good way to get a feel for it is to go for a run. In Atlanta I recommend a jog through Piedmont Park. The dogwood lined lakes makes for a great introduction to the nature in the area. Don't miss the old train track below the Park Drive bridge (see photo).

We stayed at a great bed and breakfast called the GasLight Inn. It is located about a mile from the park which gives you a chance to run through some nice Georgia neighborhoods as well. The inn is located in the trendy Virginia Highlands area which also offers great shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.

Our first day we had a nice lunch in the park, then did the tourist thing by visiting Atlanta Underground. We wound up at Neighbor's bar for Karaoke. Michelle did "Crazy" and I did "Brain Stew".

Train To Climb

2006-03-25T05:14:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned a while back, my goal was to complete more technical mountaineering climbs this year. I have focused my goal now to completing the climbs in Colorado Scrambles. The goal for this year will be to complete 5 of these.

So I am prepping for this goal in two ways. In April I will be taking the Mountaineering 101 course from CMS. I plan to follow that with a Trekking class from CMC followed by Mountaineering next winter with CMC.

This post however is about climbing skills. I recently started climbing at Rockn and Jamn with my co-worker Kathy. After 4 weeks in the gym, I decided it was time to focus my training a bit. I remembered listening to the PodClimber Podcast titled Training with Calvin. Here is my adaptation of his training schedule:

Endurance
Pick a lower level, do 30-40 moves in 10 minutes. My goal is to do this 5 times a night, twice a week on the same route.

Power Endurance
One hard, one moderate, one extra hard. On the wall, no rest. 15-40 moves, 2-3 minutes on wall. Done the route before. Rest 2-3 minutes. 2-3 times, then a longer rest.

Fartleks for Climbers
Pick a route one level lower than your max. I'm currently a 5.8 climber, so 5.7 would be my goal. Start the route quickly with some energy, then go easy in the middle, then finish hard. Finish the route in 2-3 minutes, then rest the same amount of time.

Power at End
Pick a hard, but doable problem of 5-10 moves. Traverse into this hard part after 15-20 moves. Do this 2-3 times, then take a longer break.

Hard Red Point
Pick a difficult route to climb. If unsuccessful, go back to bottom, maybe a 5 minute rest then learn it as you climb. Do this 2-3 times.

Power
Warm up on moderate boulder. Pick your 5 hardest problems in bouldering, write them down, and try to beat record next time at gym
Add on move, partner does 2-3 moves, then you add one, they add one (2-4 times)
Hand strength: do weighted hangs from hardest hold
System board: 5-10 moves, slowly, hang a moment between holds
Arm&Back: moderate hold, pull up and lock off for 5 seconds before moving up: one handed traverse
Core body: powerful stemming. Find a small hold in corner, press with legs to hang on. For ab strength do slide outs on an exercise ball. Finish with nice long endurance cool down.

Salt Lake City

2006-03-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

"I never killed anyone who didn't need killing." -- Porter Rockwell

I took SouthWest Airlines $49 deal to Salt Lake City to visit my brother and his family. Friday night we had a great dinner in a little hole in the wall named after Porter Rockwell.

Saturday we took a hike around the Timpanogos Cave National Monument. The caves were closed for the winter, but we had fun exploring the beautiful valley. We also went to the local rec center and hit the climbing wall. Beka is a natural on the rock. Kari, Dusty, and I also climbed.

I also stepped foot inside my first Cabela's store. It is quite impressive with the outdoor scenes and live aquariums. The Pro Bass Store in Denver holds its own against this store though. Can't wait for our Cabela's to open, or better yet to visit the flagship Cabela's in Sidney, Nebraska.

Antler or "Shed" Hunting

2006-02-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law James turned me onto a fun and potentially profitable activity called shed hunting. Deer and elk shed their antlers each year in late winter to early spring. If you go and find these sheds, you can either add them to yard decoration or sell them on eBay. My grandmother was fond of this activity way back in the 1970's and she had an antler tree like in this picture. These days you have to be careful leaving antlers in your yard because stray dogs or theiving humans will make them disappear.

But let's talk about how and where you should look for antlers. My research has turned up the following information.

When:

White tails: January to April
Mule deer typically shed their antlers midwinter, in January and February. Most elk shed their antlers in February and March. However, some animals of both species may retain their antlers into April.

Where:
Elk tend to stay on south-facing slopes and near elk feed grounds areas in the winter until their food sources free up of snow. Out west, in mule deer and elk country, identify meadows and parks at lower elevations where those species winter.

Check ridgetops and edges for trails and bedding areas. Check all trails, even lesser-used ones.

mature white tail bucks spend the majority of their time in areas one-half mile in circumference

Search on travel routes. These transition areas that deer move from one site to another. Think about the most likely event when a loose antler will become unattached. Swift head movements occur more often during travel. The places we check first are where trails intersect streams and heavy brush, any situation that a buck would encounter causing him to jump.

One guy says most sheds are found at feeding areas. Another says about 70% of the sheds are found in bedding areas. Who is right?

Calcium hungry animals will devour antlers, so use this to your advantage and train your dog!

My Other Blog

2006-02-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

I think I will restrict my posts here to climbing, hiking and biking. All other interests of mine will now be posted on my other blog: Don Jr.. Check it out!

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El Camino Royale July 2011

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Flatiron Fun 2010

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Castle and Conundrum

Rainbow Falls ATV

Spring Mountaineering Wish List

Riding Rampart Range

Stones River Greenway Trail of Nashville

Mount Falcon Trail Run

Quandary Peak - North Ridge

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Crestone Traverse

The Lost Ring of Hammerhead Part 2

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Parry Peak Descent

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Waikiki 2009

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Mountaineering Goals 2009

Spring To Do List

Ski Powderhorn - Ski Loveland

Der Freischutz Scramble

Flatirons - Angel's Way

Hunt 2008

Flatirons - Mohling Arete

Kokopelli Trail: Day 4 - Bitter Creek to Loma

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Kokopelli Trail: Day 3 - Dewey Bridge to Bitter Creek

Kokopelli Trail - Day 2: Bull Draw to Dewey

Kokopelli Trail - Day 1: Moab to Bull Draw

Harvard and Columbia Traverse

Mount Princeton

Mount Sherman Glissade

Mount Oxford and Mount Belford

Apex Mountain Bike Ride

La Plata - Ellingwood Ridge

El Camino Royale and Royal Arch Climb

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Mount Geneva to Mount Santa Fe Traverse

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Holy Cross Bike Ride

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Ice Climbing

Atlantic Peak

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Hunt 2007 - Best of 3

Hunt 2007, Part 1 of 3

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Dalton Invades Las Vegas

Mount Audubon and Paiute Peak

Rattlesnake Canyon

Long's Peak - Clark's Arrow

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Mount Elbert Scramble

Flatiron Scramble

Elk Hunt 2006

Castlewood Canyon - 2nd Trip

Castlewood Canyon - Grocery Store Wall

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Father Dyer Scramble

North Arapahoe Peak to South Arapahoe Peak

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THE LAST DAY OF BIKING
by Don Lyman