We wanted to go climb a mountain this past weekend, and we were unsure of where to go. We were looking for something that was tall, nearby, and was a summit we hadn’t yet climbed. It was actually kind of hard to find a mountain that fit that description.
Any finish at the Hardrock 100 should be considered a great achievement. There are so many ways to come up short on the burly course that anyone who makes it all the way back to Silverton deserves to be commended.
I like my number. “Dewalt Tough” is in regard to John Dewalt, a race veteran who recently passed away. It’s Hardrock 100 time again. It’s hard to believe, but this year will be my 7th go at this race. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago that I was here for the first time. Back in 2007 I made my first trip around this incredible course. I returned...
On the descent from Spread Eagle Peak, looking south towards the heart of the Sangre de Cristos We left town for the holiday weekend and made our way down to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for a little backpacking and peakbagging. The destination was a place known as Lake of the Clouds, and the goal was to climb two nearby 13ers, Cloud Peak and Spread Eagle Peak. (more…)
When you look at the chart it’s probably not surprising that things started to change around Mile 23, near the top of the second big climb. You might think after a half a dozen times at the same race that things would get easier. Sure, it helps to have some familiarity with the course and to be clued in to what lies ahead, but even with that and years of...
The course was 33 miles or so this year, starting and finishing to the right on the map and loosely following the course in a counter-clockwise direction. It climbed more than 7,000 vertical feet before it was done. Click to enlarge. Another summer, another calendar full of running races. When we registered for the Golden Gate Dirty 30 back in February we knew it would be a long shot to...
The view from the summit of Mount Adams. Click for enlarged view. As far as Colorado ski mountaineering is concerned, I’ve always considered the 3rd week in May to be my favorite stretch of time. The random weather that tends to sweep through the state earlier in the season usually gives way to a dry and sunny summer pattern. That in turn allows for cold clear nights and a reliable...
Technincally speaking, the mountain’s official name is Unnamed 13828. Lying directly north of the 14er Mount Lindsey, and at the head of Huerfano Creek, some refer to this Sangre de Cristo summit as Huerfano Peak.
Mount Adams rises above the town of Crestone, in a region of the Sangre de Cristos that contain some of the most impressive mountains in the state. Many climbers and peak baggers are familiar with the local 14ers— the Crestones and Kit Carson— but if you’re heading to the area with skiing in mind, Mount Adams should be at the top of your list.
Moving east from Half Peak we went to Creede and Phoenix Peak 13,895 ft. Though it may not seem like an exciting mountain when viewed from the small town it stands over, we skied a fun, steep line on the it’s east side which impressed us all.
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
