Peakbagging

The Mount Elbert Run

Jun 20, 2013

Christy and I went to Twin Lakes to run Mount Elbert last weekend, a favorite outing of ours and a pretty novel running experience considering it’s the tallest mountain in the state.

On the South Ridge of Lakes Peak. As exciting as it can be to see the weather change and a new season arrive, it’s not always easy to let the old one go. Rather than accept it might be time to move on to different sports and activities more appropriate for the conditions, we stubbornly insist on trying to get in one more ski, run, or climb. (more…)

Leviathan

Aug 16, 2012

We made another trip into our favorite Colorado wilderness area- the Weminuche, more specifically, Leviathan Lake.

Coxcomb Peak

Jul 5, 2012

On the airy spine of Coxcomb. I guess the 3rd time is the charm. Back in 2006, despite a weather forecast for steady rain, Christy and I made the drive to Middle Cimarron Creek in the North San Juans, and backpacked high in the valley below Coxcomb Peak. We had long known of this uniquely shaped mountain near the Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn peaks, and had it on our list to...

Cotton Lake and Sangre Summits

Jun 13, 2012

A peakbagging and trailrunning day trip to some 13ers above Cotton Lake in the Sangres

The Ellingwood Ridge

Oct 4, 2011

Ellingwood’s solo effort in late August day in 1921, the first reported ascent of the ridge that now bears his name, was way ahead of its time. Last weekend, Christy, Dirk and I followed in his footsteps, and despite the passing of ninety years, it seemed as though not much has changed.

Peakbagging

Aug 20, 2011

Approaching the cairn atop Organ. It’s not always about the challenge of the peak. We climbed Organ Mountain this past weekend, which at 13,801 feet, is the 106th tallest peak in Colorado. We chose Organ not because Christy and I are now setting out to climb all the top 200 Colorado summits (or Bicentennials), we were just looking for a new place to go, and to come up with ideas...

Len Shoemaker Ridge to Pyramid Traverse

Aug 10, 2011

The massive ridge. With the start labeled, we first climbed south to Len Shoemaker Peak and then followed the ridge as it swung north, all the way to Pyramid. Click to enlarge. Totally psyched and somewhat surprised to have actually pulled it off, Neal Beidleman and I sat on Pyramid’s narrow summit in the afternoon sun and processed it all. It wasn’t that we thought it couldn’t be done. Through...

Peak C

Jul 28, 2011

Christy and Dirk in the Southwest Couloir of Peak C. Christy, Dirk and I had a great trip to the Gores recently, and tagged the summit of Peak C, 13,220 ft., described as “the gem of the Gore Range” according to Dave Cooper’s Colorado Scrambles guide. It was an interesting peak and well worth climbing, and I once again wondered why it is that there are so many distinct and...