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…)
We made another trip into our favorite Colorado wilderness area- the Weminuche, more specifically, Leviathan Lake.
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...
A peakbagging and trailrunning day trip to some 13ers above Cotton Lake in the Sangres
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.
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...
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...
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...
A trailrun up to Rito Alto Lake followed by a hike up the ridge to Rito Alto Peak.
Looking northwest from the summit. The Crestones on the left, Humboldt to the right, Milwaukee and Pico Asilado are below in the foreground. Click to enlarge. It’s been a little while since we made a trip to the Sangre de Cristos. More than two years ago, when Christy was making a push to finish skiing all the 14ers, we headed down to this range for seven weekends in a row,...
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
