Colorful Colorado, Mt Elbert 14,440 Feet

This trip to Colorado was outstanding and it marked a different, more mature approach to my mountaineering trips.  Thanks to our crew Greg Frux, Matt Powell, Matt Burd, and David Reitz, all experienced mountaineers, I learned new tricks, acclimatized in a systematic way and tackled more mountains in a short period of time than I had before.  In total, I reached the summit of 11 peaks over 10,000 feet between June 22 and July 1, 2013.

This was a particularly sweet victory since I had attempted Mt. Elbert with my friend Jim Freddo last fall and had to abort because of foul weather.

Jim Freddo with Nicholas, his son

The point on Elbert just short of it's ridge that Jim and I reached in September 2012 before turning around

This trip was undertaken to support Greg Frux as he opened an exhibit of his Shawangunks etchings and mountain paintings at the American Mountaineering Center's  library and museum.  The plans for which mountains to climb were discussed after we concluded our activities in Golden, Colorado and switched houses to a larger place in Dillion, CO.  Greg's exhibit was quite exciting and a big success.  It will hang in the museum for the summer of 2013

Greg Frux 

The area surrounding Golden was beautiful and inviting, nice people, tasty food, great day hikes and the Sherpa House right across the street from our rental house. I took some time there, with Greg and Janet Morgan, as well as on my own to walk and take in the beauty of the North and South Tabletop Mountain Areas.

Greg, Janet and I hiked a top of North Table Top Mountain

Our group began the transition to the big mountains in Eldorado Canyon, where we found some spectacular rock climbing.  We just spent the day playing on the rock.

Following, our day in Eldorado Canyon, our final team member, Matt Powell arrived.  The next morning we departed for Dillion, but first stopped to bushwack our way up Mt Trelease 12,477.

Then a "rest day" up to Mt Shiktau 13,234 from the Loveland Pass.

Then we tackled Quandary Peak, where our party split up.  Greg and I climbed the East Ridge.  Powell, Burd and David climbed the West Ridge and ended up rescuing a group of young hikers with their leaders:  From Matt Powells Trip Report:

The group split into two parties, with Greg and Mark attempting the Class 1 East Ridge route and Matt B, David and I setting off to climb the Class 3 West Ridge.  We agreed that the team reaching the summit first would wait for the remaining party, and then all of us would descend the East Ridge together.

Matt B, David and I were greeted by some exceedingly friendly (and apparently hungry) mountain goats at the West Ridge trailhead, and as can be seen from the photos we were concerned that we would return to a car with four hubs but no tires.

The three of us headed up into a gorgeous alpine valley and we noticed a group of seven or so folks well ahead of us.  As we reached the end of the valley, we were presented with two possible routes to the crest of the West Ridge.  The other party had taken the left hand side of the headwall and we decided the right hand side looked more feasible.

About halfway up the headwall the two routes converged and we met the other party.  It was a group of five teenagers being led by two twenty-something counselors.  It was immediately obvious that this team was under-equipped and did not have the skills to be on this route.  Unfortunately we had already reached a point where it would be difficult (if not dangerous) for them to descend the route they had just climbed, so the three of us decided to guide them for the remainder of the ascent.

We were at a point where a steep snowfield led to the ridge, and the snow was still too firm to kick steps, so it was necessary for me to chop steps using my ice axe.  It was exhausting work at over 13,000 feet but everyone made it safely to the ridge crest.

According to several guide book sources, the ridge is never more difficult than class 3, but there were a couple of places where snow conditions forced us onto more difficult terrain.  I was quite concerned at one point where the only safe passage was a low-fifth-class descent to a saddle between two rock towers.  Fortunately, the counselors had only permitted teenagers with prior rock climbing experience to join the group for this route, and we were able to guide them safely through this section.

We finally made it to the summit, where Greg and Mark had been waiting for nearly 2 ½ hours.   Our views included Mt. Trelease and Mt. Sniktau, as well as Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross, two more fourteeners that were on our itinerary for Wednesday.

We took a real rest day on June 25th followed the next by a climb of Mt Democrat 14,154, and then a traverse of the ridge resulting in summits on Mt Cameron 14,238, Mt Lincoln 14,285 and Mt. Bross 14,172. This was one of the most beautiful days of our trip! 

David Reitz and me on the summit of Mt. Democrat

Looking back at Democrat on traverse between Lincoln and Bross

Mt Democrat

After summiting Trelease, Sniktau, Quandary, Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross we were all feeling fit and acclimated.  For our last objective as a team we chose Grays and Torreys Peaks.  Again we chose two routes splitting our team again with one team doing the traditional route, Greg and I.  The other team did the Kelso Ridge.  Greg and I got off route and ended up summiting Torreys first, seconds before the other team came up Torreys Kelso Ridge to the top.  So we proceeded together to finish the climb on Grays Peak.

Summit Torreys Peak

Grays on left Torreys right

Torreys Peak

Grays Peak looking up on the descent

The valley at the end/beginning of the trail to Grays and Torreys

Thus ended the adventures of our full team with our successful summits of Grays 14,270 and Torreys 14,267.  We celebrated, Matt Burg and David Reitz departed.  The next day Greg, Matt Powell and I bagged another 10,000 foot peak outside of Frisco, Royal Mountain 10,502 feet and had our last celebratory meal together.  Greg and I then departed for Leadville scouting out our routes for the next day.  For me it was the high point of Colorado and the second highest peak in the contiguous 48 states, Mt Elbert 14,440.  For Greg it was Mosquito Peak and two others in that range.

Base camp in Leadville

We woke at 4;15 am at our "base camp" in the Delaware Hotel.  Greg was on his way before 5:30 am. I reached my trailhead at just past 6:15 am and was on my way shortly after.  Greg's climb was a success, finishing by 4:00 pm he added three new 10,000+ peaks to his list, surpassing 80 I believe.  I also successfully summited Mt. Elbert, reaching the top just after 12:00 pm and returning to the car before 5:00 pm.  I took the South Trail from the lower parking area, navigating nearly 12 miles and 4,900 vertical feet to the top.  It was five hours round trip from the spot on the ridge where Jim Freddo and I had been turned around by a storm last September.  This time I reached the top on a solo effort.  Finding three men from Arkansas on the summit who took my picture, exchanged well wishes and a prayer.  I coud not help thinking about my mother who was born and raised in Fort Smith Arkansas and my father who met and married my mother there on his way to Korea after a brief stop at Camp Chaffee.  I was a little closer to heaven up there, maybe they could "see me"?

Colorado Columbine

Summit of Mt Elbert, 14,440