First, I have to acknowledge the date. Twelve years ago, I was a survivor of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Eighty-five of my colleagues and co-workers did not survive the attacks. Twelve years later this day still has an emotional power so personal and unpredictable that I do not know what to expect. So, today I send my prayers and thoughts to those who lost family and friends on that day and in the aftermath of the attacks and recovery efforts. Blogging about my high points quest seems like a perfect activity today since it occupies my mind in a positive and engrossing pursuit, and because it was this life threatening experience that motivated me to retire early and pursue a dream to be in the mountains.
I find it difficult to blog in real time, as I travel and reach the high points. So, now that I have finished a western/mid-western swig it's time to catch up.
I left Boulder, CO by car on August 13, 2013 headed to the high points of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. This was a spontaneous "plan" triggered by my old college friend Ted Bieber who noted how quickly I could reach each of these States because there is approximately a five hour drive time between each of them. I must diverge for a moment to note that I was in Colorado to hike and climb with Ted and another good friend, Paul Puhr, our host and resident of Boulder, CO. I had joined these two after a spectacular backpacking trip in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to the Enchantments. My partners there were David West, Fritz Hartley, and Dave McGraw. Because my blog is about high points, I will not go into detail about the trips, I must however share a few photos to show the beauty. They were spectacular trips, the lessons learned and increased fitness achieved during these journeys made it feasible to summit Granite Peak on the last day of August.
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| This is NOT Kansas, it's the Aasgard Pass, "gateway" to the Enchantments... 2,200 feet in one mile, with a pack, ouch! |
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| The Aasgard Pass beside the "Dragon's Tail" from Colchuck Lake |
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| Dave McGraw on Stuart Lake, before our approach hike to the Enchantments |
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| Paul Puhr and Ted Bieber below Pacific Peak scree field |
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| From the summit of Pacific Peak |
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| Pacific Peak, note the line on the right side of the peak between the notch, do we have a story to share! |
Okay, now about Kansas.....The original "plan" was to "bag" Kansas and Nebraska on the same day, but the country is larger and more beguiling than I had anticipated. I was stunned by the wild sunflowers and the long trains, the farm fields and cattle, the wind mills and rustic barns. I had to stop to take pictures every few minutes.
The hardest part of the Kansas high point, Mt Sunflower, was finding it and then finding my way back to town. It's less than half a mile from the border of Colorado, in Wallace County Kansas. Access is via a dirt road on to private property owned by Mike and Rae Marie Jones. They encourage visitors and there is a picnic table on the site. I reached it at about 4:00 pm on August 13, 2013, signed the summit register and sat down at the table for a picnic of cheese, salami and peach. There was no one anywhere to be seen. The sun was intense and I was happy that the Jones had built an enclosure with a roof to shelter from the sun.
There was no hike involved, but the drive was wonderful....Again, I will let the pictures speak for themselves. One note, I got lost on the country roads after leaving and had to turn around several times to avoid low water crossings that were not possible in my tiny rental car. I was happily lost, as it provided an unexpected tour of the back roads and beauty of rural Kansas at sunset. I reached a Holiday Inn Express just at dark and abandoned the idea of bagging Kansas and Nebraska in the same day.
The area surrounding Mt Sunflower is a suitable introduction to the vast area of the high plains. The elevation increases gradually from eastern to western Kansas, rising 3,300 feet from the low point of the State to it's high point at Mt Sunflower.
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| Proof of my presence on Mt Sunflower |
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