With Stu down to 10 peaks left, Grays was next on the list. We decided to hit it on Saturday the 28th and it turned out to be another stellar day in the mountains. Ryan decided to join us, his first climb since getting HAPE on Aconcagua and stabbed in Mendoza, it was great to have him along and in good health. On top of that I decided to try and get a ski descent despite some avy concerns. Read more…
Okay after Monday Stu is down to 11 peaks remaining with 9 weeks of time before his permanent relocation. Since 6 of the 11 are located in the Sawatch, we decided to tick off another “easy” climb while these snow conditions persist: Mt. Yale. We decided to attack from the Avalanche Gulch side as the avy danger seemed to favor a wind-blown ridge, although turns out SarahT, Ken Nolan, and friends summited via the standard route the day before. I‘ve been on the lookout for my first 14er summit ski descent since December, and it turned out my disappointment would continue as we wound up making the last minute decision not to carry skis. Attempting the north-facing aspect of Silver Creek Bowl just didn’t seem prudent given the time of year and avy situation. I‘ll get one eventually though! Keep reading…
Well with only 13 peaks left on his list, Stu has the rest of them planned out to be completed by the end of May, after which he will be leaving Colorado for good (I feel very sorry for him but he‘s gotta do what he‘s gotta do). I‘ve committed to see his goal to finish them all through with him, as he was there for me when I was hell bent on the same feat. Keep reading…
Well here we go . . . I‘m not even really sure where to start with this one. When we returned from South America two Sundays ago and I was driving home from DIA with my wife in the passenger seat, I remember thinking, “this will likely be the wildest story with my name it that I will ever tell.” From a myriad of logistical problems getting to the mountain, to losing my only partner two days into our climb, to joining a Brazilian expedition and then a rescue operation at 20,000‘, to being mugged in the streets of Mendoza and spending five days in a third-world hospital, to sitting and having coffee with a two time K2 summiter and veteran Himalayan guide, this one certainly had enough to write a short book about. Keep reading…