Up To 14K Feet

[This was early June] From the Denver airport, and after visiting my daughter, I drove west on the interstate to Georgetown. There I checked into its Super8 motel, ate and went to recon the winding but excellent 12-mike fresh-paved road up to the trailhead to Mt Bierstadt, atop Guanella Pass.

I found the unlabelled trailhead at an unlabelled parking lot right after a sign indicating the top of the pass (at about 10K feet up, as expected). The unlabelled trail started left of the outhouse on the parking lot. Upon walking a hundred feet into the trail, I found a trail sign (which said 7 miles, as expected) and a Mt Evans Wilderness designation sign, and I was ready for the next day's excellent adventure... I identified and could see my 14K quest.

- © 2012 by Willy

14-er and Wedding

Yes, I climbed my first Colorado fourteener, and the daughter got married, a couple of weeks ago.

 

The wedding went just fine, but there was a funny... we started the wedding without her mother. I walked daughter up to the altar and was in the pew before she noticed... then we had to stop and get on a cell to the cousin in charge of the pick up and found out that the ex just wasn't ready: she stood up the wedding. I'm glad I'm not married.

Of course, 14-er Mt Bierstadt was the easiest one so as to not risk drama to the daughter's wedding. Up 3300-climb-feet in 4 miles in 3 1/2 hours, then back down slow with a couple of interesting geezers in 4. In these 8 hours, I drank 2 quarts of water and ate lunch at the top (which was cold and windy), but it was a walk in the park. I even took crampons (which I did not need), but not the ice axe the daughter wanted me to carry (which would have been ridiculous). I'm glad I'm trained.

Life (ALL of it) is about training and conditioning. Next I do a hard climb, like Long's Peak, 6K ft in 7 miles and technical. I'm trained for it... life, solitude and Long's. I like what I am.

She made a lovely bride, and had a great party.

- © 2012 by Willy