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Andy0689

Knife Edge Summit

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Still haven't gotten back up into the air with my feet off the ground but managed to get out for a good climb Friday-Saturday. The climb itself wasn't as much work as the approach but it did have a bad ass final 40 meters to the summit. The mountain is Eldorado Peak in North Cascades National Park, WA. It was a fun lead.

Anyone else climbing any this summer?
Andy
I'll believe it when I see it on YouTube!

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Yikes!

Re: photo Is that rock or snow that you're climbing up?



It's all snow right now. I've seen some pics from last year and the summit is very rocky. We've had a heavy snow year in WA and it just doesn't want to melt.

Altitude is just over 8800'. Not enough to really burn your lungs but the legs take the brunt of it. As brutal as the approach was, going down was pure torture. I climbed a 10.2k' peak in Oregon in early July that was nothing compared to the hike in on this one.
Andy
I'll believe it when I see it on YouTube!

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We did Maroon Peak (Aspen, 14,156) July 3rd, and it was a snow climb all the way up the southeast couloir to within I think 700 feet of the summit, made for a very long day (11.5 hours roundtrip with only about 20 minutes on the summit for fear of the regular afternoon storms here - also the reason we skipped the trek over to North Maroon).

Two weeks ago we went the 6 or so miles out to Capitol Peak, but an 11PM arrival at base and a morning earache caused us to leave it - though we didn't expect to need crampons or axe, we would have been in bad shape without them it turns out, so it's probably for the better. The hike up along Capitol Creek Valley is worth the trip itself.

Also did both Grays and Torreys (14,278/14,275) yesterday. Kelso Ridge route up has quite a fun knife edge, that area's rock faces were all scraped up from previous climbers' crampons, but it's finally Summer here so we didn't need those or an axe. I did, however, need to remember to put sunscreen on the back of my legs since this was the first "shorts" climb this season, and did not.

I took Jan Meyer up Mt. Evans (14,265) when she stayed for a few days visit after the BOD meeting in Denver a few weeks ago also, if that counts as a "summit," considering you can drive up to within a few hundred feet of it. :D She thought it was, considering where she came up from anyway.

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And the most painful of it all, as Andy mentioned for himself, was going down Maroon Peak in the snow. Absolutely exhausting, retracing our crampon steps in reverse until we could turn around and step down-forward or glacade (though when I attempted to turn and test-step at one point after it wasn't quite so steep, I got a ride on the snow that collapsed under me for almost 200 yards).
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I took Jan Meyer up Mt. Evans (14,265) when she stayed for a few days visit after the BOD meeting in Denver a few weeks ago also, if that counts as a "summit," considering you can drive up to within a few hundred feet of it. :D She thought it was, considering where she came up from anyway.

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I think the only way I'd be able to climb to 14,000 ft. would be to drive most of the way up too.....How'd the vehicle do at that altitude ?......B|







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Life is short ... jump often.

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I think the only way I'd be able to climb to 14,000 ft. would be to drive most of the way up too.....How'd the vehicle do at that altitude ?......B|.



My Xterra did great...but so did the little rental RV and 30 or so other cars there - the road is paved (though quite rough) all the way up, I think it's the highest paved road in North America. You do feel the power and pick-up difference, even at speeds under 30mph. The road is very warped and crumbly too. I've lived in Breckenridge (from Birmingham, AL) for the last 3.5 years, so I've already grown accustomed to life at 10,000ft. Still Maroon kicked my ass!
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We did Maroon Peak (Aspen, 14,156) July 3rd, and it was a snow climb all the way up the southeast couloir to within I think 700 feet of the summit, made for a very long day (11.5 hours roundtrip with only about 20 minutes on the summit for fear of the regular afternoon storms here - also the reason we skipped the trek over to North Maroon).

Two weeks ago we went the 6 or so miles out to Capitol Peak, but an 11PM arrival at base and a morning earache caused us to leave it - though we didn't expect to need crampons or axe, we would have been in bad shape without them it turns out, so it's probably for the better. The hike up along Capitol Creek Valley is worth the trip itself.

Also did both Grays and Torreys (14,278/14,275) yesterday. Kelso Ridge route up has quite a fun knife edge, that area's rock faces were all scraped up from previous climbers' crampons, but it's finally Summer here so we didn't need those or an axe. I did, however, need to remember to put sunscreen on the back of my legs since this was the first "shorts" climb this season, and did not.

I took Jan Meyer up Mt. Evans (14,265) when she stayed for a few days visit after the BOD meeting in Denver a few weeks ago also, if that counts as a "summit," considering you can drive up to within a few hundred feet of it. :D She thought it was, considering where she came up from anyway.



I remember being hypoxic on Mt. Evans 20 years ago when I was 29 :S - thx for the memory.

Climbed at 8000 ft peak in Kosovo in January 2009; that's the last time I've been on anything remotely vertical. However, I anticipate some mountains in my future soon B|

mh
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"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

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Still haven't gotten back up into the air with my feet off the ground but managed to get out for a good climb Friday-Saturday. The climb itself wasn't as much work as the approach but it did have a bad ass final 40 meters to the summit. The mountain is Eldorado Peak in North Cascades National Park, WA. It was a fun lead.

Anyone else climbing any this summer?



Nice pic quite a few ridge line walks like that B| quite exhilarating isn't it:)

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And the most painful of it all, as Andy mentioned for himself, was going down Maroon Peak in the snow. Absolutely exhausting, retracing our crampon steps in reverse until we could turn around and step down-forward or glacade (though when I attempted to turn and test-step at one point after it wasn't quite so steep, I got a ride on the snow that collapsed under me for almost 200 yards).



Nice pic's you putting your crampons on the last one :D:D

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Nice pic's you putting your crampons on the last one :D:D



That's actually Dan Watson. Notice the contrast in that pic with the Maroon Creek Valley in the background and the one with Capitol and Snowmass in back, which is just over the Maroon Peaks ridgeline. I like crampons - they always mean you're doing something fun, and some small part of me likes to pretend I'm badass Gene Simmons when I have them on. B|

And great video, Andy!
Roll Tide Roll

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I remember being hypoxic on Mt. Evans 20 years ago when I was 29 :S - thx for the memory.



I cycled from Idaho Springs to Mt Evans twice last year, and twice the year before. The first time, I made the mistake of spending about an hour at the summit chatting with other cyclists. By the time I got down to Echo Lake, I was feeling like hell. Ever since then, I just immediately turn around and descend; No loitering at the top.
"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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Nice pic's you putting your crampons on the last one :D:D



That's actually Dan Watson. Notice the contrast in that pic with the Maroon Creek Valley in the background and the one with Capitol and Snowmass in back, which is just over the Maroon Peaks ridgeline. I like crampons - they always mean you're doing something fun, and some small part of me likes to pretend I'm badass Gene Simmons when I have them on. B|

nice video mate looks like you had fun and well good weather always helps :)
And great video, Andy!


Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun


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...Ever since then, I just immediately turn around and descend; No loitering at the top.



We usually stay however long just depending on how we feel, and how exhausted muscles are from the degree of difficulty of the climb up, but this season it's been a bit of a rush to get back down to avoid the seemingly everyday afternoon storms (though your ride would still be different/probably harder than the climbs, and I haven't done nearly as much biking this Summer as in Summers past). Different people are definitely affected in different ways depending on body type, and I am rarely the same as what I meet on the climbs - I'm 6'1/2" weigh about 220# and 16% body fat, and I have to keep up on potassium (carrot juice) or I'm cramping, in addition to a little extra salt for all the water I'm drinking.
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We usually stay however long just depending on how we feel, and how exhausted muscles are from the degree of difficulty of the climb up, but this season it's been a bit of a rush to get back down to avoid the seemingly everyday afternoon storms...



Oh, yeah; I leave Idaho Springs at the crack of dawn to summit and get back down to Echo Lake before the rain, and my record is still 50% for getting rained on. I always take a bike with fenders, and full rain gear.
"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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I hate biking in the rain, especially on pavement. I usually won't do it if there's even a chance. I biked out Boreas Pass Road to the pass from Breckenridge one beautiful day my first Summer (three years ago), and turned around to realize I had no choice but to head back into a wall of blackness. It's all downhill, and I was still having to stand on the pedal to move, while enduring hail and small rocks blowing off the ground, and there was nowhere to shelter.
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...Ever since then, I just immediately turn around and descend; No loitering at the top.



We usually stay however long just depending on how we feel, and how exhausted muscles are from the degree of difficulty of the climb up, but this season it's been a bit of a rush to get back down to avoid the seemingly everyday afternoon storms (though your ride would still be different/probably harder than the climbs, and I haven't done nearly as much biking this Summer as in Summers past). Different people are definitely affected in different ways depending on body type, and I am rarely the same as what I meet on the climbs - I'm 6'1/2" weigh about 220# and 16% body fat, and I have to keep up on potassium (carrot juice) or I'm cramping, in addition to a little extra salt for all the water I'm drinking.


well i am a 5' 7" shorty and never suffered cramps or anything like that only Knee problems (old age:D
)coming down hill. Done 12-24 hour hill walks navigating in the dark before in decent weather. Had my share of horizontal wet stuff as well :D. Not the fittest person to look at but what i do have is stamina and the ability to shutdown and just do what needs doing.

our last hill 2 weeks earlier mountain rescue had to airlift a guy off we already new it was a one way up 2 way down walk why this local decided to fall and break a leg on the rock side is beyond me only a 2,2k hill and was fun as we had done the opposite one ages ago. they are both not far fro ma larger training hill i use to keep my fitness up :)
this was the last hill i took some one up Ben Venue

My friend on the way up
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/5498994264/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/5519504886/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/5518886687/

its partner across the way Ben A an

A friend
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/2509228087/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/2509261357/

Loch Katrine from top
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9483441@N07/2509263445/

Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun


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