Posts Tagged ‘Winter’

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Mountaineering – Mt. Elbert (14,439 ft)

Saturday, January 17th, 2015

Winter Camping Gear Schmear
Gear Schmear, for Winter Mountaineering trip up Mt. Elbert

Approaching 11,000 ft on Mt. Elbert
At 11,000 ft and almost to our camping spot. Enjoying the bluebird day.

Mt. Elbert and Bill
Bill, the CMC Trip Leader. He’s taking a breather before we reach camp. Elbert stands tall behind him.

Silly Summit Shot on Mt. Elbert
Flying High on the summit of Mt. Elbert!

I wanted to try winter camping and I hadn’t yet climbed Mt. Elbert. So, why not join Bill’s CMC trip which would combine both elements? Bill is leading a trip to attempt Aconcagua later this year, so this trip was a warm up and test of sorts for his participants. Lucky for me, there was a last minute cancellation on his trip, which opened up a space for me, AND my friend, Helen, needed a partner for her tent. It was almost like I was meant to be on the trip, all along!

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Ice Climbing – Hidden Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park

Sunday, January 11th, 2015

Alpenglow from Hidden Falls
Alpenglow in RMNP

Clare Ice Climbing at Hidden Falls
Ice Climbing at Hidden Falls

I volunteered to be an assistant instructor with the Boulder CMC Ice Climbing class. We took a trip up to Rocky Mountain National Park and hiked into the Hidden Falls area.

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Rock Climbing – First Flatironette in Winter

Sunday, February 16th, 2014

The Flatirons In Winter

At 7:30am, Jen swung by and I hopped in her white VW (Golf?). Like Speedracer, she maneuvered her little German car expertly on the highway. In 40 minutes we were at Chautauqua parking lot staring at the Flatirons. What was the climbing going to be like? Would we be successful?

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Mountaineering – Atlantic Peak (13,941 ft)

Sunday, January 19th, 2014

Climbergirl and Nerdysheep on West Ridge of Atlantic
Rather than loafing around all day, watching the Bronco’s play the Patriots, Erin and I decided to go climb a mountain.

I stole Dennis’ Bronco shirt as a token of our support. My plan was to wear it on the summit!

Erin Enjoying Exposure on Atlantic West Ridge
In order to get there, we would need to climb 2900 feet of gain with a total trip distance of 5.4 miles, negotiating snow drifts, potential avalanche spots, and cornices.

The question is; would we conquer the mountain without succumbing to Old Man Winter?

Mayflower Gulch Basin
Pacific Peak Bathed in Early Morning Sun and the long, mellow angled ridge of Atlantic, in the foreground. Mt. Fletcher is off to the right, connected to Atlantic by a foreboding snaggle-toothed ridge!

I had my eyes set on the west ridge of Atlantic ever since reading about it in Mr. Cooper’s Colorado Snow Climbs book. Having been into the Mayflower Gulch on a prior attempt of Mt. Fletcher, I was familiar with the area; one of convenience and beauty!

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