I remember a family vacation in the early 70s (we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area) where we visited Colorado. We had one of those Viewmaster slide show gadgets, and while in Colorado Springs our parents bought us a reel with the highlights of Colorado. I can still see the Mt. Elbert slide in my mind's eye - the Highest Mountain in Colorado. Yesterday, Turner and I stood at the top of that mountain, not only the highest in the state, but the highest in the Rocky Mountain Range of North America.
Joining us on the hike were Arch Rutherford, a fellow board member at Chafer Theological Seminary, Ray Loupenay, and Vincent, a foreign exchange student from Germany. Sunday night was rainy, and there was more rain in the forecast for the next day, September 2nd. We shared a hotel room in Leadville, and wondered if we would be hiking. The day dawned clear, and so we drove to the south trailhead and began our ascent at around 7 AM. The first thousand feet or so climbed up through an aspen and spruce forest, and went by pretty quickly, but when we broke out above treeline at 11,800 feet or so we immediately noticed the wind. It was a knockover kind of wind, with gusts blasting at 50 miles an hour and more, which made the ascent less than pleasant. It just wasn't going to be one of those easy days.
Turner's hands were going numb, and he said later that when he put his hands in his armpits, his armpits went numb also. I thought the hike was going to be not so bad, but when we got to about the 13,800 foot level I started to get pretty queasy every time I exerted myself, which was every step or so. That meant it was a gut check every time I stopped. But... I kept telling myself that I really didn't want to come back and do it again, and that kept me going. Turner made it to the summit about a minute before I did, and I was feeling kind of emotional about making it, because it was just that tough. We hung around long enough to take pictures, and began the descent.
All in all, it was a preview of what's to come on some of the higher and tougher climbs ahead. I reminded myself of how important it will be to get in better condition this winter. The fine summer days of driving and climbing to easy high points seemed a long time ago.
Joining us on the hike were Arch Rutherford, a fellow board member at Chafer Theological Seminary, Ray Loupenay, and Vincent, a foreign exchange student from Germany. Sunday night was rainy, and there was more rain in the forecast for the next day, September 2nd. We shared a hotel room in Leadville, and wondered if we would be hiking. The day dawned clear, and so we drove to the south trailhead and began our ascent at around 7 AM. The first thousand feet or so climbed up through an aspen and spruce forest, and went by pretty quickly, but when we broke out above treeline at 11,800 feet or so we immediately noticed the wind. It was a knockover kind of wind, with gusts blasting at 50 miles an hour and more, which made the ascent less than pleasant. It just wasn't going to be one of those easy days.
Turner's hands were going numb, and he said later that when he put his hands in his armpits, his armpits went numb also. I thought the hike was going to be not so bad, but when we got to about the 13,800 foot level I started to get pretty queasy every time I exerted myself, which was every step or so. That meant it was a gut check every time I stopped. But... I kept telling myself that I really didn't want to come back and do it again, and that kept me going. Turner made it to the summit about a minute before I did, and I was feeling kind of emotional about making it, because it was just that tough. We hung around long enough to take pictures, and began the descent.
All in all, it was a preview of what's to come on some of the higher and tougher climbs ahead. I reminded myself of how important it will be to get in better condition this winter. The fine summer days of driving and climbing to easy high points seemed a long time ago.
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