08-27-2017

This group of +14000ft mountains required a little bit more work than usual. After driving for seven hours we took the train (narrow gauge) for a little while until a drop off at Needleton. Then we hiked…

These mountains (mostly Sunlight & Windom) are more technical and have more exposure than your regular 14er but are so much fun 🙂

• Climbed North Eolus and Mt Eolus on Saturday 26th
• Climbed Sumlight Peak and Windom Mnt on Sunday 27th before hiking the 13 miles back to the Purgatory trailhead. We failed 1.5 miles  before the TH and setup camp for one more night in the wild…

There was a fox near North Eolus playing / fighting with a marmot. The marmot ended up scaring the hell out of that fox 🙂
I also have quite a few shots of a mountain goat at the very summit of Mount Eolus.

Overall a great & long weekend of backpacking / climbing to bring my total number of 14ers to 54. Four to go…

08-19-2017

Since I was in the neighborhood after climbing El Diente Peak and Mt Wilson I thought I’d try Mt Sneffels…

Soon after the start at the Yankee Boy Basin…

Passed the saddle. First view of the gully…

Getting crowded here. Only Class 3 pitch of this 14er…

Summit view:

Summit view:

Parking lot on the way back. Mostly Jeeps 🙂

Road on the way back. Carved into the mountain.

August has been crazy busy. Trying to finish all the Colorado 14ers I have left.

So far this summer; Wilson Peak, North Maroon Bell, El Diente Peak, Wilson Mountain, Mt Sneffels, N Eolus, Eolus Mountain, Sunlight Peak and Windom Mountain.

I’ve climbed / hiked 54 Colorado 14ers out of 58. Getting there…

Late afternoon arrival following the Dolores River. View of El Diente in the distance:

Class 3 only. Final approach through a gully:

Summit view of El Diente:

Traverse from El Diente to Mt Wilson. A few Class 4 along the way. It was a long long way…

From a gully about 200ft below Mt Wilson:

Mt Wilson summit view:

Hiked / climbed North Maroon Peak last Sunday. A bit foggy but great climb.

Photo selection with comments. My shoes are awful for technical climbing I must say so I need to fix that problem before the next one.

Above: View of Pyramid Peak

Above: Maroon Lake / Crater Lake at sunrise

Climbing up the second gully…

Rest of the climb; big mess…

Summit view

View of Maroon Peak

On my way back. View of the trail up the first green gully.

View back at Maroon Lake. North Maroon Peak is the one in front / center.

Climb of Wilson Peak from Navajo Basin Trailhead.

16 miles total and 5,000 feet elevation gain.
Here’s a visit of our beautiful Colorado. It‘s been an exceptional year in terms of snow pack and summer hiking still feels like Springs. The West Dolores river up to Navajo Lake is roaring. The weather was not particularly friendly but I managed to climb one 14000+ feet peak out of three. I guess I’ll have to come back…