Peaks #54 and #55 Longs and Snowmass – June 3 and 5, 2016.
Snowmass summit with Maroon Bells in the distance.
Keeping the momentum rolling and taking advantage of early June with excellent coverage, I tackled Longs on Friday June 3, and Snowmass on Sunday June 5th with great company.
Dropping into the Homestretch on Longs (Scott Benge Photo)
On Longs we skied Keplingers from the Homestretch right off the Summit, and then on Sunday, I climbed to the top with a fun team, utilizing a camp below Snowmass Lake in the basin near the log Jam. We climbed the famous Snowmass and enjoyed a classic line off the tip top and down to the lake for a spectacular tour of the Elk Range.
Heading to Keplingers on Longs.
On Wednesday as I descended into the woods and out on the trail in Wild Basin, it occurred to me: regardless of what happens on Capitol or Snowmass, I had done it, I had climbed and skied the original 54 list of 14ers, and I had done it in less than one year!
Summit of Longs.
Starting June 4, 2015 and wrapping up with Longs Peak on June 3, 2016. I was able to complete the original and widely accepted ski list of 54 starting with Capitol Peak on June 4, 2015, and finishing with Longs Peak on June 3, 2016, done in less than one year. Dav’s Record is still on the table at 362 Days and I was able to hang in at 364 days. He and I are the only two people reported to have skied all the 14ers in less than a calendar year. To push the record out It’s gonna come down to trying for Capitol still. In my opinion, the conditions are probably not safe, its too warm – but I know for a fact the coverage on the ski line is good from what I saw on Sunday from the top of Snowmass. Regardless of what I decide to do moving forward, this project has been amazing, and I have accomplished a lot. I reached one of my goals- and that was to finish skiing the 14ers. Prior to last year I had skied about 45 of the 14ers, so it was awesome to be able to go back to all the peaks again, and of course add some new ones that I had not skied just yet. Regardless its been a heck of a ride!
Peaks #35 and #36 completed, and finished with two-thirds of the project, 18 peaks to go!
Getting ready to drop into the Dead Dog on Torreys.
I took advantage of a spectacular weather window on Monday and doubled up on Grays and Torreys to get to an important milestone. Here is a quick video of my ski descent of the spectacular Dead Dog Couloir on Torrey’s peak, which was my 16th peak of April! Full trip reports will be updated on the “Sking 14ers” drop down menu as soon as time allows.
A personal note of self-assessment since I am 2/3 of the way completed with this project:
I personally feel any kind of timed, speed record may indeed amplify the mountaineering risks tenfold. However, my record attempt is very calculated and also isn’t really a ‘speed’ record of any sort. After all, I am just climbing up and skiing down peaks, and not trying to go fast like it’s a race. I simply go out and ski the peaks at my own pace and Yes I am attempting to do something nobody has ever done before, and that is ski the 14ers in one single season. However, as I have gone through this project, careful assessment of the mountain ranges has actually allowed me to look for the best conditions. (I have spread out across the state from time to time, skiing peaks that are in condition while also carefully scouting ones I need to ski still, AND on top of that I also carefully plan and go when I know there is good weather). Fortunately for me, turning around hasn’t really ever needed to be a major option yet because I plan carefully, and start early enough and know what I am capable of.
Looking back at the Dead Dog after skiing it top to bottom on Torreys.
But, needless to say I have had to turn around a few times, and have been able to use that information to my advantage to let the mountain decide, and to get some great scouting of a peak in. This is something I have done on many of my expeditions to 8000m peaks in years past. At the end of the day I am doing this project because I am passionate about ski mountaineering here in Colorado, not because I am concerned with what others think or want out of this agenda I have set. As it turns out, no matter what you try to accomplish in life, people feel the need to criticize and belittle. Good for them. I welcome both encouragers and discouragers. At the end of the day I LOVE pushing myself in the mountains. I’ve enjoyed the challenge, the solitude, some amazing ski partners, and at the core I simply set goals and I go after them. I am grateful for everyone who has been following along, supporting me, or even joining me on this adventure. I even love to hear about people that think this is a ridiculous idea. I’m really just having fun. As I enter into the homestretch of this adventure into May and Early June, I am already taking it to the next level. I hope that many will join me, push me, and support me, and for that I am excited. I have left another final piece of this project which gives me a lot of confidence, I am going into the final 6 weeks or so ready to ski most of these final 18 peaks that I have already climbed and skied in the past multiple times, and so this gives me a lot of confidence that I can give it my best and get the job done, conditions and weather just need to cooperate now. Yes- there are some pretty hard ones left, but May also historically holds the finest and safest conditions on these tough ones, so I am excited to get them rolling.
Holy Cross Summit 14,005′ Peak #34 of 2016.
Looking forward to continuing the journey – thanks for following along!
Summit of Lincoln, 14,286′ highest in the 10 Mile / Mosquito and 8th highest summit in Colorado.
Start at 8am, Bross at 1030am, Lincoln at 11, Cameron at 1215, Democrat at 145pm. Finish 230pm. This was about the 4th or 5th time I’ve skied all of these peaks, so it was pretty straightforward.
Always in charge and getting ready to charge down Democrat, Peak #28.
The snow was great on Democrat and ok on the others. All in all a fun day with only a few wind bursts, and I got to relax on each summit for at least 30 minutes each on my Solo Day.
Democrat from the southeast – I would ski the fun southeast ‘Democratic Donkey’ couloir.
On Thursday I skied four more 14ers, bringing my total to 28 and reaching the halfway point of the ski the 14ers project. The ‘Decalibron loop’ dubbed by most people, is in the 10-Mile/ Mosquito Range. I called in the ‘Broslincamdem’ loop because that is the order I skied the peaks in for the day.
With these four peaks I was also able to complete this range and move even further towards the overall goal to ski every Colorado 14er in the same season.
Bross, 14,172′
Here are a few photos and I will get posts up on the ‘ski the 14ers menu bar for each peak as soon as time allows. The skiing off of Democrat was good while Bross was in less than favorable conditions and Lincoln was pretty nice off the top.
The line off Cameron was fun after dropping over from Lincoln and Bross.
Wow, this week since last Saturday I skied eight 14ers, so it’s tough to catch up on the writing and posting of photos right now!
Timer photo on top of Democrat.
Let’s keep it going: A small storm system comes through over the weekend I will resume the adventure next week!
Belford (left) and Missouri to the right up the basin.
I left my house around 4am to head down south and get a good jump on Missouri, Belford and Oxford on Friday. The forecast was for light winds and sunny skies so I knew that a little effort could mean getting three peaks in a day. As I drove up the dirt road to the Missouri gulch trailhead I was pleasantly surprised at how much the road to the trailhead had melted out. In January I had come up the same road by way of snowmobile to access Huron. I didn’t expect to drive through some frozen sections of snow and then dirt road and reach the summer trailhead. Wow!
It was going to save me some excellent time to be able to start from the normal trailhead.
In early morning light around 530am I got moving skinning quickly up the switchbacks and into Missouri gulch. A nice snowshoe track from folks a few days earlier allowed me to reach timberline in the basin below Belford, heading towards Missouri in a quick hour and a half. The occasional gust greeted me, and I was soon skinning up the basin and into the throes of the northeast aspect of Missouri and above 13,000’ in the sunshine. A short break to put sunscreen on and then I put my skis on my pack and booted up to the north ridge.
On the ridge at 13,800. The north face seen here.
When I got to the ridgeline, I had nothing but about a mile of short ups and downs on a fun and windblown ridge. The sun was nice and warm, and the snow was firm, so I enjoy my stroll to the south and the views were impressive.
looking back at my steps I had to kick in order to make it towards the summit.
Near the summit there are a series of sharp points on the ridge, in the summer the trail passes to the west of them. The snow was firm enough to kick steps in the steep sideways incline, so I pushed across a short 150 yard section and was up on the summit by 1015am.
Summit 14,067′
The north face couloir drops almost directly off the summit and into the elkhead basin below. After a ski cut or two, the powder conditions felt perfect, so I pulled out my camera and filmed part of my descent.
When I got to the bottom, I took an angle to the southeast and began my ascent of Belford In order to head towards Oxford.
I would be able to put together a reasonable line directly down the west face coming straight down towards me later in the day off Belford.
The top of Belford was very windblown and dry. I was hoping to find a line off its west aspects later on in the day, but for the moment I bypassed the summit to the south and got my first glimpse of Oxford.
Looking over to Oxford, I was able to ski the windblown ridgeline to put together a line off the top.
Oxford looked bad, but I did see a long line of snow from the top down to the saddle of the ridge, so I knew if I could climb up to Oxford, I would be able to ski back towards Belford and get it done.
The winds began to pick up ever so slightly, but I made good time across the long flat ridge to Oxford’s summit. Looking south Harvard and Columbia Looked very dry.
Barely enough snow to ski off the top of Oxford.
We need more snow! Fortunately I already skied Harvard in Better conditions, but the southern Sawatch peaks that I have remaining definitely concern me.
Looking back to Oxford’s summit and my ski tracks.
After a short rest and some food and drink, I clicked in and skied the ridge back to the saddle towards Belford. I basically went from two of the best skiing peaks of the entire project (Castle and Missouri), to the worst peaks with conditions yet (Belford and Oxford). Honestly, I just wanted to go home at this point. It was a long day, and I did enjoy it a great deal.
The south ridge leading toward Belford was so dry. Fortunately the west face had just enough snow to ski down.
Then I arrived on Belford’s summit and was greeted by a Russian woman named Natalie who had climbed Missouri and had come back across the valley to bag Belford. We both agreed that the ski descent of Missouri was excellent and thought we could probably piece together a reasonable line on Belford’s west side.
Natalie dropping down the west face with Missouri as a nice backdrop.
We skied past some small towers and made the most of some great turns in the warm afternoon sun.
Looking back up Belford while skiing the west face aspects.
Then the fun part was cruising down the basin back towards Missouri Gulch and the trailhead above timberline on fast slopes in the creek bed.
Heading back to timberline, my tracks.
The only thing slowing me down now is that I broke one of my bindings in deep snow in the trees on the way down…luckily I have a bit of time to get if fixed this week as this Colorado storm system moves through, plus it should help with more snow!
As I entered the trees I started to take stock of the project. Feeling amazing so far and off to an excellent start through about the first quarter of this endeavor.
Back to the trailhead in Missouri Gulch before the sun set. A full 11 hour day!
I appreciate the support from many so far. I have had a handful of great partners to join me, and I’m sure there will be more on the horizon. On to the Sangres for a bit next!
March 2, 2016, Project Progress: moving forward into the Spring!
With the two toughest months of winter behind us now, it’s been great to stop and reflect on my great start in this endeavor. So far, I am thankful for relatively good snow, safe conditions, and successful summits and ski descents.
I made it through January and February with a nice start to skiing 10 peaks. A few of the days were very windy, and I just had to put my head down and go, while several of the days there were perfect winter conditions and almost no wind. As a whole I have enjoyed skiing these peaks immensely, and of course revisiting 14ers that I have a huge history with, to say the least.
As the days get longer, the snow conditions will settle, and I can pick up my pace a bit through March. Today is March 2nd, and at this time I am 2 peaks ahead of Chris Davenport’s pace. On March 2nd he had skied his 8th 14er on this date 10 years ago today. I am definitely inspired by his feat, and I am going to do the best I can to ski as many peaks as I can as we move towards the spring here on these mighty Colorado 14ers.
Moving forward, there will be blog updates as I continue this project, so please follow along and enjoy the adventure. Also, on the “Skiing the 14ers” menu bar, past trips and the first peaks skied so far will be updated with posts, so that the adventure and stories are shared.
