Blanca Peak
I had a great weekend! T and I summitted Blanca Peak, Colorado's 4th highest mountain at 14,345 ft, in the Sangre de Cristo Range. This involved a grueling pack-in up over 3000ft on a crap 4x4 road, followed by a glorious, challenging summit day on day two. I am rather proud.
Day 1: Arrived at Lake Como Road (worst road in Colorado!) around 330p on Saturday after picking T up from COS. The Pontiac made it 2 miles up before having to be cached in a grove of pinons and prickly pears. Left the car and 8100 ft. el. at 4p. Were aiming for Lake Como (~5.0 miles, 11,700 ft el.), but lost the sun and had some fatigue going on, so stopped to pitch the tent at ~4.5 miles, 11,300 ft el. Total gain on the day, with full packs and everything, was ~3300 ft. Oof -- this would have been a reasonably tough single day trip, but this was just the pack in!
Day 2: On the trail at 630a. Determined that even though we weren't all that far from Lake Como, we were glad we had stopped where we did the night before. Stopped at Blue Lakes to filter water. Made it over 13000ft (above the ledges, above the gully) before the sun reached us peeking over the east side ridge between Blanca and Ellingwood (fourteener next door to the North). All route descriptions say "difficult class 2", but I made several apparently class 3 moves on the ridge to the summit, with slightly scary exposure (drops of several hundred feet!). Summitted around 11a, with a friendly group of Ohioans. Took a break on the descent in the valley with said Ohioans. Contemplated an ascent of Ellingwood, but decided against it due to lateness of hour (1p) and fatigue. Watched some others pick their way up Ellingwood's south face. Reached Lake Como again around 315p. Said goodbye to Ohioans and soaked feet in Lake Como. Back to camp by 530p, asleep by 8.
Day 3: Slept in til 7a, packed up, and packed out - 3200ft down "worst road in Colo." Descent was a challenge to the quads, to say the least. At car by 1030a.
Total distance: `19.6 miles round trip. Total elevation gain/loss: 6250 ft.
Pictures shall be posted when the boy uploads them.
Not looking forward to the return to work tomorrow, but I really couldn't ask for a better weekend.
Day 1: Arrived at Lake Como Road (worst road in Colorado!) around 330p on Saturday after picking T up from COS. The Pontiac made it 2 miles up before having to be cached in a grove of pinons and prickly pears. Left the car and 8100 ft. el. at 4p. Were aiming for Lake Como (~5.0 miles, 11,700 ft el.), but lost the sun and had some fatigue going on, so stopped to pitch the tent at ~4.5 miles, 11,300 ft el. Total gain on the day, with full packs and everything, was ~3300 ft. Oof -- this would have been a reasonably tough single day trip, but this was just the pack in!
Day 2: On the trail at 630a. Determined that even though we weren't all that far from Lake Como, we were glad we had stopped where we did the night before. Stopped at Blue Lakes to filter water. Made it over 13000ft (above the ledges, above the gully) before the sun reached us peeking over the east side ridge between Blanca and Ellingwood (fourteener next door to the North). All route descriptions say "difficult class 2", but I made several apparently class 3 moves on the ridge to the summit, with slightly scary exposure (drops of several hundred feet!). Summitted around 11a, with a friendly group of Ohioans. Took a break on the descent in the valley with said Ohioans. Contemplated an ascent of Ellingwood, but decided against it due to lateness of hour (1p) and fatigue. Watched some others pick their way up Ellingwood's south face. Reached Lake Como again around 315p. Said goodbye to Ohioans and soaked feet in Lake Como. Back to camp by 530p, asleep by 8.
Day 3: Slept in til 7a, packed up, and packed out - 3200ft down "worst road in Colo." Descent was a challenge to the quads, to say the least. At car by 1030a.
Total distance: `19.6 miles round trip. Total elevation gain/loss: 6250 ft.
Pictures shall be posted when the boy uploads them.
Not looking forward to the return to work tomorrow, but I really couldn't ask for a better weekend.