Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk:
You (the person requesting this file download) fully understand mountain climbing ("Activity") involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, and death ("Risks") and you fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages you incur as a result of your participation in this Activity.
You acknowledge that information in the file you have chosen to download may not be accurate and may contain errors. You agree to assume all risks when using this information and agree to release and discharge 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and the author(s) of such information (collectively, the "Released Parties").
You hereby discharge the Released Parties from all damages, actions, claims and liabilities of any nature, specifically including, but not limited to, damages, actions, claims and liabilities arising from or related to the negligence of the Released Parties. You further agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and each of the other Released Parties from and against any loss, damage, liability and expense, including costs and attorney fees, incurred by 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. or any of the other Released Parties as a result of you using information provided on the 14ers.com or 14ers Inc. websites.
You have read this agreement, fully understand its terms and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
By clicking "OK" you agree to these terms. If you DO NOT agree, click "Cancel"...
Route: (Times are approximate)
1/28/2011 - Car at 8,800' to Cabin at Como Lake 11,750'- 2.5 Hours
1/29/2011 - Como Lake 11,750 to crest of West ridge of Little Bear circa 12,000'- 2 Hours
- West ridge circa 12,000' to base of Hourglass around 13,300'- 2.5 Hours
-Base of Hourglass to Little Bear Summit, 14,037' - 1.5 Hours
-Traverse to Blanca Summit 14,345' - 4.5 Hours
-Descent to Cabin at Como Lake 11,750'- 3.5 grueling hours of post-holing.
1/30/2011 -Como Lake to Car at 8,800'- 1.75 quick hours
Background:
Matt and I have been talking for quite some time about getting this climb done in winter and have held off and been patient for several reasons to include skill level, partner comfort, snow conditions, and weather. Our plan was to do the route in summer first to have a good feel of what we were up against but our planned attempt was quickly changed this past summer when Kevin Hayne passed on the same route the week before up Little Bear. Out of Respect, we decided to avoid the area and go get Capitol.
Matt has been a technical rock climber for about eleven years and about the point we met about 2 years ago after hour wives, who were high school Pals back in the day, introduced us. Almost immediately we were best bros that felt like we were had been friends since grade school. We had many similar interests to include mountain climbing and snowboarding. I expressed interest in learning more technical rock skills from Matt and he began to teach me the ropes, so to speak. I really had a desire to learn due to my love of the alpine and within one summer, I was a pretty solid 5.10 rock climber. While pushing myself on harder peaks and 2 other of the great 14er traverses (Bells, and Crestones) in Summer, and pushed my snow climbing skills in winter and spring. This past year especially, I began to bump my climbing up from just sport climbing with fixed bolts for protection to trad, or traditional, type of climbing where you place your own gear in the rocks and your partner picks it up as they second behind you. We have been practicing those skills on all types of adventure climbing throughout southern Colorado and our summer road trip ending at the fun 6 pitch Monkey Face west face variation route in Smith Rock, Oregon with our friend ImNotHeySean this past summer.
for the remainder of this stellar report, see my blog HERE
This was Freedom of The Hills at it's Best. God has made us a very beautiful playground to enjoy.
See you at the top!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Congratulations on your successful completion of that truly scary route. You guys are nuts and I loved reading about it! The pictures really top off the report... nice work!
Congratulations to you both on what I can only imagine was an incredibly tough day, physically and mentally. That traverse is no joke in summer. Short of your photos I'm not sure I can really contemplate what difficulties winter would add to it, but I'm sure there were many. Nice work fellas.
Synchronicity....and plenty of Old Chub 2/3/2011 2:44am
What's that you say? You think you saw Dancesatmoonrise up there? Impossible. He's an old man with a bad back, a hernia, a hearing aid, and a cane. Last I heard, he was begging that seeing-eye dog offa Stephanie.
(Cripes, it's amazing the exposure and climbing you end up getting ”comfortable” with, isn't it?)
Yes, seriously, I was summoned by the Great Spirit that day. Wild horses couldn't drag me away....
Benners and Pioletski had to talk me into that track, at the expense of LB that weekend, while meanwhile the Pacific Ocean was sending high pressure vibes our way for a mutual ascent of Little Bear. There are things in the world we don't see...
I'll have a story of my own to share soon - Looks like your end of the ridge was not much different from my end of the ridge. Fortunately, I was able to keep the pants relatively unsaturated for most of the traverse. Except for that doggone prostate problem. Harumph!
Nice work, guys, and a banner day with success all the way around. (Damn, it's about time...)
Job well done on such an incredible traverse, especially this time of the year... I am amazed though how little snow is on the upper portion of those peaks right now.
Great pictures as well. Shooting them must have led to some interesting scenarios with you hanging on over a some pretty exposed stuff huh? :shock:
Glad to see you briefly pay homage to the historical pioneers of this route. We need more of today's mountaineers to know the history of Colorado climbing before it is lost...
Thanks for all of the positive comments everyone.
Just a couple of quick thoughts- I did forget to mention that we never used the technial gear. We felt sort of strange for not needing it but it was a peace of mind thing knowing we had it if needed and even worse if we needed to bail. We wanted to be prepared for anything and really just got lucky on conditions. It's all about being prepared, right?
As far as paying homage- I got my copy of Roof of the Rockies for $.70 on Amazon. Interestingly, Matt was able to contact Charley Mace on Facebook and befriend him. It would be awesome to have a beer with the guy. Doing a bit of deeper research, it was an truly honor to repeat a route of a guy with accomplishments such as his.
Thank you all for the encouraging comments.
This was a climb that's been on my heart and mind for quite some time, and as micah says, It was just for us! Thank you Micah, for the companionship and enthusiasm on the climb and the flatland preparing for it.
Thanks also to Charley for doing it first. you were and still are an inspiration to me.
Congratulations guys! This TR sets the bar for 2011! Micah - I remember climbing up the hourglass back in Aug '09, and you were attempting the NW face that day... I expected that we'd meet on the summit, but you guys got shut down that day... talk about going back and DOING IT IN STYLE! Wow I'm just super-stoked for you guys after reading this. Great report, great photos, and a climb that you and Matt will never forget. Way to go!
A few years ago, only a very few had ventured to LB and the Crestones in winter. W/ this unusually dry winter, the Mama Bear/LB traverse, LB/Blanca traverse, ASCENT (descent had been done before) of Crestone Peaks North Couloir, and LB North Face (two years ago)have all fallen to members at 14ers.com. And, thank you Chomolunga, not a single climber's injury. Maybe we're being given recompence for this summer's tragic losses. Its all very impressive to me, though I'm certain it's being ridiculed on the ”F*ing w/ 14ers.com” thread on the self-annointed, invitation only site.
I can't say if this would be different in the summer with less snow but the only way we could get down what I called the ”crux” or ”saturation point” :lol: I would say easily downclimbed as at least 5.6 and I would even be comfortable saying there were 5.7 moves. It looks like that could be bypassed in the summer to the climber's right keetping the climb at 5.2 or below.
This report is a masterpiece, and looks like more fun than I think I could stand. Congratulations and be satisfied in the accomplishment by my seething jealousy. I was very happy to see what looked like a half-gone pint of whiskey in the provisions.
My son, you are an amazing man!! Congratulations on an incredible accomplishment! I know this is just the beginning. I'm always a little nervous, but also always very proud of what you take on, & of your amazing spirit! Fun to see you excel!!! Thanks for being Matt's right hand man & great friend Micah! Congrats to you as well on a great climb!
Holy sh*t, you guys! Talk about uping the ante for winter climbs! That's an impossibly high bar y'all just set. Some MAD PROPS to both of you for this traverse and climb. And to be descending off Blanca before nightfall to boot!
This has to be without doubt, THE best report thus far for 2011. Magnificent work, gentlemen!! 8)
Man, here I think I've done a lot in this last year and then you guys go off and do something like this and knock me down a few notches. :wink: I guess that just goes to prove that no matter how much I think I've grown and improved, there are a lot of folks out there with much more experience (and bigger balls!). You guys are truly an inspiration for me.
Wow you guys! Just wow! Beautiful photos and well documented. What an amazing accomplishment and experience! My heart sunk on a couple of those photos just looking at them - man! Congrats! Cheers!
Amazing job guys. What else can I say...???? I'm not worthy!!!!
Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.
Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
