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"...
We (husband Jay and I) decided to give Massive a try - one of Jay's goal mountains for awhile. This would be #20 for us, and since we are Floridians, we are thrilled to check off a few mountains every year. We headed out on Friday, July 6, hoping to avoid some of the weekend traffic. We read several recent trip reports that were really helpful, including one regarding the elusive white marmot. Definitely something we hoped to see! Jay downloaded the GPX file from 14ers.com. Thanks for the helpful waypoints - essential in places on the rocks where the cairns were difficult to locate.
We drove our rental 2WD Nissan Versa to the 2.0 mile marker on the road to the trailhead. No problem with Jay's excellent driving! We set out from the North Halfmoon Creek Trailhead and headed into the woods. We both agreed the hike was one of the prettiest with flowers and plants most of the way to the top. What a well-marked and well-maintained path! Kudos to the awesome people who maintain the trail! We had some beautiful views as we hiked out of the woods.
We reached the summit and enjoyed the magnificent views - but I was nervously watching the skies and started down the mountain after a very short stay on the top. We actually had to hike down in some wind, rain, sleet, and thunder as monsoon season decided to come early on our hike. Fortunately, the rain stopped; the skies cleared out for a few hours; and our knees survived the long, arduous trek down the mountain. It was all good.
A few highlights - yup, the white marmots! We didn't see them until the rain hit.
Also, we found the memorial to the Black Hawk helicopter crew that crashed on Massive some years ago to be quite interesting. Because everyone we asked on the mountain had a different version of what happened, we did a little research and were glad we did. If you are hiking Massive, don't know the story, and want to read about it in advance, here's a link: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/20579727/detail.html
Apparently, there's some confusion about an earlier FedEx plane crash and the helicopter crash.
Info about the plane crash: http://planecrashinfo.com/1990/1990-4.htm
Finally, cheers to my fellow Steeler fan from Wexford, PA, who stopped to talk about Steeler Nation - which exists everywhere in the world, even on the top of Mount Massive.
We always end our hikes with a "boot picture". It was a little too wet for us to lie down in the grass and pose with our feet in front of Massive, so we found an old, run-down cabin on the road toward Leadville and posed our boots there.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
it's really not that difficult considering Green Bay rocked them so hard in Super Bowl XLV! Go WISCO!
and also congrats on the summit!
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.