OTHER Trip Report 07/03/2014

Peak(s):	Mount Sopris - 12953
Date Posted:	07/03/2014
Date Climbed:	05/18/2014
Author:	TakeMeToYourSummit

How long can you stare at a peak before you must climb it?!
Answer: 30 years. (What - you thought this was a rhetorical question?) Once upon a time there was a mountain. Living around the mountain were people not from India; but thought to be from India (India turned out to be a huge non-issue in their lives). Unsure of what the marmot gods had called the mountain - these OG 'Mericans opted to name it "Wemagooah Kazuhchich" (translated badly as "Mountain that White Man will rename"). Once upon a different time a young boy was raised near, but not too near, this mountain. He'd look at it and not know what to think... for he cared only for his Tonka truck at this point in his life. Eventually the boy started growing - as did his connection with the mountains around him. photo credit: PS Thrice upon a ti.... Errrrr.... I mean about thirty years later - enough was enough. Let's shred that thing! Calls were made, Adam was in, and the snow climb was on! As we had suspected the sun did rise that morning (as it tends to do more often than not). "Hey! NO passing!" ...but they continued on... (Totally kidding: everyone was very nice to each other. Also - I really need a splitboard!) Using my telepathetic abilities I determined with a lack of uphill available, and nothing more in the way of up, only down, and down being the only option... Well lets make it easy for the general public or even more basically put it in layman's terms: We were on the summit. photo credit: AL The Ute Spirits gave us great snow on the descent... but with a price - cursed hands! Neither of us could keep our fingers out from in front of the lens! photo credit: AL _Cue cheesy happy ending music here_ Epilogue All photos & video shot by Brad Hulslander, Adam Lay (AL), & Pat Shepard (PS). More info on actual history of names in the RFV: www.aspentimes.com/article/20110520/NEWS/110529975 For those that seek more info on the route (East Bowl): The trailhead starts near Dinkle Lake (south of Carbondale, easy 4WD - when wet) ~11 miles, roundtrip ~5000 feet vertical 7 hours up, 3 hours down (including all breaks) Hazy clouds & high winds kept the snow firm (probably the safest conditions I've felt in the BC) Sloppy postholing did occur back below treeline (omitted from main TR; just not funny) Now that I've got you roped along this far... time for the twist! This was... my 1st Trip Report! I've recently had ankle surgery (I was under the knife @ AVH while andrewhamilton was somewhere between S. Maroon & Pyramid); and with the down time figured I'd write this one up. I'll be out enjoying the mountains in a few weeks... but until then I must live vicariously! This surgery got me thinking about a missing niche market. Now without further adieu... and against the rules of this website... I will now attempt to sell you my unique line of mountaineering equipment (splitboards don't buy themselves!): AirCrampon: Injured ankle before the big couloir climb next weekend? Not a problem! Intravenous-Support-Bag: Why let a pesky thing like antibiotics stop you from that 25 mile backpacking loop you've all been planning. IceCrutch: Easily maintain at least 2 points of contact using our patented design (assuming your ankle is too-far-gone for the AirCrampon). I hope you enjoyed reading this report as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

How long can you stare at a peak before you must climb it?!

Answer: 30 years. (What - you thought this was a rhetorical question?)

Once upon a time there was a mountain. Living around the mountain were people not from India; but thought to be from India (India turned out to be a huge non-issue in their lives). Unsure of what the marmot gods had called the mountain - these OG 'Mericans opted to name it "Wemagooah Kazuhchich" (translated badly as "Mountain that White Man will rename").

Once upon a different time a young boy was raised near, but not too near, this mountain. He'd look at it and not know what to think... for he cared only for his Tonka truck at this point in his life. Eventually the boy started growing - as did his connection with the mountains around him.

Thrice upon a ti.... Errrrr.... I mean about thirty years later - enough was enough. Let's shred that thing! Calls were made, Adam was in, and the snow climb was on!

As we had suspected the sun did rise that morning (as it tends to do more often than not).

"Hey! NO passing!" ...but they continued on... (Totally kidding: everyone was very nice to each other. Also - I really need a splitboard!)

Using my telepathetic abilities I determined with a lack of uphill available, and nothing more in the way of up, only down, and down being the only option...
Well lets make it easy for the general public or even more basically put it in layman's terms: We were on the summit.

The Ute Spirits gave us great snow on the descent... but with a price - cursed hands! Neither of us could keep our fingers out from in front of the lens!

_*Cue cheesy happy ending music here*_

Epilogue

All photos & video shot by Brad Hulslander, Adam Lay (AL), & Pat Shepard (PS).

More info on actual history of names in the RFV:
www.aspentimes.com/article/20110520/NEWS/110529975

For those that seek more info on the route (East Bowl):
The trailhead starts near Dinkle Lake (south of Carbondale, easy 4WD - when wet)
~11 miles, roundtrip
~5000 feet vertical
7 hours up, 3 hours down (including all breaks)
Hazy clouds & high winds kept the snow firm (probably the safest conditions I've felt in the BC)
Sloppy postholing did occur back below treeline (omitted from main TR; just not funny)

Now that I've got you roped along this far... time for the twist! This was... my 1st Trip Report! I've recently had ankle surgery (I was under the knife @ AVH while andrewhamilton was somewhere between S. Maroon & Pyramid); and with the down time figured I'd write this one up. I'll be out enjoying the mountains in a few weeks... but until then I must live vicariously! This surgery got me thinking about a missing niche market. Now without further adieu... and against the rules of this website... I will now attempt to sell you my unique line of mountaineering equipment (splitboards don't buy themselves!):

AirCrampon: Injured ankle before the big couloir climb next weekend? Not a problem!

Intravenous-Support-Bag: Why let a pesky thing like antibiotics stop you from that 25 mile backpacking loop you've all been planning.

IceCrutch: Easily maintain at least 2 points of contact using our patented design (assuming your ankle is too-far-gone for the AirCrampon).

I hope you enjoyed reading this report as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

The Moose	nice report! 7/4/2014 7:16am Had me laughing. I like the AirCrampon! haha
SoCool	Hilarious 10/28/2014 6:44am Really, this is very funny. Also I like Sopris.

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