The History of 14er Dogs Addendum

[gore galore]

THE HISTORY OF 14ER DOGS ADDENDUM
by gore galore

The recent book “Climbing Colorado’s 14ers With Sawyer” by 14ers.com member Josh Aho has a chapter on “The History of 14er Dogs” which prompts me to add some additional information on those dogs that have climbed Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks.

The chapter is the first attempt according to the author to compile a list of dogs “who had remarkable mountaineering feats on the 14,000-foot peaks of Colorado . . . not only the number of peaks they climbed, but also . . . the historical significance they had in retrospect for that time.”

Of the seventeen dogs listed several belong to 14er.com members and to those dogs I can add three additional dogs and further information on a fourth for the historical record.

CLYDE FARNSWORTH AND SPORTIE
On July 5, 1931, the Colorado Mountain Club climbed Mount Antero for the first time. Of the original party of twenty-eight who stayed at the Antero Hotel, twenty-three climbed the peak, one, Mary Cronin, did a solo ascent of Mount Princeton and the rest fished.

The outing report further states that “the most distinctive member of the group of climbers was a bull terrier owned by Clyde Farnsworth. He has reached the summit of several other 14,000-foot peaks including Mt. Sneffels.”

Clyde Farnsworth’s bull terrier of the 1930's is apparently the only peak bagging 14er dog of note between Enos Mills’ dog Scotch of the 1900's and Stuart Krebs’ dog Blackie of the 1950's.

CLYDE SMITH AND INKY
Sometime in the 1970's outdoor photographer Clyde Smith and a Cocker Spaniel named Inky climbed more than twenty 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado including a technical route on Crestone Needle.

FOREST SERVICE RANGER AND SMOKII
Sometime in the 1970's Smokii, a Norwegian elk-hound employed by his Forest Service Ranger owner on back country patrols reportedly climbed all of the mountains in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness of New Mexico, many in the Maroon Bells area of Colorado as well as wilderness peaks in the southern Sierra. Presumably some of Smokii’s climbs in the Maroon Bells area included 14ers.

Smokii and Inky are apparently two peak bagging 14er dogs of note between Stuart Krebs’ dog Blackie of the 1950's and Tim Payne’s dog Boscoe of the 1980's.

STUART KREBS AND BLACKIE
The Sawyer book indicates that “In the 1950s, Stu Krebs climbed a great many peaks in the San Juan mountains with his dog, Blackie.” Additional information on Blackie comes as a result from Spencer Swanger’s ascent of Dallas Peak in 1976.

Spencer Swanger was the first to climb the Hundred Highest peaks of Colorado finishing in 1977. He wrote an article on Dallas Peak in the Colorado Mountain Club’s “Trail and Timberline” magazine in which he stated that “I believe the absence of a cairn on such an outstanding peak indicates the lack of human occupancy” which elicited a letter to the editor of the magazine from Gerry Roach.

Gerry would write that Stuart Krebs had climbed Dallas in the 1950's. (The first ascent was by Everett Long and Don McBride in 1934). “Stu grew up in Montrose and climbed extensively in this area usually in the company of his faithful “Black Dog.” Stu’s climb of Dallas had originated in Yankee Boy Basin and traversed over the summit of Gilpin Peak en route to Dallas. “The summit of Dallas was one of the only summits in this area that the “Black Dog” was not able to reach!”

There is probably much more to the history of 14er dog climbing that is lost or unknown. The Sawyer book indicates that Enos Mills’ dog Scotch of the 1900's “is the first dog in recorded history to climb Longs Peak and also is most likely the first dog in recorded history to climb any of Colorado’s fourteeners.” I am thinking that those popular tourist 14,000 foot peaks of Grays and Torreys in the late 19th century most likely saw climbs by dogs.

[Alicat423]

Pretty incredible really!!!! Can't wait to get my book for Christmas

[Jay521]

@Gore Galore - As always, your contributions to the history of Colorado mountains makes for a very worthwhile read. I was particularly interested in Smokii as I had two Norwegian Elkhounds that climbed with me for years in the 80's and early 90's - I imagine we probably did 20 or so 14ers together and even more 13ers.

Thanks for your post.

[Inky6900]

gore galore,

Thank you for these additions and for supporting the book project. Hoping you continue to enjoy it. I have added your additions to my website http://www.14ercanine.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Much appreciated.

Josh