14ers.com

Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet this gentleman.
Rest in peace Carson.

Sorry to hear about Carson's passing

Darin, thanks for sharing your memories. We hiked Sayres via X-Rated with him, Scot and Steve about 10 years ago. It was inspiring to hike up that with him (I think he was about 70) and I hope to hike as long into my years as he was able to.

I compiled some photos of trips I did with Carson over the years. Many of them I have posted in reports before, so they're not the first time I've shared them. However, now they're together in one report, dedicated to Carson. For those that knew Carson, I hope you'll enjoy some of the photos and words.

Life So Bright

Here's an excerpt from the summit register that Spencer Swanger, Stewart Green, Carson Black, Gordon Blanz, Jack Harry, and Bill Graves left on Thunder Pyramid when they did its first ascent on 8/2/1970. (They informally named the peak "Thunder Mountain" at the time.)

I saw this name as the subject and it haunted me. I remembered it the second I heard it.

My story is that a friend and I were climbing up Humboldt and we camped off the road the night before. We didn't make it all the way up in my Element. Neither did this Subaru next to us. We met a nice older man and a younger woman and said our hellos and got some rest. The next day we met up with them on the summit. They got up an hour later than us and beat us to the summit by a half hour. They didn't use the trails, they went up more of the winter route, straight up the slopes from below. This guy was a legend. I remember after talking to him awhile the woman was like, "tell them who you are" or maybe she said "tell them what you've done..." He was a humble guy and he wasn't up there to brag. He spoke of some of his favorite summits and we were loving his stories. What an interesting life he had. I was glad to have met him.

What a delightful, fun, compassionate person! And so many Carson stories to tell.
Carson completed the 14ers for the first time at a party on Yale, with watermelon and champagne.
Decades ago we were X-C over New Year’s weekend from Twin Lakes over Independence Pass to Aspen, then over Pearl Pass to Crested Butte, a ski of 5 days, 4 nights in frigid sub zero temps. The third night out, in a hut below Pearl Pass, our MSR fuel bottles were less than full. So Carson, being efficient, combined two bottles, pouring fuel from one partial bottle into another partial bottle. Sadly, the second bottle was not fuel, it was our supply of 150 proof rum. No more happy shots on that X-C. Thanks for the good times, Carson.

The Celebration of Life for Carson will take place on June 25th at Fox Run Regional Park, 2119 Stella Drive, Colorado Springs, 80921, at Pavilion #1 (Use googlemaps.com with the name and address and it shows the Pavilion #1 location) from 3 pm to 6 pm.
At this time we're planning a potluck, but no alcohol (it's not allowed at the park).

If you knew Carson and would like to stop by and share a story or two, please do.

- Darin

Darin, Thanks for the info. I plan to be there.