2014 14er Speed Record Attempt

[DWRich]

My map hasn't updated since 10:57 just west of Fort Garland. It's driving me crazy to not know where he is.

[nsaladin]

My map hasn't updated since 10:57 just west of Fort Garland. It's driving me crazy to not know where he is.

Yeah not sure whats going on? My delorme battery lasts pretty long, maybe he didn't get a charge in since he started?

[its_not_a_tuba]

New post over at his blog, he does not sound like a happy camper right now.

[jdorje]

It is worrisome. The schedule Ron posted was to depart Willow Creek trailhead 9:30 AM and arrive South Colony at 12:15 AM, aka 14:45 allocated. If he departs S Colony at 1 PM (and we have no idea where he is now, but that seems generous IMO) he'd be getting to the Willow Creek TH at 3:45 AM. With a 2 hour drive to the Culebra trailhead...it is sketchy.

Skipping Humboldt (2.5 hours) or KC/Challenger (4 hours?) would save some time, but cost a lot more (climbing, not just time) to return later. Doing the Blanca group today and the Crestone group tomorrow after Culebra would have been possible (presumably this decision would already have been made if so), but gives logistical problems since you'd again want to go S Colony->Willow Creek to avoid traversing in the dark and that will cost additional hours of driving.

Perhaps the best option would be to do Crestones today, Blancas tomorrow, and Culebra Sunday morning - this costs probably 6 hours waiting around at the Culebra trailhead, but at least it's time that can be spent sleeping. And when I say "best option", I mean this is a fallback to Plan A in case he doesn't make it through the Crestone group by ~3AM. This would have him finished with Culebra by ~noon and on his way up to the Sawatch, as opposed to finishing the Blancas at like ~4 am and on his way up to Pikes. Not good from a time standpoint, but he'd also be well rested.

His blog post seems to express frustrations with the logistics but doesn't sound like he's struggling to continue. So hopefully he can get the Crestones done safely today and worst case postpones Culebra a day.

“I am in big trouble! I have to get the Crestones done today in time to be at Culebra tomorrow morning [at 6am.] It is going to be a real nail biter! Crap I am so pissed!!!!”

[psycholoco]

Perhaps the best option would be to do Crestones today, Blancas tomorrow, and Culebra Sunday morning

According to the website, Culebra climbs this year are Fridays and Saturdays. If he doesn't make tomorrow, he'd have to hit it on the 27th (28th is sold out).

[mountaingoat-G]

A) I wonder if his DeLorme ran out of batteries
B) This is why I have zero intention on ever attempting Culebra

[nsaladin]

A) I wonder if his DeLorme ran out of batteries
B) This is why I have zero intention on ever attempting Culebra

I hope someone contacts him somehow to let him know he is not being tracked. Because he mentioned on his site that he would like to add a new rule to the speed record attempts.

In addition to Teddy’s rules, I would like to suggest that from here on out everyone should carry a satellite tracker as proof of what they have accomplished. In the past it was left to the honor system, which I think worked fine, but satellite trackers are better. They also provide some sort of safety net that was completely lacking before.

edit: looks like he's back! he's heading up south colony!

[Minstrel Max]

The Delorme is sending out info again. He's on S. Colony Rd around 10K feet. I'm guessing going up but I don't know for sure.

[jdorje]

Looks like great weather today. I wonder if he might have to skip some peaks to make the Culebra cutoff...hopefully not. If snow was slowing him down (or speeding him up?) before, now's when we will see a change in pace.

[Phill the Thrill]

Looks like Andrew reached the upper South Colony Lakes TH around 1:15 pm. Assume the Humboldt-Needle-Peak-Carson-Challenger-Willow Creek TH route takes 14 hrs., that means he would arrive at the Willow Creek TH around 3:15 am. If it takes approximately 2:30 to get to the Cielo Ranch gate (SWAG) that means a 5:45 am arrival and the gate opens at 6:00 am. Talk about a nail-biter. Here's wishing a faster-than-expected traverse today!

[Jeff Valliere]

Looks like Andrew reached the upper South Colony Lakes TH around 1:15 pm. Assume the Humboldt-Needle-Peak-Carson-Challenger-Willow Creek TH route takes 14 hrs., that means he would arrive at the Willow Creek TH around 3:15 am. If it takes approximately 2:30 to get to the Cielo Ranch gate (SWAG) that means a 5:45 am arrival and the gate opens at 6:00 am. Talk about a nail-biter. Here's wishing a faster-than-expected traverse today!

Great news! I have been keeping Homie updated as to Andrew's whereabouts this morning as Homie has been waiting at S. Colony Lakes TH, ready to accompany him for the Crestone traverse and assist however he can over the next few days.

[dsunwall]

2 Bad Dads. They will gain time in the Crestones. Perfect weather.