*atop Resolution Mountain just after sunrise... Mount of the Holy Cross in the background
On Tuesday and early Wednesday I had the chance to experience the high country in a way in which I never before had. In doing so I opened up a whole new way to tap into the awesomeness that is the mountains of Colorado.
I am totally in love with exploring off the beaten path and getting up into places where hardly another soul goes. I've not done nearly as much of it as I would like but if you regard racing/training/coaching as my profession than mountaineering will have to qualify for my top hobby.
So after an early start (5am roll out) and a traffic free I-70 we (G-man and I) were on the trail around 8 and hoofing it in. The Vail Pass Back Country is a rec area that is actually quite tame and manicured compared to what you might be able to find in the wilderness areas elsewhere in the state (read: absolutely nothing). For instance, the VPBC caters to snowmobilers (*puke*) and thus the major dirt roads (now deeply snow covered) are groomed and packed down for easier riding (and incessant gas fume production *cough*). Up here you basically stick to the drainages where the roads or trails lay but on some excursions it is possible to find some trails that traverse the length of ridgelines.
In CO we get the most perfect dry powder snow. And while this lends itself to the best skiing and playing around it also creates some of the worst avalanche danger. Luckily we had a week of warm temps and no new snow that allowed for the current pack to compress itself and give us little to worry about in terms of slabs giving way. In my apprenticeship of winter mountaineering I read up on things to look for and checked out the areas that on any other occasion could give concern.
In addition to no snow we also had NO WIND as a high pressure system had settled over us. Not a cloud in the sky and by the time we'd bottomed out on Turkey Creek and started the long haul up it was nice and warm. Weary-man Creek road really isnt much of a road (more ATV trail) and it really does a good job of making you WEARY. At 10k+ and a recent return from a three week stint at sea level stopping was happening a little too often for my own personal liking. Couldn't argue with the rest stop views though. :)
With the sun now sinking low in the sky and finally behind the most immediate mountain we made our way up the last series of switchbacks to ridge. Thru a glade and out into the openness of the ridge. Finally free of the trees we were rewarded with a most spectacular view in all directions. This is my prize. I LOVE getting above treeline and looking out at the amazing high peaks and ranges of the Colorado mountains. The elation and smile that spread thru me and across my face would take hours to dissapate. This. Is. Awesome.
The hut was INCREDIBLY well stocked. Solar powered lighting, wood fired stove, gas ranges (old style albeit), and very comfortable and cushioned bunks/flats to lay your head. Sadly I was able to get a full 5 bars on my crackberry and set about trying to filter thru my email and chat with folks on google chat. I really shouldn't have touched it. ARGH!!! After finally prying myself away I settled into talking shop with Gordo, looking at maps and old books, chatting with the fellow hutters and reading. It was a very enjoyable evening.
The fire burned strong and warm and despite my very deep sleep (i'm always out like a rock when sleeping up high) i had to unzip my bag and simply use it as blanket half way through the night. I took the chance to step outside very briefly during this middle night wake up to see the stars. Since I was little and my family stayed at a cottage in the Grand Traverse area I've always been fascinated with the rural night sky. Growing up in a humid city of close to 7 million people doesn't leave you much star gazing to partake in, so when presented the opportunity I let the heavens take my breath away. The moon was still up and when combined with the high dry air and snow covered ground it became something of a midnight sun. Even then the dead silence and stars shown thru strongly and the peacefulness of it all was very very comforting.
I awoke early and immediately went downstairs and started staring out the windows. Sunrise was approaching fast. The air was still. So still in fact that, despite it being in the low teens, walking outside in bib tights and a long sleeve waffle shirt was all the warmth I needed. If the views from the evening before had me grinning ear to ear, the vistas in the morning of the high peaks had me giving thanks. Like I said on my first day that I arrived in Colorado 2.5 years ago and rode up to Rocky Mountain National Park. This is home. This is home. This is home. :)
Before breakfast we set out for the top of Resolution Mountain, the shoulder of which the hut was perched upon. Around 500 vertical feet further up we were presented with a 360 degree view of the Frying Pan Wilderness, the Mount of the Holy Cross, the Gore Range, Ten-Mile Range, the entire Vail Pass BC area and, further to the south near Leadville, the two highest peaks in the state, Mount Massive and Mount Elbert in the Sawatch. :)
Down for a bit of breaky and packing up. Chatted with the others about everyone's routes home and activities for the day. Given I was on snowshoes and Gordo on AT's I took a 30 minute head start and stared hoofing it for Ptarmigan Hill (at over 12k I find it hardly a "hill") and Ptarmigan Pass. Once over the pass it was a looooong walk down Wilder Gulch and back to the car. In a way it was sort of anti climactic but being in such an awesome venue I smiled and soaked up all the awesomeness of the high country.
I will most defintely be back for another round of hut trips. That's for certain. In the future I'll aim for something a little more out of the way (i.e. no snowmobilers) and deeper into the mountains. I've found that there's some 30-40 mountain huts throughout the state of Colorado. Hmmmm I think I just found a checklist. ;-) Perhaps early next winter a hut-to-hut-hut-to.... trip may be in order.
Oh... and lastly... ATs are going to be a MUST! :)
Cheers and enjoy the pics!
(more in the next post below this one... had some uploading issues)
