Bierstadt – My first 14er!

[my camera batteries died due to the cold weather so no pictures for now, check Justin's blog for some at http://jmosroadtrip09.blogspot.com]

Up at 5:30 am on Wednesday to pack up camp and head a couple more miles up the road to the Mt Evans Wilderness, where Justin and I would find the Mt Bierstadt Trailhead. This was to be my first 14er (mountain with a summit above 14,000 feet). On last year’s trip, we summitted Mt Cammerer in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and that was a bit over 4,000 ft, and I thought that was difficult.

I looked out to Mt Bierstadt’s peak from the trailhead, a good 4 mile hike/climb/scramble from where I stood. The path ahead looked tough but we were ready. The first leg took us down a few hundred feet into the Gomez Creek where we had to decide how to cross. Option 1 was to hop across partially submerged rocks which would have led to soaked feet (even though my Goretex-lined Montrail Mountain Masochist GTX trail shoes could have handled it —plug for Montrail for giving me free kicks—). Option 2 was to shimmy across two wet logs laid across the creek that were still covered in early morning frost. There were a couple girls at the crossing who were having a hard time deciding how to cross. The time was ripe for an executive decision, and I chose Option 2: the logs. It was actually a lot easier than it looked, my shoes gripped well despite the frost and I got over pretty rapidly, same for Jmo. We had to move logs closer for the girls and they had a much harder time crossing which was pretty amusing to us.

We soon found ourselves “willow-wacking” (not really) on a steady incline surrounded by low shrubery. The uphill hike combined with the increasing altitude required us to proceed slowly. Once we passed the point where the bushes stopped growing, the trail became much steeper and rockier. It was here that we were really starting to get our asses handed to us by Bierstadt. A good number of breaks were needed just to catch our breath.

As the ridge and peak drew closer, so did our view of The Sawtooth, a ridgeline with jagged points and a sheer western face that dropped straight down. The Sawtooth is directly north of Bierstadt’s Summit and was an awe-inspiring sight.

Continuing to switchback up the mountain, things started to get interesting. We saw the first of several snowfields (more on them later) and the trail turned icy/muddy from the melting snow above. With every hundred feet we ascended, the view of the Rockies became more and more breathtaking. I knew the view from the top would be spectacular.

Finally, the ridge leading to Bierstadt’s peak was nearing, but it was a steep ascent. We were above the point where vegetation could grow so now we were faced with only boulders and snowfields. Also at this point, the trail path was no longer defined and we had only the cairns (piles of stones that indicate the trail) to follow.

We inadvertantly went off trail a few times and that gave us a chance to do some class 3 scrambling which I know got my associate Justin’s blood pumping. Scrambling is climbing that involves being on all fours and my man is all into that sort of thing. The peak loomed ahead…

13,500 ft, 13,700 ft, 13,850 ft…

Now I had heard that around 13,500 feet, many people hit a wall and have trouble physically proceding further. I was fully expecting to be one of these people but I didn’t notice a change. I also had expected to feel some effects of altitude sickness but luckily I avoided that as well. Justin had a light headache but other than that we proceded to 14,000 feet smoothly.

13,900 ft…13,950 ft…

…the Summit! We reached the top in about 2.5 hours and were stunned. 360 degree view of the Rocky Mountains from a bird’s eye view. Standing next to the imprint of the US Geological Survey at 14,060 ft above sea level, I took it all in. Justin and I just climbed our first 14er and what a sense of accomplishment. I can’t begin to describe the sheer beauty we beheld and I don’t think the pictures will either.

We were able to discern some of the other peaks in the distance, some of which we originally planned to climb, and will climb in the future. Longs Peak and Mt Meeker far to the north, a 14er and almost-14er located in Rocky Mountain National Park. Nearby to the west were Grays and Torrey, the two 14ers we attempted to reach the previous day but were turned away from due to a washed out road. Far in the distance we could make out Mt of the Holy Cross, which was the peak we had originally planned to do. It gets its name from the cross-like pattern the snow creates on it’s eastern face. Far to the south, rising from an open valley were what we believed to be the Collegiate Range (Yale, Columbia, Harvard, etc. Hey Justin, where is Penn?) and beyond Mt Antero and several others named for Indian Chiefs. It was crazy to think 24 hours ago we had been all the way over there, floating along the Arkansas, far below those towering peaks. To the southeast stood Pikes Peak and right next to us was Mt Evans, complete with a road leading to a parking lot 100 yds from the summit (lol). I am proud that we summitted our 14er the right way, with a mixture of sweat, pain, joy, and emotion.

And finally, stretching as far as the eye can see to the east, the flatness of eastern Colorado and Kansas. Beyond that, out of sight, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and their overabudance of bridges. Our route out here. Rising further to the east comes the rolling Appalachain Mountains of West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland; beautiful in their own right but nothing compared to where we stood. Far, far on the other side of that chain finds my home in Delaware, my beach house set on the Atlantic, my Mom, my Dad, Mikey, Ashley, all my friends and family, my amazing job. I think about everything I have and how truly blessed I am to be standing on top of the world both literally and figuratively.

I can’t leave out the most amazing part of my summit experience. A slight descent down the eastern side and I was face to face with a marmot! Anyone who knows me is aware of my obsession with prarie dogs. The marmot is a close relative of my beloved critter who chooses to make it’s home atop of mountains (who could blame them) rather than the open prarie. I watched him for a while and soon another one popped up next to him. Justin did a great job recreating
last summer’s now iconic (yeah right) “Papastevsie + prarie dog = Thumbs Up” picture. I then let them be (translation: got too close and they scurried away) and it was time for us to fall back to Earth.

The descent was incredibly fun. Obviously, it’s easier to go downhill than uphill so it was not as strenuous. Still tough however. We had been the second group to summit, so everyone we passed were still heading up. Boulder hopping, falling through the now-melting snow that had been hard just an hour before. Seeing the incredible view shrink with each step. Looking over at the faint, tiny speck where the trailhead and our car lay. Still a long, long 4 mile descent ahead of us.

Always looking for giggling opportunities (see: driving 100 mph, farting), Justin and I started glissading down every snowfield we encountered. Think sledding, but instead of a sled, you have your ass. I think everyone passing by got a kick out of us, but not as much as we got out of ourselves.

Unfortunately, with decreasing elevation came increasing temperatures. Goodbye snow. Hello steep downhill hiking. And, as a tradition, my yearly downslope, end of tough hike, yellow EMS tech-wick clad trail run. Justin must hate me sometimes, but at least this year I was wearing my own shirt and not his.

When we got back to the trailhead, our sense of accomplishment and elation were immediately crushed by a swarm of mosquitos and raging headaches. I guess I did not eat enough (a Clif bar, handful of trail mix, and 3 crackers via Ashley) for the hike’s demands so I felt pretty crappy until I ate. After a 15+ mile drive in neutral down an extremely rough road that was also under construction, we reached Georegtown and I wolfed down a burger at the aptly named Mountain Buzz Pizzeria.

Off to Denver to relax/recover/regroup at a hotel and meet up with another road-tripping group of friends from back home. And so begins our journey back east…