Colorado Adventure, Part 7 (Last)

When we got up yesterday in Rinker Cabin at Mount Elbert Lodge, the weather report said it was 13 degrees in Leadville, but felt like 7 because of chill factor. Oh, boy. Do we really want to attempt Mt. Elbert today?

We both got our daypacks ready. Multiple layers of clothing, water, food, and all the gear you bring for the unexpected. We wore international orange vests: big-game season is underway, and I really wouldn't want some hunter mistaking my bald head (white, round) for the backside of a big horn sheep (also white, round). Doris is not susceptible to that sort of problem, but I am.

We probably had way too much stuff, but I've done enough in these mountains to know that when you get careless, you often wind up regretting it. Plus, neither of us are in the best condition and we don't move too fast.By the time we left the cabin it had warmed up to 23 degrees, a nice, reasonable temperature.

We had explored the 4WD road to the trailhead several days before, and concluded we couldn't get all the way up and would have to park below and walk to the trailhead. Much too rugged, rutted, rocky, and just plain undo-able.

That was before we did Weston Pass. Having done Weston Pass, I looked at the road with new eyes. No problemo. We went all the way to the trailhead and did not leave any oil pans, axles, differentials, bumpers or mufflers on the road. Success. Sweaty palms, but success.

Next problem. We got to the trailhead sometime around 10 AM. It's four miles up. That also means it's four miles back. I do not want to drive this road in the dark. So we've got to keep a careful  eye on the clock, and turn around with enough time to get back the car and down the road before dark.

After an easy half-mile on the Colorado Trail, we got to the South Elbert Trail. It took off to the west and immediately began climbing steeply. Really steeply. Really, really, really steeply.

We ascended through multiple stands of aspen trees; the floor of the forest was carpeted in the gold leaves that had fallen. It was beautiful. And, really, really steep. Some sections of the trail had a trace of snow.

There was very little, almost none, of the trail that was flat. It was a steep climb all the way up. Think about the stairs in your home. Then think about them being four miles long, a virtual unbroken climb. Then think about them being up from 10,000 feet to 14,000 feet, where the air is thin. Now you've got the picture. Needless to say, we were in granny gear the whole way.

Okay, enough belly-achin', complaining, moaning and whining. The flip side of the coin was that every step was drop-dead-beautiful. (I actually thought I would drop dead. Several times, in fact.)

Under the brilliant mid-day sun (temp was now high-40s, low 50s, very comfortable), the mountains looked like burnished silver.

I had no problems with my leg at all (remember the stress fracture?). Felt great, was very pleased. Until the walk down, Doris had no problem with her knees. But we were moving slowly and the clock was not. Mount Elbert was getting closer, but we were still two miles to the summit, and according to the hikers that passed us going down from the summit, the hardest part of the trail was ahead of us.

A look at the clock, our condition, and remembering that we still had a very steep walk down (if you've done much hiking, you know that a steep downgrade can be as tiring as a steep upgrade--uses different muscles), I made the call to stop for a late lunch and then turn around. Conquering Mt. Elbert will have to wait for another year.

But the view from where we were was amazing. We were just under 12,100 feet up (the summit of Elbert is around 14,440). Click any of these pictures for a larger view.

We could see forever, even into South Park in one direction. The farthest distant mountains, faintly visible above the landbridge between the lakes, are actually the mountains bounding the far side of that section of South Park.

In my Part 3 post, I included a telephoto picture of the trail up Mt. Elbert. While eating lunch on the shoulder of Mt. Elbert, we were sitting in that photo, just below the horizon on the right side of the picture. Here's a telephoto of the Dexter Cabin from where we ate lunch.

I made the right decision to turn around. The shadows were long and our legs were rubber when we finally got back to the vehicle. I wish we could have gone all the way, but neither of us were in adequate shape to do so. But it was a GLORIOUS walk, and I'm so glad we did it.

In a few minutes from now, we'll be starting to pack up the cabin for an early getaway tomorrow morning. Hats off to Mount Elbert Lodge, and Scott and Laura, for a wonderful, refreshing stay. I love this place!

Tomorrow night, Kansas City. The next night, Greenville, Ohio. It has been a fabulous vacation, and it makes me realize how blessed I am. I serve a great Creator God who has redeemed me thru Jesus Christ, I have a wonderful wife, and I serve a great church. It is far more than I deserve!