2021-12-31, 06:34 PM
Well, continuing the digression to Colorado... Candace, that's a lot of 14ers! Maybe you should partner with someone for the class 3 peaks. I've seen some videos (the Maroons) and they look... tough. I had not realized the bit about paying $100 to climb Culebra (Snake, in Spanish). That's funny.
So one weekend I was avoiding 14ers and headed to a nice looking 13er, Quail, which is just down the road and a bit north of Missouri. I was pleased with myself as I passed, early early, the full Missouri parking lot, with cars already lining the road, and found my parking area empty. Joy! So I hiked up (this soon becomes part of the CDT after a short approach) and it was a beautiful morning, all alone, up above the trees, nice switchbacks to the pass (the peak itself has no official trail, but a clear use trail), but what? I saw a couple of people dressed warmly with what looked like radio gear at the pass?
Turns out the Leadville 100, one of the most famous "ultramarathons" was that day, and they were excited as the lead runner was only minutes away! Eeek. I headed up to the peak. I have a friend from Montana who runs those things and I texted his wife to see if he was running - it would have been a gas to surprise him on the route - but he was elsewhere. So I figured I would take a long lunch and enjoy the long views up there, maybe take a nap, and by the time I came down, the trail would be clear.
Well... not. It turns out such races have huge ranges of times, as the runners spread out. As I descended the main trail, I was being passed from behind by outbound runners, and approached from the front by returning runners (who at the turn are allowed to pick up an escort buddy to help them along). Oh they were all very polite and I heard a lot of "Thank you sir" but it was NOT solitude. Still a race official at the pass (basically counting people, and there to turn them back at the pass if weather was incoming) pointed out a group of bighorns frolicking in some snow up on the other side of the pass, and I might not have seen them otherwise.
All in all, a very strange trail experience!
So one weekend I was avoiding 14ers and headed to a nice looking 13er, Quail, which is just down the road and a bit north of Missouri. I was pleased with myself as I passed, early early, the full Missouri parking lot, with cars already lining the road, and found my parking area empty. Joy! So I hiked up (this soon becomes part of the CDT after a short approach) and it was a beautiful morning, all alone, up above the trees, nice switchbacks to the pass (the peak itself has no official trail, but a clear use trail), but what? I saw a couple of people dressed warmly with what looked like radio gear at the pass?
Turns out the Leadville 100, one of the most famous "ultramarathons" was that day, and they were excited as the lead runner was only minutes away! Eeek. I headed up to the peak. I have a friend from Montana who runs those things and I texted his wife to see if he was running - it would have been a gas to surprise him on the route - but he was elsewhere. So I figured I would take a long lunch and enjoy the long views up there, maybe take a nap, and by the time I came down, the trail would be clear.
Well... not. It turns out such races have huge ranges of times, as the runners spread out. As I descended the main trail, I was being passed from behind by outbound runners, and approached from the front by returning runners (who at the turn are allowed to pick up an escort buddy to help them along). Oh they were all very polite and I heard a lot of "Thank you sir" but it was NOT solitude. Still a race official at the pass (basically counting people, and there to turn them back at the pass if weather was incoming) pointed out a group of bighorns frolicking in some snow up on the other side of the pass, and I might not have seen them otherwise.
All in all, a very strange trail experience!