San Luis- 14er Finisher!

And that is a wrap!  After 10 years of slowly picking away at the list of 58 14ers in Colorado between racing and training I finally wrapped them up on San Luis.  It was sort of bitter sweet which was expected.  Once again it was about a 5 hour drive each way to get there but this time I did not have to go alone.  The Bob threw his hat in the ring and joined me for the trip down there to knock it out.  Based on the suggestion from Eric Lee we did the mountain from the Creed side instead of from the standard trailhead and I will tell you I found it quite enjoyable.  Starting at an abandoned mine, you go over a couple of ridges on the Colorado Trail before turning off to head up San Luis.   This added more vertical and about the same distance as the standard route but without really seeing anyone.  We came across a couple of Colorado Trail through hikers and one person on the summit that came up the standard trail but that was it.  Pretty remote mountain out in the middle of nowhere in the San Juans and super easy.  I would like to go back and do the standard route as well just to get a feel for both sides of the mountain, maybe I will be able to pull off a ski summit this winter.  ;o)

Thanks to all the people out there that have joined me for a peak or ten over the years.  You know who you are and I am grateful to have had your company and friendship over the years.  Looking forward to some repeat summits via some new routes up the hills.

Wilson Group

Down to four 14ers left with a 3 day holiday weekend coming up with Labor Day, what is one to do?  Head back to the San Juan Mountains of course!  This time I would hit up the Wilson Group which includes Wilson Peak, Mount Wilson, and El Diente Peak.  Do 2 one day with the traverse and one the other, sounds like a plan.  These mountains are right outside of Telluride so it was a 5 hour drive each way again this weekend and ended up going solo which was fine by me.  Always good to get out in the middle of no where to take a break from day to day life. Anyways after this weekend we are down to one 14er left, San Luis!  Enjoy the photos.

Windom and Sunlight

So since I did not have anymore "real" race plans the rest of the year I decided to take a crack at getting back to the 14ers since I only had 6 left to complete out of 58.  First up?  The two that Bob and I did not get last summer in Chicago Basin due to weather and the lack of time.  This time it would be a solo trip for it is hard to get someone to drive 5 hours and then take a 2 hour train ride just to get there, then repeat that to get back home.

Took the train from Durango instead of Silverton this year because it gives me a few extra needed hours in the basin in case weather would become an issue which it was not.  It was a great day in the mountains and a much needed break from the outside world.  2 down, 4 to go......

Pacing Leadville

Another August means another go round on the Leadville course, either running myself or pacing someone else.  This year it would be pacing and crewing Clyde who has done the same for me over the years. 

It was a fun and adventurous day out there watching others push past what they thought was possible, some exceeding while others just falling short all in the name of the love for running.