Here is the trip report of my highest hundred finale, Stewart Peak: Trip Report.
But there is so much more to this story…
I finally finished climbing the hundred highest mountains in Colorado. It took just shy of 18 years, and I ended up climbing some of them in every month on the calendar (side-note: I also got snowed on every month of the year). Sixty-one ascents were solo, but I also hiked and climbed with 32 other people, not including those I met while in the mountains. I used to embrace the solo experience, but over time I’ve found there is nothing quite like sharing this with other people. I am blown away by the myriad of beautiful nooks and crannies all packed away within the borders of this one state, and there is no way to fully experience the scale and beauty of them all without being there yourself. But at least I can share some of the high (and low) lights I’ve experienced in my journeys.
There was:
The surreal…
> Lessons learned from my first fourteener, without proper gear in winter conditions,
> Off-route in winter: Keplinger’s Couloir on Longs Peak,
> Descending Jagged Mountain in an ice storm… and rapelling off a teetering boulder,
> Getting separated from Dad after Ice Mountain,
> Snow blindness on Decalibron,
> Lightning all around us atop Crestone Needle,
> Uncle John’s fall on Mount Ouray,
> Rock fall on Greg at Twin Thumbs Pass,
> Uncontrolled slide while descending Mount Wilson,
> Rescuing a hypothermic boy while ascending Vermilion.
The sublime…
Sunset from Jagged Pass:
The Teakettle’s Handle:
September Morning on Huron Peak:
The View from the Summit after Wham Ridge:
Winter Sunset on the Palisades of Longs Peak:
Capitol Peak:
Longs Peak in Winter:
The views from Turret Peak:
Wildflowers and lakes en route to Vermilion Peak:
Beautiful Huerfano Valley:
French Mountain with Dad and my dog, Hunter:
The summit of Jupiter Mountain:
The unnamed lake between Twin Thumbs Pass and No-name Basin:
Twin Lakes:
The views of Lizard Head en route to Gladstone Peak:
Half Peak on a Bluebird Day:
The wildlife of Stewart Peak:
I always enjoyed taking the road less traveled and visiting the lesser-known routes. Forty-six of the climbs were via the non-standard route, and 21 were snow climbs. Here are some of the “lesser traveled” highlights:
> Kit Carson’s North Ridge,
> Gash Ridge, Blanca Peak,
> Ellingwood Ridge, La Plata Peak,
> Wham Ridge, Vestal Peak,
3 of the “4 Great 14er Traverses”:
— Maroon Bells Traverse
— El Diente – Mount Wilson
— Crestone Peak to Needle
— (I got rained out of #4–Little Bear/Blanca…. but I have no desire to climb Little Bear Peak again).
> Winter Evans-Bierstadt Sawtooth Traverse,
> Mount Meeker’s Iron Gates,
> El Diente’s North Buttress,
> Longs Peak Keplinger’s Couloir,
> Grizzly Couloir,
> Mount Sneffels’ Southwest Ridge,
> Conundrum Couloir,
> The Edwardian
Here are the trip reports for all 100 mountains: Colorado’s Highest Hundred
And now… this chapter is complete. I have no idea what’s next. More hiking and climbing–for sure.
