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Fair
warning to all of my
readers, this report is
not for the faint of
heart. If you
enjoyed one of my
warm-hearted tales of
surf trips to Mexico,
exploring back yards on
a beautiful morning, or
easy bouldering on a
pleasant afternoon,
please close out this
screen and move on to
another more friendly
trip report. Now,
if you fancy a tale
filled with group
suffering, pain, fear in
the heart of the
fearless, and a trek of
certain death, you have
come to the right place.
Please let me introduce
to you the cast of this
episode; our fearless
leader, Chad, is a world
class mountaineer with
40 fourteeners under his
belt, summits on
Kilimanjaro, and the
Matterhorn. He is
built like a cartoon
super hero, more
dangerous than a great
white, and the most
incredibly humble human
I have ever met.
My wife and Chad's
sister, Mer, is second
in command with eight
fourteeners, an entire
life of mountain
experience, spiritual
leader, and our medical
doctor. Lilly is
Chad and Mer's little
sister. She is the
nurturer of the group,
has an entire life of
mountain experience with
seven fourteener
summits. She
always maintains
fairness and has such a
strong intuition we can
always count on her.
Maggie is Chad's brand
new bride who is quietly
the artist photographer
of the group with plenty
of mountain experience,
and the one we can
always count on to do
what is courageous.
Sparkle is the mother of
the group with 20
fourteeners under
her belt, has spent her
entire life living in
coloful Colorado and is
our compassionate
matriarch. Arch is
her husband, an eagle
scout and an avid
outdoorsman. Arch
is the reason we are
here today; it is his
birthday and second
fourteener. His
son, Ben, joins us as
the second scout of the
group, and is a
competitive endurance
racer. His
kindness and gentle
strength are his assets
to the group.
There is Sunny, me, with
virtually no experience
in the mountains, no
fourteener summits, and
really only one
substantial hike under
my belt. However,
my brand new knee that I
purchased last year
guarantees a summit. |
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Ahhh Mt
Evans, one of the easier
fourteeners one can
summit. Rumor has
it there is even a road
that leads to the summit
and that it may only be
a three mile hide round
trip. This is
going to be great; I'll
get my first fourteener
and we should be back in
Aspen before the clock
strikes two. Chad
suggests we take the
route to the right to
make it a touch longer
and a bit more of a
challenge. Like
the good lemmings we
are, we happily agree
and onward with our
journey. |
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Off to
the north ridge glaciers
were kind enough to
carve our these
spectacular views.
The eight o'clock start
and the comfortable pace
slightly concerns Chad
because the
thunderstorms are like
clockwork on fourteeners
every afternoon.
If one tries to summit
late in the afternoon,
it very well may be
there last. |
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As we
trek to the heavens, I
spot a wizard making
short work of nearly
vertical climbing.
He decides to wait up
for his apprentice and
mocks our awkward ascent
as we hike on. I
think about taking them
home with me, but I
realize they probably
would get car sick, and
no one likes a puking
mountain goat in the
car. |
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Crossing
the rock ridge, I catch
a glimpse of Bierstad, a
nearby fourteener.
We all slightly start
noticing this trek as
taking way too long, and
the elements are
starting to turn on us
skyward. I look to
Chad at this point, and
he didn't have anything
to say; we are rolling
the dice to reach this
summit. |
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The late
start and drizzly pace
are catching up with us,
health problems and the
technical boulders slow
us in a grayish fashion.
Concerns about the
weather are written on
all of our faces.
Let us take a time out
here and learn a little
about weather from Mer
the Meteorologist.
The sun burns at a
scorching 11,000 degrees
Fahrenheit while
lightning burns at an
unbelievable 50,000
degrees!!! It's
the number two killer in
weather-related deaths
in the world and kills
126 Coloradoans a year.
Colorado is ranked 8th
in America in lightning
deaths. Being that
most of us in the group
are aware of these facts
and we are standing at
13,900 feet at this
point, and lightning
loves to strike high
places, concern is
completely legitimate.
The clouds are marching
in like Hawaiian waves
on a monster day; a
misty layer of fear
grazes our moods.
As of now, you may
notice that no one's
hair is standing up on
end, yet, which is the
first sign of a
lightning strike. |
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Reaching
the false summit, a
machine gun popping
noise greets us bouncing
off the canyon walls
rattling our brains into
confusion. Our
first omen hits us like
a freight train; an
angel is rushing in
below to pluck someone
out at the base of our
hike. I sure hope
he has the Mountain
Rescue insurance card. |
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With the
summit in view like a
carrot in front of a
horse and Mountain
Rescue below, we rally
and press on. |
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The great
mother storm is nipping
at our heels no matter
how hard we push.
The summit is near and
the weather has to take
a back burner in our
heads for the time
being. Our goal is
in reach and my first
fourteener is nearly
tangible. |
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Have I
mentioned yet that Chad
will take every chance
to put himself in the
most critical
situations? Here
is Chad and Maggie
making easy work of a
very difficult,
extremely exposed 5.7
near the summit.
These newlyweds make a
perfect match. |
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THE
SUMMIT!!! Here we
are at 14,264 feet.
Fourteener summited for
all, but what is the
sudden chill in the air?
Chad looks over at Mer
and shouts, "Mer your
hair is standing
straight up....EVERYONE
DOWN EVERYONE DOWN GET
OFF THE SUMMIT!!!
Eight seconds later
after this shot...BBBAAABBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!
A great lightning bolt
strikes somewhere in our
vicinity, and the summit
turns into a war scene.
Mer is yelling for me to
follow and I am running
in every direction not
knowing where to escape.
We spot a shallow
archway of rock, open on
both sides, for some
form of cover in hopes
the lightning will spare
us. |
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Serious
concern came across our
faces. We sat in
silence praying,
sporadically whispering
gentle comforting words
to each other.
Chad looks at Mer with
utter concern as the
hail pelts us in a
torrential downpour and
softly says, "Mer, if
something happens to me,
you are in charge, and
if something happens to
you, I am in charge."
That's when I knew the
situation had grown
extremely critical. |
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We wait
out the swooping raven
storm wondering what
would happen next.
While the lightning and
hail surrounds us,
concern slithers across
our faces, but my
wife...not a chance.
If heaven were coming in
the following minutes,
she was ready. |
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The
weather breaks for an
instant and we are off
racing across the
freshly ice coated
boulders toward the
steep descent. I
noticed the next wave of
ominous clouds marching
in the distance. |
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The rocks are
extremely slick as
we descend as
quickly as our
bodies will allow.
The rocks are fatal
by themselves as
each step threatens
to break an ankle,
shin, skull.
We round the corner
that allows us to
descend the front
part of the mountain
and I look up to see
an enormous thick
bolt of lightning
touch the ground
just behind our
parking spot miles
below. Still
being the highest
objects and miles
away from the car we
search for cover
once again. |
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At this cave we all
felt fortunate that
we were off the main
part of Mt. Evans
and at the next
weather break, we
may be able to reach
the parking lot.
The storm breaks
again and we are off
to make another
push, knowing at any
moment the next
round could be on
us. |
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The next set of
electricity starts
popping lightning
all around and we
make our best
impression of
sparrows flying to
the next cave for
shelter. Our
danger level is at
an all time high and
we all know this
could get really bad
really quick.
Pictured in the back
is Ben running as if
his life is counting
on it, because it
does. |
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We pile into a
petite cave holding
each other tight, as
the white fingers
form from the
charred sky touch
different rocks
around us every few
seconds. The
storm lets up a bit
and Chad comes out
to assess the
situation. I
look at Chad and
ask, "Do we stay or
go? It looks
bad towards our car
and we can't see
what's coming behind
the ridge, but it's
not doing anything
at the moment."
He looks at all of
us and says, "This
is the most
dangerous situation
I have ever been in.
And this could very
well become fatal.
It's 50-50 if we
leave the cave."
Then Ben asks with a
clear concern in his
tone, "What would
you do if you were
alone?" Chad
replies, " I would
make a run for it."
The faithful lemming
move on, with only
trust in our
captain. No
mutiny in this
family. |
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Sure enough, we
hustle towards the
parking lot in the
charged air only one
mile further and
CRACKLE SNAP
BOOOOMMMM!!!!
The lightning storm
encircles us like we
were bloodied in a
shark tank.
This is the last
place we are able to
hide and the
lightning splits us
into two groups.
We are on our own
from here on out.
Mer, Lilly, Maggie,
and I make our way
forward through the
flats with the
occasional near
strike when a white
flash surrounds me.
I turn around
looking back at the
girls wondering
where the flash has
been and as I made
eye contact...Baaaaaaazzzooommmmmm!!!
The girls hit the
deck, and I just
stare in shock at
them. I think
to myself, maybe
lying flat would be
a good idea as well,
as I drop, my fading
mental and physical
stamina forget to
avoid the rocks and
my new knee is split
open. At this
point everyone has
some kind of injury
and we are all
trudging along
absolutely
exhausted. We
ran to a small rock
and became
barnacles.
Here we are, out in
the being shot at in
every direction with
no cover. Once
again, for the
second time this
hike, we all look at
each other as if it
might be the last
time. 'I love
yous' are exchanging
from family member
to family member
knowing this is
probably how we are
going to end this
temporary existence.
Completely immovable
and the storm
showing absolutely
no sign of letting
up, we are trapped.
The camera is put
away and I am
preparing for the
worst. The
second group
approaches trying to
keep the forward
momentum in reaching
the beautiful
wonderful RUBBER
tired cars. No
one panics as Chad
instructs us to make
a run for he car
eons away.
Maggie leads the
charge ahead through
bolts of lightning
crackling at our
shoestrings as we
scramble to
Neverland. The
last mile is wide
open with thigh to
waist high rocks
that give little to
no shelter from
Zeus' throwing
display of strobed
jagged bolts.
We accept what our
future most probably
holds and make a
turtle sprint for
the car. Every
20 feet for the next
hour we crouch into
the lowest run we
can and hug a rock
for the sweet false
sense of security
the rock could
afford. Maybe
the rock can take
the brunt of the
50,000 degree burn
and not hurt me, I
think to myself.
As the lactic acid
feasts on our
muscles, we collapse
every ten feet for
the adrenalin cannot
overcome the pain.
Knowing any second
now one of us will
be hit and we will
somehow have to get
that person to
safety lurks in the
backs of our minds.
We run through the
grass, into a river,
up the road and
finally reach the
car. Unable to
stand, Lilly,
Maggie, and I wait
for everyone else to
reach the promised
land while we grab
out ankles gasping
for air.
Feeling guilty for
reaching the car
first we don't dare
get in the car.
We wait for all of
our fates to unfold
on this ominous day. |
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High on narrowly
escaping the
mountains grasp, I
ask Lilly to pose
for one last
picture.
Notice here hair;
no, it's not from
the wind. The
thick electricity in
the air has all the
girls' hair shooting
out in every
direction. The
rest of the crew
tells us to get in
the car before we
are struck in the
parking lot. I
guess we are pushing
our luck, but
somehow we make it
and it will be a
birthday party we
will never forget.
As we drive away, I
take one last look
over my shoulder to
the mighty Mt. Evan
and see only black
over the horizon.
Chad made the right
call and the
lemmings live to see
another day.
Our nearly fatal
error of starting
two hours too late
almost cost us much
more than a little
hail damage and
minor spills.
This was an
incredible bonding
experience for all
of us and when life
is on the line
again, I hope they
will all be with me.
Learn from our
mistake and always
follow the
guidelines of
Colorado
mountaineering.
My lessons learned.
This story is
dedicated to my
wife, Mer, without
your calming
presence, things
could have turned
out much
differently. I
am so in love with
you. Thank you
for being my
bridesby. |
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