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Published: October 4th 2010
Conquering the Mountain ~
a fitting title conquering a mountain or conquering ones fear. Fear of heigths, fear of failure, fear of a dream left unfullfilled. Well, I had this dream of hiking up a mountain in Colorado, a mountain 14000 plus feet high. Now one could think that at my age that would be a crazy dream especially given the fact that I am not the athletic type and usually are afraid of heights. I had this dream ever since I saw this documentary about a company striving for healthier employees and rewarding the ones that followed through with a trip to the Rockies where they would hike to the top of one of those mountains. I found the idea so intriguing that I decided to do this myself. After Danica and Kevin moved to Colorado the idea, this dream became a fixation. I can hardly describe the beauty and awe one feels while in the mountains. My love for the mountains grew instantly with the first trip going up to Mount Evans. One can drive almost all the way up to the 14264 feet high mountain and only needs to climb the last 130 or so feet. An
easy task that even people with altitude problems can accomplish. The way up is pure awesomeness with the combination of trees, wildflowers, rocks, lakes and not to forget the beautiful mountain animals like marmots, picas and the mountain sheep, that are not shy and can see all over the route. I did like Mount Evans and have been there several times but being on the top strengthened my wish to hike up a mountain like those people in the documentary on TV.
So some years and several trips later on Labor Day 2010 I made my dream come true. The planning began with the decision which of the many mountains we should tackle. There are 57 peaks in the Colorado Rocky Mountains that are over 14000 feet high, the tallest being 14433 feet. Danica and Kevin had climbed Mount Bierstadt before which supposedly is an easy hike ~ for some people anyways ~ and I thought that would be perfect for me as well but I assume the German name was what I found most enticing. However they wanted to experience a new mountain and recently had been in Buena Vista and really liked the area. So it was
decided that we should climb Mount Yale, one of the Collegiate Peaks. Collegiate Peaks aptly called because all of the mountains in the area are named after Ivy League Schools. Mount Yale was given its name after Yale graduates climbed this mountain in 1869 and so the trend was born to name the surrounding mountains equally. The Collegiate Peaks are located in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Yale is 14196 feet high and is south of Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia ( 14420 and 14073 feet high) and north of Mount Princeton which is listed with a height of 14197 feet. All those peaks are in the San Isabel National Forest and close to the cities of Buena Vista, Leadville and Salida. To give you a little perspective here are some more facts: Mount Elbert is the highest of all the 14er mountains in Colorado with a height of 14433 feet and interestingly is the most easy to reach but it is said the hike is the least impressive. The peak hardest to conquer is North Maroon Peak though it is "only" 14014 feet high. Mount Yale sits right in the middle of ranking in height( 21st)
and difficulty to climb ( 26th) being a class 2 or as it says in the books more difficult with other authors calling it moderate.
So those are the stats, now let the adventure begin.
We started in Denver going south on highway 285, then highway 24 and 120miles and about two hours later we arrived in Buena Vista. From there driving west on Chaffee Country Road 306 along the Middle Cottonwood Creek one reaches the trailhead after about 12 miles. We stopped at the Collegiate Peaks campground to reserve a spot ( yes, I know 35 years ago I said I never wanted to go camping again, but people are allowed to change, right?) and made our way to the beginning of the trailhead. The weather was beautiful, warm but not hot, sunny skies, just a few clouds and the forecast was favorable for a trip out into the elements. On my previous trips I have learned that in the mountains bad weather can come at any time ~ we were hit with a snowstorm last June: it came literally out of nowhere and the conditions deteriorated so quickly that we had to return. Not on this
day though, everything looked good plus we were prepared with extra clothing, windbreakers, gloves, hats, scarves to brave conditions we might encounter higher up. We also had food, plenty of water and even those altitude pills some of which Danica had taken before we started out as she still has problems with the thinner air. Kevin, the gentleman he is, took all my belonging stating that I did not want to have to carry anything but myself~ boy was I thankful for that later on. I then learned that it was actually Danica who carried my things as Kevin already had a full pack with the water, food etc.~ big thanks to them both😊
The trail up to Mount Yale is called Denny Creek Trail and starts out at an elevation of about 9900 feet which means we had to overcome almost 4300 feet. After about 1/4 mile on the trail there is a sign leading to Mount Yale ( to the right) and Hartenstein Lake/Browns Pass ( straight on) The trail starts out in the forest and weaves through pines and aspens, crosses over creeks and for a while is parallel to the Delaney Gulch. The air was
fresh and walking through the forest was just so beautiful I thought " this is not so bad, I can do this". But it gets more difficult as the trail goes up constantly, so steep at times that I began to worry about the way back down. Not many people went up with us, in fact only one group and they overpassed us as we were too slow or I should say Danica and I were because Kevin went ahead and always had to wait for us. He got a lot of rest because of that. I guess it is common to hike up the mountain much earlier than we did, so most people came down early during our excursion.The mountain weather tends to change in the afternoon and it is best to start early. I got a kick out of a remark a young woman made, passing us by she stated while looking at me that her mother could not accomplish such a hike. It made me feel great, young and confident ~ I gained a lot of energy from those words. But it did not last very long, this "No big deal" attitude was quickly replaced by thoughts
like " I must be out of my mind" or "whose idea was this anyways?"
At a meadow in about 11000 feet we stopped to have lunch. Kevin, well prepared for such an endeavor, had all the right things, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bananas, pretzels. Now, I have to say, I am not a fan of peanut butter in general plus the jelly was on the sandwich in a thick layer and squirted out on all sides making me really not wanting to eat it. Kevin made me finish it, he said I had to, so reluctantly I ate it but only after he scraped away some of the jelly. Well Kevin has a lot more experience with moutain hiking than I so I listened. The spot we picked for lunch was perfect and beautiful with a firepit and treestumps arranged around it creating the perfect seating. After 1/2 hour we went on well rested and well fed to continue our hike.
In about 12000 feet the trail left the forest and as beautiful it was hiking within the trees we were ready for it to end. The hike through the forest took seemingly forever, I did
not expect trees in such a altitude as I had thought the timberline would be in a lower elevation. Finally out in the open we were rewarded with an awesome view of the peaks infront of us and the trees below, that alone was worth the hike. However in the open the wind, that had developed, become a challenge making the hike more difficult. Out came the windbreakers that we thankfully had packed. The trail while giving us this beautiful view became more and more dificult we walked on gravel and often had to climb over huge boulders. At this point the trail often was only visible because of those yellow and red feathery markers that were stuck in the boulders short distances apart. I think those markers are called divets.Also at this point I began to doubt my ability to finish the task. My body was hurting and my mind was telling me this crazy adventure needed to stop now. What did I have to prove? I didn't have to prove anything not to myself and certainly not to others. On the other hand I thought about my dream, the dream that was still there. Giving up now having
come so far would be wrong. I felt like having those good and evil characters swirling around me one urging me to quit the other to go on. With the help of Kevin and Danica who pushed me to go on the good prevailed and I kept going. The breaks however became more and more and at a shorter distance, breathing became harder, the aches were more noticable. At 13200 feet the climb began to get more and more difficult and steep and while earlier I was thinking about giving up now I was ready to do it. Looking up at the mountain that seemed so close but was still so far away, I just felt drained. By now the wind had become quite strong and the gusts made it difficult to go on. Hiking became bouldering which for you nonhikers means one has to climb over huge rocks using ones hands and feet. Now the gloves came in handy. Boy, was I thankful for being prepared at least in that respect. At heights we had to overcome 750 feet of elevation gain to reach the saddle at 13960 feet. More climbing, more bouldering, more overcoming the urge to give
up was necessary to reach the top, a most difficult task. In fact it was so difficult that the word difficult is an understatement. Kevin called the adventure brutal, but not even that word covers it. At this point the exhaustion was so huge, the wish to just sit down and stop so eminent neither one of the words is a fitting expression. I can't remember going through anything more strengerous other than maybe giving birth. But like giving birth you have a goal which keeps you going. Both have a sweet reward.
And what a reward I encountered once up there.
With my legs shaking I found myself on top of the mountain crying uncontrollably with the tears streaming down my face. Partly due to the total exhaustion but mainly because the view was so breathtakingly beautiful. The emotions overtaking my whole being I sat there in this awesome place taking in the pure beauty of nature. The wind was very strong now but the sun was shining. The clouds over the peaks all around us were making the view even more amazing. I can't seem to find the words that would do justice how it felt
being up there, the words to describe the beauty facing us.
The view was so beautiful, it seemed almost surreal as the moutains looked like a panting. It was a delight for all the senses and increased the awe I have for the mountains and nature in general. This was so very worth all the pains and aches. While we would have loved to stay up there and rejoyce in the beauty some more we decided to start our descend rather quickly. The strong wind with gusts of about 45-50 miles per hour was one of the reasons, the late hour certainly another one.
So after we took more pictures than necessary, after we soaked up enough of the awesome view that it could be engraved in our memory forever, and after Kevin was ready to give up the search for the marker we started our way back down. We needed to be out of the woods before dark settled in and it was a long way down, sure it was much easier now, but still the way was long, still the hike was difficult, the steep cliffs now visible. The wind blew so violently that I had to
take off my glasses as the tears were fogging them up. Though Kevin was pushing for a fast descent there still was time to stop to take more pictures of the nature and the few marmots frolicking on rocks enjoying the sun. Soon we were back in the forest where the trees sheltered us from the strong wind and some of the layers could be shed again. As the darkness was not far we marched through the woods rather quickly which was okay because all we wanted was to end the hike and stop walking. Only one time we really stopped ~ when a bear was standing next to the trail, staring right at me ready to cross my path. I, being the last one on the trail stopped in my tracks, called for Danica to come back. I was terrified and imagined myself being attacked by this animal thinking that I certainly could not have enough energy to fight a bear. Danica came back but did not see the bear though he was clearly visible. However she called for Kevin and he started yelling at the bear telling him to go away. It is said that should you encounter
a bear in the woods to act " big and strong" so the bear would think he had no chance and walk away. I think that is what Kevin was doing, but still both he and Danica did not see the animal though he was right there infront of them. I was frustrated, how in heavens name could they not see that big black monsterous creature. Well, the reason is easy ~ the bear I had seen along the path was actually a tree stump and only looked like a bear from my side. Naturally we all were thankful and relieved when we realized the bear was not really a bear and I will never get away from the teasing about the bear sighting. It must have been pure exhaustion as I had seen other "animals" before and so did Danica. When close to the end of the trail we saw an elk we all had to look twice to make sure it was really there. But we all saw it, it was a real animal and not another one of those imaginations. All three of us were equally happy when we reached the parking lot and the nine-hour hike
had finally ended. But for me it was also deep satisfaction to have fulfilled this dream of mine that invaded my mind over three years ago. And while I may have stated that day I would never wanted to do such a thing again I am now planning my next hike. Maybe this time we can pick a trail less difficult, less brutal but then again I conquered this mountain, so just stay tuned!
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Maura
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Love this
Marlies, What a goal to achieve! I'm so proud of you! I think that you and Folker should move to Colorado! That way, I can easily visit :) I especially like the bear story!!!