I know, it's 2014... In fact, it's nearly March of 2014. However, I'm just now going to start this blog since I've never really thought of the idea until a few hours ago... So I'll start back in September of 2013, when Catherine Hinds, Isaiah Branch-Boyle and I did Ellingwood Arete on the Crestone Needle, Sangre De Cristo's.
I had first met Catherine just 2 weeks prior to this trip, and was still getting to know her. I didn't know much, but I did know this girl was a genuine badass. We met through mutual friends at Garden of the Gods (practically my home crag) and instantly just started climbing together on a regular basis. So we started climbing more and more together and that got me thinking...let's do something fun and possibly adventurous before school starts up again and she has to go to New Zealand? (oh yeah, she was going to New Zealand mid September) So I started thinking...maybe just a fun weekend at Shelf or Turkey? Yeah, that could be fun! So we planned it. But then, I remembered my best friend and climbing partner Isaiah was coming back into town! I gave him a call and we instantly just got stoked off of each other's stoke (if that's possible or makes any sense) to go do something fun before the semester began and the Crestone Needle came into mind... it was very moderate, in a gorgeous setting, and very close! SO why not? It was planned. It was Wednesday (and Catherine and I were planning on just a cragging weekend) when I called her and announced the decision to go do this thing! She was instantly in. Not ever doing more than 3 pitched in her life, let alone somewhat alpine style, she was pumped, and it was a done deal.
I got off at 8pm Friday night and we took off South towards the Sangres. It was Catherine and Isaiah's first time meeting which was super rad in the sense that were gonna do a 14er alpine wall (ish) on a whim! The car was entertaining and felt a lot shorter than it was. But, as it turns out, it was already 11pm when we got to the TH parking lot... We had to choose, sleep here and hike in the few mile hike in the morning at about 3am, or backpack in and get to the campsite at about 2 and wake up at 5ish... We geared up (just a handful of cams and a single rope along with basic camping equipment) and headed out. After meeting a couple parties on the trail, we got to a good site at about 1:45am, and got to bed at 2/2:15.
Next thing you know, it was 5, and Isaiah was first up getting some water heated up. A few minutes later, I woke up to him singing
The Cave by Mumford and Sons, and excitedly - yet very exhaustedly - joined him for some oatmeal and scrambled eggs. Shortly after, Catherine quietly crawled out of the tent and instantly smiled. Despite how tired we were, we had a long day ahead of us. After a few rounds of coca and a couple bites to eat, we headed out.
It was about 5:30 and we were just passing the lakes at the base of the needle.
I can't quite recall, but I think it was around 6:15 when we finally reached the easy, direct 5.5 start of the mountain. Pitch was a piece of shit, but a blast. The cobblestone was seeping and the gear was worthless. Thankfully it was very easy and the anchor was alright. Since we only brought one rope, I just tied in a halfway and simul-belayed Isaiah and Catherine up 35m. Pitch 2 was a bit better with a better belay ledge, and pitch 3 was definitely better with a somewhat airy move on the same 5.5ish ground to the start of the famous, self-titled ledges.
Here is where the fun part began - chossy slab walls intermixed with grass-filled ledges for the next several hundred (maybe 1000sih?) feet. (definitely no rope needed). After quite a bit of practically glorified hiking, we hit the Red Knob, which was just about halfway (if not a bit higher). Here, we hit another party who was roped up. Respectfully, we asked if they minded if we could just solo past them and they had no problem.
Though it was most likely 5.6 or easier, it was still so sick to be soloing over 1000ft above the valley floor. Definitely a feeling I won't easily forget. However, I felt very bad for the roped up party...they were roping up for even the more mild parts of the climb, which takes a lot of time seeing as there were 3 of them and clouds were already rolling in... yikes. Much respect for them getting out and having a fun, though! Next up, we ran into the "boulder problem" section a few hundred feet after the Red Knob and flawlessly made it past that up to much easier, hiking like terrain. Shortly after, we ran into one more party at the base of the "crux" headwall. As is turns out, the were moving very slow and had a crew of about 5... We expected this, though, seeing as it is a North American Classic 50 and were completely keen to wait. While waiting, I started to feel very nauseous, and somewhat dizzy and weak... Before I knew it, I was puking my ass off... At just below 14,000 ft., I was showing classic altitude sickness symptoms. This was very weird to me because I had spent the whole summer doing 14ers and never felt a thing? In any case, it was happening now... OH, and we were out of water... I had grabbed the wrong size bladder from my car :/. So I just took a quick nap, waiting for the other party to move along, and progressively felt worse. Soon enough it was our turn, and Isaiah lead the next pitch with ease. I was trudging up the 5.7 feeling like absolute shit, and we still had a few hundred feet to go... Well, after a bit more of waiting for the other party, I started to feel better (thank goodness!) and we topped out the Needle a bit before noon and I was instantly better. The euphoria and immense amount of stoke was enough to topple my sudden illness.
Though it was only 6 real pitches of easy climbing, the experience was absolutely astonishing. Such a beautiful mountain with amazing views all around. You can't beat an amazing day out with your best friends. Not possible. The hike down was way too long but at the same time way to aesthetic:
After the hike down, we ate our asses off and Catherine attempted to teach us yoga... in the rain... It didn't work out. I don't know what it is about girls, but they will pack ENORMOUS amounts of food for the smallest trip... I'm definitely not complaining. But damn... they get after it. Catherine packed like 4 full fish fillets in a GLASS container... not TUPPERWARE, glass... <-- dedication. I had mountain houses and I thought I was cool...
After a beautiful night's rest we hung out in the lake and took it easy before I had to head back to work at 5 that day. In somewhat of a miracle, I made it on time.
PC: Isaiah Branch-Boyle. Find him on Facebook or anywhere online for that matter.
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