Tell me about Blanca Peak in SO Colo

[porsche4life]

Have a friend that is wanting to go bag this 14er over our fallbreak and he wants me to tag along. We would be out there around Oct. 20. Is it suggested or is that too late in the year? Also how big of an ass kicker is this? Do it in a long day?

[ODDJOB UNO]

thats hunting season there. and dont fergit to check in with the ranger. also the ranger as well as anyone else there will tell you:




if the weather gets really bad(alaskan coldfront moving down) and yer stranded and out of food or seriously injured........................


BE SURE TO FIND A NICE BIG BLOW DOWN TREE AND LAY OVER IT BEFORE YA DIE!



why you ask?




see that way when ya CROAK yer PRE-FORMED BENT OVER FROZEN AND ITS EASIER TO PACK YOU OUT ON A SEARCH AND RESCUE HORSE SADDLE!



as me how i know this????



this is the STANDING LINE for any COLORADO RANGER/SEARCH AND RESCUE given to LATE SEASON HUNTERS/MTN CLIMBERS!



and i lived there in evergreen/denver and for a short while in durango.

[porsche4life]

Obviously appropriate precautions would be taken and the weather would be monitored closely.

[TechnoViking]

Word on the hunting season. Wear orange, and chew some tobacco....you'll fit right in. Climb Long's peak, and I'll buy you a beer on the 21st

[TechnoViking]

I'm not kidding on the wearing orange. The more the better. Most hunters are very thoughtful, but I've seen some guys take a shot at stuff moving in the brush.

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Obviously appropriate precautions would be taken and the weather would be monitored closely.

that my friend is a NO B.S. story! lots of hunters/climbers get nailed by weather. sometimes for the worst.


you have (2) types of snow there. wet snow dry snow. pray for DRY SNOW! the wet snow is horrible and its a GIANT PITA no matter the activity.


14,000 feet i have been snowed on big time in freeking JULY!


14,000 feet i have almost been nailed by lightning jeeping and dirty bikeing in JULY!


numerous times on ski's we have been nailed by whiteouts on the front range-lake eldora, vail/copper/breckinridge/aspen(center of state) and even in steamboat in NW corner of state let alone purgatory,telluride.


i have been nailed by whiteouts at wolf creek pass/monarch pass/ and even on I-25 down by raton and trinidad. eisenhower tunnel(I-70) has been closed on us early season.


the weather there is a giant crap shoot.

[porsche4life]

What are the chances of getting nailed mid day? Say you get up and everything looks grand.. Nothing on the radar... Safe to hike?

[slodave]

Make sure you know where the jack is located. It sucks to get stranded on the top of the Continental Divide...

[porsche4life]

We would be hiking in from decent roads... And I always carry the right stuff to deal with a flat....

[ODDJOB UNO]

hey dude................trust me on this. it better be clear sailing on the radar for your ENTIRE TRIP!


lightning leaders can travel 5 miles ahead of any cloud.


you are above timberline.


you are taller than the rocks.


you may become GROUND!



i have never in my life been as scared in july on top of eng pass and black bear pass. and the same has happened numerous times on other passes jeeping and dirty bikeing.


we were at lower levels around lake city, in our tent when on a clear azz day hear comes some BOOMERS. the next thing we know we are running for the truck cuz the tent with alum poles was a real dum azz idea for life longevity. that storm lasted the rest of the day into the following morning. i won the dum-azz award for life for picking that spot to enjoy nature and get away from everyone.


now when the boomers show up, just imagine them and the echo. the damn echo was deafening. let alone the original thunderclap.


when on eng pass, we hauled azz for the nearest mine shaft and ran in and were stuck for a good coupla hours. it sucked. the wonder of nature was gone after the first sphincter movement!



know yer weather and check in with ranger and give arrive /departure times and phone #'s of next of kin.


YOU/me quite easily can be ZAPPED INTO TOAST! its ser-i-ass POO!

[porsche4life]

If we go I will carry one of these.
SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER :: HOME PAGE

As well as a weather radio. If the forecast looks ugly we won't hike... Simple as that... Take some fishing gear and keep our dumbazzes near the truck.

Bagging a 14k peak looks fun... But I have no interest in dying... Not yet and not that way.

[ODDJOB UNO]

im not trying to scare ya off by any means just know what the hell is going on.


flatlanders/city slickers get caught in this all the time. to the point that there is a FEE added for SEARCH AND RESCUE COSTS on EVERY HUNTING LICENSE!


i just looked the peak up. seems the wheeler expedition was the 1st whiteys to explore. and when they made the summit they found a STRUCTURE either built by UTE indians or "roving spain-yards" LOL!


they work their azz off thinking their the 1st juans up there and they find out somejuan else made the summit before them. talk about a BUZZ KILL!


look for gold while yer up there along with silver. what the hell you may yell EUREKA!

[porsche4life]

I know you aren't trying to scare... Just inform... Which is what I am looking for. I'm hoping to hear from some of the backpackers as well. Still trying to get a bearing on this thing... My buddy seems to think it will be easy... I'm mixed.

[ODDJOB UNO]

well to me..............it sure as hell doesnt look EASY! about the only kritters you will find up above timberline is marmots and rocky mtn bighorns.


bears /elks/deer-skis will be down low . especially if any weather has or is coming in.


bottomline.............if the elks and deerskis are going DOWN the mtn while yer driving or walking up the mtn..............they just may know something the dumazz weatherman doesnt.


the coldest i have seen in colorado was -22 in the back bowl of vail one winter. the coldest ever i have seen was at chicago ohare and it was -47 with windchill.



i have also skied copper mtn/loveland basin in shorts in jan some years. the states weather is just as goofy as arizonas weather. countless times weatherman states "no rain" and its raining at my house. WTF?



best all around hands down site for weather is NOAA.com.


weather is a very INEXACT SCIENCE!

[boba]

Back in the late 80's I did 2 14teeners, one was Sherman, do not remember the other. It was part of a team building program run out of Colorado Springs. Anyway some of the things we were told was to plan to summit by noon, the weather changes quickly and a storm can come in fast and be very localized. When we reached the summit on Sherman there was a lightning storm below us on the other side coming fast. It was neat to look down on the lightning, but for just a moment. Carry storm gear no matter how nice the weather looks when you start. Coming down has more risk than going up, no fun to add a storm to the mix.

Have a safe and fun climb, it is a bucket list item for a flatlander.

[porsche4life]

I was actually considering carrying my tent and bag... As a JIC... If it gets ****ty... Throw the tent up and try to ride it out... If all else fails punch the SOS on the spot and wait.

[slodave]

I say screw all the modern stuff and just go with a pair of Crocs, shorts and t-shirt. Use your surroundings if the stuff hits the fan.... You a real man?

[boba]

Tent may less use than your bag.

Thing is if the weather turns on the way up just turn around and come back the next day. The chance it just blows over are as likely as it will just sit there. Remember mother nature rules.

[porsche4life]

Of course... If it starts looking ugly I would hightail it for the truck and motel room... We have a 2day window to hike and if then we would need to head home.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by slodave

I say screw all the modern stuff and just go with a pair of Crocs, shorts and t-shirt. Use your surroundings if the stuff hits the fan.... You a real man?

Well of course... But I don't want it to seem like I am showing off...