Flatirons Hike on Superbowl Sunday

Pictures from Matt, Colleen, Kim, Brian and Mira’s trip up the Flatirons

Pikes Pk – Northwest Slopes – Winter Attempt

Date: January 11, 2003
Elevation: 14,110′
Rank: 31st
Route: Northwest Slopes, Grade II, Class 2, 14.0 miles, 4110ft vert.
GPS: N 38° 50.433′ W 105° 2.633′
Team: Matt Esser (Toid), Andrew Tobin

Pre-climb: Andrew emailed me and asked if I was interested in doing a 14er with him soon. We both had the itch to get outside and do one. For those of you that don’t remember, Andrew and I climbed Crestone Needle together this last year. It wasn’t long before a plan was set, and next thing we knew, we were headed to Pikes Peak to climb it in winter!

Climb: The drive out to Pikes was uneventful, and Andrew napped most the way. I of course couldn’t sleep the night before, so I was already tired. We arrived at the trailhead and were the only ones there. The temperature wasnt’ that cold, and we were ready to start climbing.

We found the pipes that Roach talks about and cut across the stream and started heading east. We eventually got way off trail as we were heading too far west. Don’t ask me why we were going this direction, it was just that this was where the main tracks went. The snow was deep and unpacked so that meant a lot of work. Andrew did a good job of breaking trail and eventually about halfway up the saddle two other guys joined up with us. We had been breaking trail for them, and they were just as lost.

Upon reaching the saddle, we saw the bottom part of the road, and started following it. I had to stop and take a lunch break and so the others scouted out ahead to see what they could find. Andrew radioed me and told me that the guys were going for the summit but that he was going to wait for me behind this rock. We couldn’t even see the summit of Pikes the snow cloud was so thick. By now the snow was falling really steadily, and we were faced with the question every mountaineer hates to face: Should we risk trying for the summit?

Fortunately, we agreed that it would probably be safer to descend and try again another day. The snow was tiring and I didn’t want to be on the summit of Pikes if I couldn’t see anything. That is half the reward! If I was climbing solely for summits, then well, I would have been more adament to continue on, however, since I’m not like that, I gladly turned around and headed back to my car.

Upon reaching my Blazer, Andrew and I loaded up and started pulling out. As the snow melted off the hood of my car, I began to notice a ticket on my car. I pulled over and read the ticket. Oops. Apparently there’s a day use fee I was supposed to pay. Yikes, well, I’m already back on the highway, I’ll make sure I pay it the next time I attempt to climb Pikes.

Drive: 2.5h
Ascent: 3.5h
Summit: –
Descent: 2.5h
Drive: 2.5h
Total: 6h