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Date: July 10, 2005
Elevation: 14,042'
Rank: 43rd
Route: North Face, Grade II, Class 3, 7.8 miles, 3400ft vert.
GPS: N 37° 35.033' W 105° 26.717'
Team: Matt Esser (Toid)
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Mt. Lindsey Trip Report:
Pre-climb: Colleen gave me the green light to get out and do a 14er on my own. (My first solo since before we got engaged) I basically had three 14ers that I was eyeing for a one day trip and those were: Missouri, Holy Cross and Lindsey. I decided on Lindsey based on that I hadn't been to the Blanca area yet and wanted to scout out the rock in that area in preparation for next summers Lake Como trip.
Climb: Waking up at 1am is hard to do. Especially when you go to bed after 10pm and you only had 6 hours of rest the night before. Oh well, I smashed my alarm clock in and got up anyways. Luckily I was already packed, I just had to do the last bit of the formal routine such as filling my nalgenes and getting "breakfast" (if you can call it that at this time of night). I stopped at the gas station on my way out of town and by 1:30am I was rolling my way towards Mt. Lindsey.
I made one stop in Pueblo to get a Coke as I needed my early morning caffeine, and one stop in Walsenburg to fill up on gas. (Thanks for the heads-up for filling up with gas for the drive from there to the TH, whoevers TR I read.) It's a long drive, and to put any doubt to if a 2wd vehicle can make it, I saw a Geo Metro at the TH. The drive to the trailhead was filled with many, many aspen's. I don't believe I have ever seen that many fully mature aspen's in my life. There were also multiple deer sightings, I also saw a shooting star.
The weather was nice, blue skies, but warm and windy. I worried about how windy it would be up top from the trailhead as I could hear it howling from my car and it was only 6am. I quickly signed in to the trail register and was off at an amazing pace and soon (20 min) at the infamous Huerfano river crossing. I noticed some logs that were above the water level and the river was only a foot deep or so, and there was no need to take my boots off, I just used my poles to balance as I crossed. It was easy to find. It's rather funny looking back, before the trip I was all worried about this river crossing when really my boots got wetter hiking the first part of the trail due to the many smaller water crossings.
Once you cross the river it's like you're on a different trail. The trail shoots up the gully and it doesn't mess around getting you to 12k where it dumps you into this beautiful overlook into the basin in front of Lindsey. Great views of Blanca as well. I had no problem following the trail, the only part where I had to think was when the trail looked like it went up a steeper part into the trees or stayed along the river. You want to go up into the trees. Eventually you'll cross the river over to the right side, but that's not until near the top.
Still making good time, I took a break and put on my jacket as the wind was really coming across the basin, but in a good direction...it would be my tailwind to push me up to the saddle between Lindsey and Iron Nipple. What a name for a mountain.
I love hiking in basins. When you're in one or looking down at people in one, you realize the scope of things. Giant peaks surround you in all directions and yet here you are in this lush green area with a small runoff of water, oh it was gorgeous. All too soon I was across it and started the climb up to the ridge and then ultimately the saddle. It was here I passed one group who said they made the saddle but decided not to go any further due to how they felt. I'm actually happy when people climb with common sense and realize when to call it a day instead of extending themselves. I pressed on and made the saddle in three hours and was happy with that and so I stopped to take a seat, a drink of water and take the same picture everybody takes of the remaining route. I was now faced with the decision of which route I wanted to take. I had my climbing helmet, and there was very little snow in the couloir (and completely avoidable), so either route was acceptable. I started hiking towards the start of the ridge route when a second party was coming down the ridge. I asked them how the route was, and they made it to the knife edge and said they didn't want to cross it, nor downclimb around it because they didn't know if another one was above it. I told them that there wasn't anything bad after they made it up the part with a large crack down the middle of it just beyond the knife edge move, but they were climbing without helmets and very light gear and I guess didn't feel comfortable with it, and were now too tired to attempt the couloir. Well crap.
I thought about things for a moment, and maybe the elevation was affecting the amount of blood to my brain, but I chose to settle on the loose rock couloir route instead of the ridge route. Why on earth I decided to do this after I stayed up the previous night and came to the conclusion that everybody who climbed it said take the ridge route is beyond my understanding. It was a big mistake on my part because due to there already being two parties above me on the couloir (one with helmets and one without), I had to wait it out for the people above me to make their way up and out of the chute because the second group was not climbing on the Class 3 rocks to the right of the gully and were dropping rock bombs more frequently than I would have liked. *sigh*
Time passed and eventually I decided that the longer I sat here the more likely I would be attacked by monster marmots, not to mention I was drinking all my water while I waited, so I started climbing up the Class 3 part to the right of the horrible, loose gully of rocks. Even the rocks to the right weren't that solid, but at least they would hold my weight when I walked on them. But then all of the sudden, as I was making this extended move while holding onto a rock, my left boot exploded due to the pressure and the weird angle it was at, and the lacing came all shooting out. The sudden surprise of no support from my foot made me think the mega rock I was on gave way and I was soon going to be following it downhill for a long ride. But then when I looked down to see why I wasn't falling, I was actually relieved to only find out it was my hiking boot that gave way, not the rock. I made the move and then had to patch together my boot. Well, now with one bum boot, crappy footholds, people above me without helmets kicking rocks off, I made very slow time up the route to the false summit of Lindsey. I actually thought that is where I was supposed to go, until I got there and noticed that there was an easier way up to the top from the gully. I only noticed this route because I saw the other two parties descending it. For people reading this, first of all, take the ridge route, not the North Face route like I did, however, if you do take the couloir, when you get to the top of what you can see, continue straight on over the gully, and you'll see a trail that traverses more parallel with the ridge, instead of trying to gain the ridge once making it up the couloir like I thought I was supposed to do.
I made the walk over to the true summit of Lindsey and took a seat. I noticed I was now down to half a nalgene of water. Six hours after leaving the trailhead. What happened? I was at the saddle in three and felt great, then I simply chose the wrong route and the mountain won. Now I felt worse than I have on any other summit. However, the views from Lindsey were spectacular and I could see the Crestones, as well as Blanca, Ellingwood and Little Bear. I opened the summit register and to my surprise there were a lot of names from 14erworld that had climbed the previous day. I recognized most of them, but was too tired to really read all the comments. In fact, in mine I didn't put what number I was at, I didn't put my website address or mention 14erworld, all I said was "Tired." That's what I get for taking the North Face route.
I quickly ate some Skittles, and then momentarily thought about maybe taking the ridge down. While this may have been a good decision, I wasn't about to make Classic Climbing Mistake #2: Descending what you didn't climb up. So, I was forced with my gimp boot and all to try and make it back down to the saddle via that cursed couloir that is so steep and loose, I can think of a hundred other places I'd rather be and that's not good when you're up at 14,000ft on a mountain. Truly a nightmare. I slowly picked my way down and when I finally got back to the saddle all I could do was thank God for me making it down safely and look back at what I just did and shake my head. Subliminal message, for people reading: TAKE THE RIDGE.
The clouds were starting to flair up and now the Iron Nipple was completely out of the question due to the couloir taking two hours longer than expected to ascend, so I headed downhill back towards the basin and a water source so I could filter water for my remaining trek out. I decided to take my time to enjoy the scenery for once and to actually hang out at various places along the river just to sit and watch the water tumble over to rocks and to listen to the noises of nature. Something I don't normally do on hikes that I should do. All too often I'm in too much of a hurry to get to the summit in back down that I forget to enjoy what I really came to enjoy...nature.
By now it was starting to sprinkle rain and it was pushing 5pm and I was still descending towards the river crossings. I was mildly hoping to maybe see a bear from a distance trying to find food, but that didn't happen and once I hit the flat part of the trail I decided the rain was now starting to be a little much and and hoofed it back to my Blazer. Of course, as soon as I got there it stopped raining.
After putting on my sandals, I looked into the mirror to realize another mistake I made that day. I forgot to reapply sunscreen. Being a computer guy, I'm pasty white and burn easily and if I don't apply every few hours I turn into a red lobster and without fail, that's what I look like now. However, I thought the hike was only going to take seven, maybe eight hours, but due to the waiting on the ascent and casual descent, it took 11.5 hours. Yikes.
I don't want to talk anybody into doing something that is past their abilities but if you are capable of doing Class 3+, do the ridge route, and I guarantee you'll have more fun. Finally, after all that, the long drive back to the highway and then home combined for a pretty long day.
Pictures: (Click on picture for caption)
Profile:
Time:
| Drive |
Ascent |
On Summit |
Descent |
Drive |
Total |
| 4.5 h |
5.75 h |
15 min |
5.5 h |
4.5 h |
11.5 h |
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