Heading back to the Sangres next week
Jul 12, 2017 7:28:22 GMT -8
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msdoolittle and Lamebeaver like this
Post by cweston on Jul 12, 2017 7:28:22 GMT -8
I'm going to do everything within my power to avoid altitude sickness this time: I'm taking two acclimation days of climb-high-sleep-low on the way to the trailhead: on day one, we'll drive to Colorado Springs, hike (gentle elevation gain) to a little below 10,000 at Barr camp, then sleep in Colo Springs (6,500 ft). The next day, we'll climb St. Charles Peak in the Wet Mountains (about 11,500), then sleep at the Music Pass trailhead (9,000). (Should be a great view of the Sangres from the summit of St. Charles.)
I'll pre-hydrate so hard that we'll have to stop at every rest area between here and the Sangres. No alcohol after leaving home (until after the hiking, anyway). I'm packing lots of the foods that I seem to be able to choke down in the early days of a hike at altitude.
Then we start our BP via Music Pass--this route was chosen because it makes the first day also fit the climb-high-sleep-low principle. We'll come in over Music Pass (about 11,500), then drop to Sand Creek to camp at something like 10,500 (or we can drop further down Sand Creek if need be).
I'm hoping to be able to cross Milwaukee Pass the next day, but if that isn't in the cards, we can climb-high-sleep-low again, exploring the Sand Creek Lakes, maybe climb the lower ridge of Tijeras, or explore the Little Sand Creek drainage (for solitude, which one does not find in the main Sand Creek drainage in July).
We're planning to make our way over Milwaukee Pass and eventually via the Broken Hand/Crestolita saddle and Broken Hand pass to the South Colony drainage. If all is well, we'll climb Humbolt and return to the car via the South Colony road/trail and the Rainbow Trail.
I've been on most of this ground before, but my son hasn't, so that will be fine. He also hasn't climbed a 14er (nor have I in the last four decades), so that will be a nice addition. Hopefully the vomit gods will be with me this time.
I'll pre-hydrate so hard that we'll have to stop at every rest area between here and the Sangres. No alcohol after leaving home (until after the hiking, anyway). I'm packing lots of the foods that I seem to be able to choke down in the early days of a hike at altitude.
Then we start our BP via Music Pass--this route was chosen because it makes the first day also fit the climb-high-sleep-low principle. We'll come in over Music Pass (about 11,500), then drop to Sand Creek to camp at something like 10,500 (or we can drop further down Sand Creek if need be).
I'm hoping to be able to cross Milwaukee Pass the next day, but if that isn't in the cards, we can climb-high-sleep-low again, exploring the Sand Creek Lakes, maybe climb the lower ridge of Tijeras, or explore the Little Sand Creek drainage (for solitude, which one does not find in the main Sand Creek drainage in July).
We're planning to make our way over Milwaukee Pass and eventually via the Broken Hand/Crestolita saddle and Broken Hand pass to the South Colony drainage. If all is well, we'll climb Humbolt and return to the car via the South Colony road/trail and the Rainbow Trail.
I've been on most of this ground before, but my son hasn't, so that will be fine. He also hasn't climbed a 14er (nor have I in the last four decades), so that will be a nice addition. Hopefully the vomit gods will be with me this time.