5.23: Mount Elbert, kings & queens.

May 23, 2018
Sawatch Range
13/58

I nursed an incredibly achy right foot and leg after I got home from Spain, silently worrying about a stress fracture. But it didn’t take me long to start lining up short hikes – staying still was more painful than my leg and mostly I was in denial – I couldn’t accept an injury that would keep me from the summer plans I was holding onto so tightly.

I admittedly didn’t know much about 14ers before this summer began. I had climbed twelve comparatively “easy” 14ers and I had a general idea of a few of the peaks I hadn’t done. I knew I had some long drives ahead of me. I also knew that generally mid-June to early-September is what’s considered 14er season due to snow levels. For this reason, I anticipated I would begin my hiking endeavors mid to late-June. On a whim, I began researching trail conditions of some of the 14ers I had heard might make decent early-season climbs. That search led me to the discovery that most 14ers in Colorado, especially those in the Sawatch Range, already had “summer conditions” due to minimal snow this year. Suddenly, my hiking plans were expedited and my leg pain forgotten. I immediately texted the adventure friend I mentioned in my Quandry write-up, the closest thing I’ve ever had to a brother, and asked what his chances of getting the upcoming Wednesday off of work were. Turns out, he already had it off for plans that had fallen through. Just like that, we had plans to hike Colorado’s highest peak before the end of May.

We opted to camp at the trailhead the night before our climb instead of drive through the middle of the night. After scoping out the perfect campsite, tents were pitched, hammocks were hung and my friend wandered off in search of firewood. I had embarked on this adventure straight from a sleepless night at work, so I opted to kick it in my hammock, instead.

I eagerly bought Sonia Choquette’s book “Walking Home” months before the Camino. When it arrived, I spontaneously resolved not to read it. I wanted everything about my experience to be through my own eyes. So instead, it decorated my nightstand for months. Bringing it on this trip felt like the right timing. And then, as with most books, I made it about twenty pages in, carried it around with me for a few weeks and then abandoned it entirely. I want to be an avid reader, really I do, but this seems to be my fate with about 90% of the books I begin.

I digress, I sat in my hammock and took pictures of my feet and swatted mosquitos as much as I read, my friend gathered and chopped firewood and then prepared a meal that was up to his standards. (I love camping, but I’m the absolute laziest when it comes to camp-cooking. I don’t know why it stresses me out so much, it just does. As we wandered the Leadville grocery store isles a few hours earlier, I made serious suggestions including Cheezits for dinner or stopping at Subway on our way out of town. He wouldn’t have it and offered to cook dinner so that I’d stop complaining. Refer back to the “closest thing I’ve ever had to a brother” comment, because I wasn’t kidding).

We (gah, he, I promise I’m not usually as much of a bum as this trip is making me sound) cleaned up and called it an early night due to the trek we had ahead of us. Our alarms went off at 0500, I boiled water (totally kidding, my friend did that, I’m out of excuses) for our morning tea, we packed our backpacks, tied our shoes and began hiking by 0520.

After a few hours of good conversation, more leg pain than I care to admit and the constant reminder of how little oxygen there is at these elevations, we reached the windy summit and basked in the reality that we were the “highest people (and dog) in Colorado,” snapped a few pictures, in which I proudly wore my Mat Kearney sweatshirt, and turned back around.

Later that day I posted my summit picture and tagged Mat Kearney (my forever favorite) on a whim, shortly afterwards he congratulated me in a comment. Then I peed my pants, the end.

Just kidding, the real “the end” is that it was a successful and perfect kick off for everything I hope this summer will be.

Also kidding about the peeing my pants part.