52 hours......That’s how long I was in the mountains, so what did I do and where did I go this time?
Monday morning I left Denver for Aspen with Cathedral Lake Trailhead as my destination. After a little breakfast at the Golden Burro in Leadville I was at the trailhead by 9:30am. On the way up Castle Creek I still noticed a good bit of snow high up on the peaks so with a little last minute sorting of my gear I was on the trail by 10am. 80 minutes later I was at Cathedral Lake. After a quick survey of the area around the lake I scrambled up the rocky slopes on the far side of the lake into the higher basin to be rewarded with a pretty cool view looking back down onto Cathedral Lake. I proceeded to do a little more explorations in this high basin, took a few snapshots, had some lunch then it started to rain, so I down climbed back to just above lake and headed south up a boulder strewn valley. My original plan was to shoot sunset/sunrise high on Malemute ridge, and camp down in the basin. After surveying the area I knew there was no where for me to place my tent, so option B took over, camp up on Malemute Ridge. Knowing there was no source of water on top, except for the snow I loaded up with extra water. I placed my brain bucket on my head and headed for the ridge, no trail here, no reason to be, nothing but a steep 40-45 degree rocky scree slope with tall 3-5 story rock towers surrounding the couloirs, oh boy this was going to be fun.....NOT!! 90 minutes later, 1300ft+ higher, a little wetter I had topped out on the ridge just below the summit. I was familiar with this area because I had been on the ridge before a few years before but I had hiked up from the other side Montezuma Basin 4x4 road. Malemute is a very jagged ridge, with one neat surprise hidden up there, a cabin. After an exhausting stair climb from hell I was rewarded with a spectacular views of Castle Peak, Conundrum Peak, Pearl Peak to say the least. Took a few minutes to recover from my ordeal then I setup my tent inside the old cabin, just in time before the hail and lightning came.
Nothing better being high on a ridge and the cracks/booms of lightning coming down around you......crazy....uh yes!
After the storm came and went I climbed the final part to the summit 13,348ft for sunset. Based on the register at the summit I was only the 9th person to the summit in the last 2 years, I wonder why? Sunset came and went with nothing special. A couple of times during the night I thought my tent and I were going to get blown right of the ridge. Some time during the night, I had to take 'a natural break' as the French say, and the stars where incredible, too cold, tired and lazy to breakout the camera.....I woke an hour before sunrise to watch the day begin in front of me....wow that’s all I can say!
Sunrise came and went, snapped a fair few shots, packed up my gear and started my adventure to get the hell out of there. I opted for a different couloir this time which was a little better than my journey up. After descending into the basin I made my own bushwhacking adventure to the trailhead, had to cross a raging stream at one point which was not that bad except for the willows on the other side wanted to push me back into the stream, but I got lucky and won them over. So here I am now back in Aspen mid morning, got some time to kill before I head out for my next little jaunt, so I decide to get on my rode bike and take the challenge of riding up Independance Pass. 4000ft+ and 1 hour 47 minutes later I succeed to the pass. The scary part was the ride down; hitting 40mph on some of those corners and bad road conditions is enough to get anyone’s heart pounding. Ride is done and I stumble into my car head for Kite Lake.
I arrive at Kite Lake early evening; repack my backpack with just the bare minimum and hike up to some tarns that I know about above Lake Rebecca. Rounding the corner to the lower slopes below Lake Rebecca I am graced by a nice 100yard+ 45degree snow slope, I am like....I can go straight up or take a longer around. No messing around here, straight up I go, then my poor legs start screaming at me, what the hell are you doing you stupid b@stard! After not too much problem, and I am at the lake. I am like...Wow! its 90-95% frozen but still has some pretty blue ice slightly submerged below the water.
Tent is setup again nearby one of my tarns, just finished my Subway sandwich, have a few minutes to wait then I proceed to get some more of those alpine shots you folks tend to like. Sunset was good, no clouds but in between the breaks in the wind the tarns produced some nice reflections. Sunrise was even better in my opinion because I had some nice buttermilk type clouds or whatever you call them....
Anyway folks that’s enough of me rambling on again....enjoy the pictures!
He uses a little disposable camera, Kathryn.
Jody, your ramblings were fun but i like your pics even more
Especially the lake shots and of those 9 & 13 are the bomb. I'm exhausted now just looking at them all...
Posted by Jack Garrett on July 18, 2009 at 9:46 AM
I remember once asking you if I could tag along on one of your trips.....I'm soooo glad you didnt take me up on it cuz I don't think I would have made the first summit. Anyway, this is a great collection Jody! I particularly like 1,3 and 5
Great stuff, as always, Mr. Grigg! BTW, it's Lake EMMA, not Rebecca. I love that place, almost went up there yesterday, haven't been in years, but ended up on the other side of that wall in Mosquito Basin.
Lake Rebecca is up above Texas Creek, kind of near Birthday Peak and Mt. Yale, in the Collegiates. There might be another one in the Park Range, too. Again, great shots! I love the first one with that bird's-eye view down to Cathedral Lake.
Discussion
28 repliesMonday morning I left Denver for Aspen with Cathedral Lake Trailhead as my destination. After a little breakfast at the Golden Burro in Leadville I was at the trailhead by 9:30am. On the way up Castle Creek I still noticed a good bit of snow high up on the peaks so with a little last minute sorting of my gear I was on the trail by 10am. 80 minutes later I was at Cathedral Lake. After a quick survey of the area around the lake I scrambled up the rocky slopes on the far side of the lake into the higher basin to be rewarded with a pretty cool view looking back down onto Cathedral Lake. I proceeded to do a little more explorations in this high basin, took a few snapshots, had some lunch then it started to rain, so I down climbed back to just above lake and headed south up a boulder strewn valley. My original plan was to shoot sunset/sunrise high on Malemute ridge, and camp down in the basin. After surveying the area I knew there was no where for me to place my tent, so option B took over, camp up on Malemute Ridge. Knowing there was no source of water on top, except for the snow I loaded up with extra water. I placed my brain bucket on my head and headed for the ridge, no trail here, no reason to be, nothing but a steep 40-45 degree rocky scree slope with tall 3-5 story rock towers surrounding the couloirs, oh boy this was going to be fun.....NOT!! 90 minutes later, 1300ft+ higher, a little wetter I had topped out on the ridge just below the summit. I was familiar with this area because I had been on the ridge before a few years before but I had hiked up from the other side Montezuma Basin 4x4 road. Malemute is a very jagged ridge, with one neat surprise hidden up there, a cabin. After an exhausting stair climb from hell I was rewarded with a spectacular views of Castle Peak, Conundrum Peak, Pearl Peak to say the least. Took a few minutes to recover from my ordeal then I setup my tent inside the old cabin, just in time before the hail and lightning came.
Nothing better being high on a ridge and the cracks/booms of lightning coming down around you......crazy....uh yes!
After the storm came and went I climbed the final part to the summit 13,348ft for sunset. Based on the register at the summit I was only the 9th person to the summit in the last 2 years, I wonder why? Sunset came and went with nothing special. A couple of times during the night I thought my tent and I were going to get blown right of the ridge. Some time during the night, I had to take 'a natural break' as the French say, and the stars where incredible, too cold, tired and lazy to breakout the camera.....I woke an hour before sunrise to watch the day begin in front of me....wow that’s all I can say!
Sunrise came and went, snapped a fair few shots, packed up my gear and started my adventure to get the hell out of there. I opted for a different couloir this time which was a little better than my journey up. After descending into the basin I made my own bushwhacking adventure to the trailhead, had to cross a raging stream at one point which was not that bad except for the willows on the other side wanted to push me back into the stream, but I got lucky and won them over. So here I am now back in Aspen mid morning, got some time to kill before I head out for my next little jaunt, so I decide to get on my rode bike and take the challenge of riding up Independance Pass. 4000ft+ and 1 hour 47 minutes later I succeed to the pass. The scary part was the ride down; hitting 40mph on some of those corners and bad road conditions is enough to get anyone’s heart pounding. Ride is done and I stumble into my car head for Kite Lake.
I arrive at Kite Lake early evening; repack my backpack with just the bare minimum and hike up to some tarns that I know about above Lake Rebecca. Rounding the corner to the lower slopes below Lake Rebecca I am graced by a nice 100yard+ 45degree snow slope, I am like....I can go straight up or take a longer around. No messing around here, straight up I go, then my poor legs start screaming at me, what the hell are you doing you stupid b@stard! After not too much problem, and I am at the lake. I am like...Wow! its 90-95% frozen but still has some pretty blue ice slightly submerged below the water.
Tent is setup again nearby one of my tarns, just finished my Subway sandwich, have a few minutes to wait then I proceed to get some more of those alpine shots you folks tend to like. Sunset was good, no clouds but in between the breaks in the wind the tarns produced some nice reflections. Sunrise was even better in my opinion because I had some nice buttermilk type clouds or whatever you call them....
Anyway folks that’s enough of me rambling on again....enjoy the pictures!
Jody
Jody, your ramblings were fun but i like your pics even more
Especially the lake shots and of those 9 & 13 are the bomb. I'm exhausted now just looking at them all...
A great series and manic story to match. It's always enjoyable to log on and find one of your adventure posts!