Delano

A group of about eight of us started off from Salt Lake City south on I-15. After numerous relief breaks “and not because of me, I was driving” we exited I-15 and ate at Wendy’s Beaver. After eating we started the drive up towards Elkhorn Ski area on 153 in search of Big John Flat turn off. Well that didn’t happen, our navigator in a separated vehicle other than mine had a few too many cocktails and had us off on some four wheel drive jeep trail plowing through snow banks. After getting a general census to turn around we started back out towards route 153, by this time it was dark so we decided to camp about a thousand meters from the road. After tipping back a half dozen libations myself we decided to separate some of the snoring ones from the group. Well I didn’t get far enough away from the chainsaw that was cranking on a large woodpile all night. Needless to say I got zero sleep, which is typical of me the first night out. The next morning we drove up 153 past the ski resort and found a good trail leading off northeast through some logging slash (which is always fun) towards what our navigator thought was the saddle between Mt. Holly and Delano, the plan was to hit the two peaks which can be easily accomplished in a day. So we hit the saddle and headed south and up to the peak. After eating we slid down the snow and made our way back to the saddle. We all regrouped and started the trek due north to the next summit. I hit the summit a fair distance a head of the group. This peak has a nice summit marker, but it said Mt. Holly not Delano. Our infamous leader had sent us up Lake Peak first Not Holly. So after a good razzing we all sucked it up and headed north down off of Holly towards Delano. The hike across the ridge and large tundra like slopes is very breath taking. Here is where I got the nickname Highlander, I found a large walking stick and found myself alone while trekking up to Delano. After glissading off the east side of Delano a dozen times the group finally made the peak. What a day, lessons learned 1. Don’t let the drinking guy navigate, 2. Don’t let him ever live it down.