Tabeguache Peak
Trip Details
Mountains: Mt. Shavano (14,229’) and Tabeguache Peak (14,155’)Route: Started at the junction of CR 250 and FR 252 (~8800’). Climbed the E. Ridge to Shavano’s summit, traversed to Tabeguache and back. Ski descent from ~12,500’.
Stats:
Elevation Gain - ~6600’
Roundtrip Mileage / Time - ~17.5 miles / ~13 hours
Crew - Solo
The Climb
Jamming out to Alane 3 times in a row fires one up sufficiently for a long day…
Shavano in Alpenglow after leaving TH @ 6AM
A sled pulling benefactor’s trail was followed…
The sled was pulled upon this road... takes ~1.5 hours to TH on skins
His camp I passed at 9750’; his snowshoe track I followed as he fought through trees…
Deep snowshoe trench... can be tough to follow on skins...
The wet pow was deep… 6 inches to a foot…
Deep snowshoe trench continues
At ~11,300’ I found my benefactor… good Jeff from Denver… “Trade?” said I… “Aye” said he.
A trench building benefactor...
The lead was swutch, the snow stayed deep…
6" to 12" of heavy powder was broken from 11300' to ~12600'
I broke on through the thinning trees…
Trees thinned out but terrain was steep... wide switchbacks were made up hill
Happy was I to return the favor…
Jeff follows the broken skin tracks
Ramen was brewed at our next stop (12,600’)… skis were dropped… knuckles cracked (this one’s for you ridgerunner)
Progress did not impede our ability to admire… The rolling hills and vales between…
View behind us
The route ahead was steep and long… A false summit stood steeped in satirical bliss… &$@# you, vile false summit… on you we piss…
Vile false summit on the East Ridge. Left ski stash at 11:45AM
Up and o'er the ridge we went…
Near the top of the false summit
o'er Boulders large and post-holeable snow…
Jeff approaches the false summit
Near the top of the false summit
Shavynavy’s mug stood high and dry… “Wilst thee ne’er hold snow for my ski?”…
“Silly boy”, said He “Ski you do not, face plant you do… tired I grew many moons ago… as you planted face after face on my Angel so… first learn to ski, oh don’t you know? Then come hither and ask for snow”.
Mt. Shavano's summit as seen from the East
Gathering what pride was left, at 1:30 on the summit I crept…
Shavano's summit block
As Old Man wind blew my ears deaf… I made haste for Tabbygoochie whilst waiting for Jeff…
Tabeguache Peak's summit as seen from Mt. Shavano
A cloud blew by saucer-like, signaling high winds high and ^%&^# higher down low…
Stretched saucer-like clouds indicating high winds up high
Two-score mph mostly prevailed; three to four score came and went…
Plumes near Tabeguache's summit stirred by 20-25mph sustained winds with 35-45mph gusts
Tabbygoochie held more snow… “Where are your skis wee grasshoppah? You can ski down 14ers don’t you know?”
Tabeguache Peak's textured summit ridge. Tabby summit @ 2:30PM
All the Sawatch holds the fluff that Shavynavy hides from us…
Tabeguache's West Ridge and the Sawatch beyond
My hands now frozen in the wind… my photography slid fast downhill…
Shavano's summit as seen from Tabeguache
The Descent
The wind on Tabby’s summit roared and drove me to Shavy in under an hour…
Ridge back to Shavano's summit
By now Jeff had arrived and left… he summitted at 2:30, later he said…
Looking down Shavano's E. Ridge. Shavano summit at 3:24PM
Down to the skis I climbed… there might be sunlight yet for the ski through trees…
Looking at the E. Ridge false summit from ski stash during my descent - 4:30PM
A great ski it was up high… powder snow through piney trees…
Powder in the pines
The light went dim as I got down low to breakable crust in a thick aspen grove…
At 6PM Jeff’s tent I approached… he’d just got back and started a brew…
I chatted with him for quite a while and ate my food with a smile…
30 minutes it took from there to ski the last 3.2 mile…
WallE waits faithfully - 7PM
How’s the road, you might surmise? Not too bad… 2WD will suffice…
Risk-free drive to the junction of CR 250 and FR 252 with 4WD
Pardon my wretched poetry… 'tis quick this way I swear to thee…
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