Ascending the south summit ridge of Mount Massive
SP Members Gathering, Summer, 2003
Photo by Aaron Johnson

NOTE: This is part two of an account of the 1st Annual SP Members Rendezvous. If you happened to come here first and are interested in reading about this successful and wonderful event, start your read here.

Peak Freak ascends the south summit ridge of Mount Massive
Photo by Aaron Johnson

My favorite climbing partner, Ms. Ellen, was feeling the soreness settle in from our climb of Mount Elbert. I know we were both glad to have had the foresight to make a reservation in Leadville’s quaintly Victorian Delaware Hotel. We could enjoy a hot shower and get a good night’s sleep in preparing for an attempt of the West Slopes route of Mount Massive.

Up before the sun, we met fellow SP member Eileen (Peak Freak) and Syd at the turn off for the Halfmoon Campground just south of Leadville on Highway 24. After a quick breakfast, we drove up the county road, which reduces to a 4WD road and dead ends at a deep crossing of Halfmoon Creek.

We started up the trail of the North Halfmoon Creek drainage. Beautiful Mount Oklahoma (a mountain SP members Alan and Jackie Ellis should climb) greeted us, basking in sunlight. The huge snowfield draped from the summit plateau seemed to glow in the bright morning light. The forecast was high pressure and no storms, so I had a great feeling about this day.

A mile and a half up the trail, we came to a large cairn where the West Slopes route begins. I had climbed the route nine years ago on a scant trail that had faded almost immediately. There was now a narrow climber’s trail leading up out of the meadow, which immediately ascended through a cliff band. This Class 2 section was loose due to water, fed by melting snow, running down the impromptu trail designed by climbers over the years.

Syd had never been on such terrain before. Massive was supposed to be her second fourteener, but it wasn’t going to happen today. With no experience on such loose and somewhat exposed terrain, Syd decided to turn around and go take care of her obligations. This possibility had been discussed amongst us the night before. Syd was concerned that she might not do well descending this section on her own, so she made the wise choice to retreat and try Massive another day with more experience and time. As arranged, Eileen would ride back to Denver with Ellen and me.

The relentless west slope route on Mount Massive
Photo by Aaron Johnson

So the three of us pushed on. Above the rock band, the climb is relentlessly steep, mostly on tundra, all the way to the ridge top. Some fun scrambling was done to assume the ridge. More Class 2 scrambling along the spectacular ridge made for some great pictures. Mount Massive’s sprawling east slopes were buried in tremendous amounts of snow. Eileen did indeed thoroughly enjoy the route, much more than Elbert’s tame trail.

Peak Freak arrives on the summit
Photo by Aaron Johnson

We reached the summit in four hours and enjoyed a nice lunch, great views and conversation. We took some pictures and debated between descending the same route or dropping down a route Vern and I had discovered back in the 90s. The route drops down into a great amphitheater of rock on the west side of Massive’s great summit dome. Looking down in this amphitheater, we could see some climbers ascending some extensive snowfields, which called our names. A glissade down these wonderful white slopes would save time and energy, despite some nominal extra distance. Since we were in no rush, we decided to descend into the amphitheater.

Walking the summit ridge to the descent point
Photo by Peak Freak

We crossed over a few more humps on Massive’s summit ridge, found a nice scree slope and began our very fast descent. Nice scree led to the first of three snow fields, all connected together, making for one of the fastest and effortless descents in my climbing experience. We dropped over two thousand feet, just riding on our butts down these great slopes, in twenty minutes. Being a snow lover, Eileen was in paradise.

Descent to Half Moon Lake
Photo by Peak Freak

With Mount Oklahoma towering over us, we left the snow and forged a route down through the basin and eventually intercepted the intermittent trail. We were back at the vehicle in just under seven hours.

Thus ended a great weekend with some great people on some great mountains! Congratulations to those who climbed their first fourteener on this trip. Congatulations to Grant on his completion of the Sawatch fourteeners, and to Ellen in her continuing quest of all the fourteeners-she got the two biggies! Also congrats to Eileen for climbing the two highest Colorado peaks in her quest to climb Mount Rainier. Congratulations to Alan and Jackie for graciously hosting this successful event. We all thank you for this opportunity to get to know one another and climb together.

Ellen, Aaron and Eileen on Mount Massive's summit
Photo by Peak Freak

May we be blessed to climb together again!

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