| #3: How to Find an Excuse to Kill Your Friend's Wife Trip Report |
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| #3: How to Find an Excuse to Kill Your Friend's Wife   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 38.42300°N / 106.225°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Aug 1, 1990 | Page By: Aaron Johnson Created/Edited: Aug 7, 2003 / Aug 14, 2008 Object ID: 169022 Hits: 1147 Loading... Page Score: 80.95% - 1 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Six of us had climbed Mount Ouray via the west ridge and we decided to get off the mountain quickly due to oncoming weather. A descent of the south slopes was indicated since we would drop in altitude quicker and the road appeared closer. We could walk up the road to the car in the opposite direction of the storm’s track, hopefully during the worst part of the storm.
The storm moved in very fast and struck the mountain while we were well above timberline. Lots of lightning and thunder resulted in commotion and confusion I’ve never seen in any other group. Mike and I had his girlfriend’s boys along, both aged 10. The boys were inexperienced and did everything they were told without question.
Once again, I lost MA, but this was due to the fact he was looking for his wife, RA, who had run off, perhaps in a fit of fear from the lightning dancing around her. We hunkered down and knew the storm would pass in a matter of minutes. Thirty minutes later, the sun was out and we were descending down a drenched mountain side at a safe speed. Much to my surprise, I found MA by hearing his voice. Calling out for RA, he stood on the vast south slope of Mount Ouray and was met only with the reply of silence. Upon reaching him, he informed me he lost RA and had no idea where she was. Fearing the worst, we spent the next two hours scouring the mountain looking for her. Had she slipped and banged her head? Was she unconscious? Or worse?
MA and I were convinced that RA must have gone down the mountain, for we saw no clue of her anywhere. We proceeded to the road, and as we started up the road, here came RA down the road in the car. Relieved and thankful, I was then filled with rage. Sure, RA’s experience got her down the mountain safely, but she neglected to inform her group, namely her husband, of what she was doing, and hence had us giving her up for dead and ready to call in a rescue. I pulled MA aside and explained that if the wife was expecting to ever climb with me again, her behaviors were going to have to be adjusted. MA would take it further and just about kill her anyway to save us the possibility of future mishaps on future mountains.
RA didn’t hike much more with me after that trip.
To read about the second most fierce storm in my 37 years of climbing, go here. Images
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Sawatch Range
