I loved this one. Great story and great pics. This one deserves front page exposure. (OK elves, time to replace my simplistic Mt. Ogden Up and Back TR, this one is deserving.)I've been admiring all your neat trip reports, keep em coming.
WTG! And it's even more amazing to learn some secrets of the craft from this one ;) Some secrets still elusive though, like, how do you put in the toewarmers in the blustery tundra? If I were to do, I'd have to remove gaiters and boots, and make sure the wind doesn't carry the stuff away and my fingers stay warm through the whole contortion, or at least flexible enough to put everything back on ... wow.
As to the next time :)) - not without the traditional dinner stop at Evanston and a night cup at the TH, I hope ;) ?
Go slower LOL ... that's the plan! I had a few toe warmers too, left from the visiting skiers from the East Coast, and I was curious to try them. But I didn't wanna use them right away, and couldn't figure out how to do it later without outsize pain :) Maybe it is a backup for some broken-gear, all-night-death-march hypothetical situation?
I read every word, very exciting. I can relate to your story, especially the feeling watching everyone glide by while you scrambled to get ready. What an acomplishment, for you and Michael. I'm sure if you go again your time will be greatly improved.
Thanks, I appreciate yours and others positive comments. Michael's time will be greatly improved because I am sure he will spend every spare minute between now and then practicing. I don't think I could do it much faster though. And, I appreciate that you said you read every word. I almost died when I printed it out for my husband to proofread and found it was 8 pages long! I wondered how many people would take the time to wade through it.
I enjoyed your report and congrats on reaching the summit. I have been wanting to do this trip for a while, so I guess I better break out the skis and practice :)
I don't remember if I noticed this when you first posted it, but I didn't read it until now. What a well-told story, and impressive accomplishment! You write such good trip reports. I had emailed Larry some questions about this trip, thinking of going, and with that 80% chance of snow you mentioned changed my mind and skied a few hours in Butler Fork instead. It sounds like I didn't really know what I would have been getting myself into. I had this loony idea of bringing my AT gear all the way to the summit and skiing the east face. I think I wouldn't have gotten very far. Maybe next year if I can get in MUCH better shape.
and you were back :) It was interesting to compare timing. With heavier trailbreaking, and longer snack-and-rest stops, it looks it was half an hour slower on pre-Elkhorn and Elkhorn-to-Gunsight sectins, but then half an hour faster from Gunsight Pass to the top? Superb job!
:) Thanks D. Last year I ate while I was moving and didn't take a break until Michael and I got to the base of Kings. This year, when I saw everyone sitting down at Elkhorn, I had to resist the urge to keep going.
This year I definitely had a bad case of the "I want to back out blues" the day before, but it was better than last year when I had a worse case of the "I want to back out and actually might do so blues". There was no question in my mind this year about whether or not I'd actually go.
What a great trip! and thanks to you, Rob, and Mike for your patience and encouragement over the last two years.
One thing that you said to me sometime within the last month or so that was a huge psychological help was something about how there was no question that I could do it, the only question was how long it would take.
It's funny, Rob wondered on some occasion, does Judy ever get tired? Does she ever need to stop and take a rest? And I thought, well, yes, I've seen you tired, and it was the sort of exception which only confirms the rule. Cuz I wouldn't have remembered if it wasn't so unusual :)
I actually think that the hardest issue with the KPT may be psychological rather than physical. The intimidating scale of these basins, the wind, the routefinding fears, the fact that there's no outside help should something bad happen. If that's true, then every next time should be easier!
Read non stop from beginning to end. Congrats on your summit! I've done this a couple times as a 3 day trip in the summer, always wondered how people accomplish this in the winter. Enjoyed the winter perspective!
Dean - Apr 4, 2008 9:10 am - Voted 10/10
Super trip reportI loved this one. Great story and great pics. This one deserves front page exposure. (OK elves, time to replace my simplistic Mt. Ogden Up and Back TR, this one is deserving.)I've been admiring all your neat trip reports, keep em coming.
Dmitry Pruss - Apr 4, 2008 2:05 pm - Voted 10/10
Your TRs are an inspirationWTG! And it's even more amazing to learn some secrets of the craft from this one ;) Some secrets still elusive though, like, how do you put in the toewarmers in the blustery tundra? If I were to do, I'd have to remove gaiters and boots, and make sure the wind doesn't carry the stuff away and my fingers stay warm through the whole contortion, or at least flexible enough to put everything back on ... wow.
As to the next time :)) - not without the traditional dinner stop at Evanston and a night cup at the TH, I hope ;) ?
ZeeJay - Apr 4, 2008 4:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Your TRs are an inspirationYou got back to the upper basin way before me. By the time I got back the wind had died down. I guess you'll just have to go slower next time.
Dmitry Pruss - Apr 4, 2008 7:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Your TRs are an inspirationGo slower LOL ... that's the plan! I had a few toe warmers too, left from the visiting skiers from the East Coast, and I was curious to try them. But I didn't wanna use them right away, and couldn't figure out how to do it later without outsize pain :) Maybe it is a backup for some broken-gear, all-night-death-march hypothetical situation?
merrill - Apr 4, 2008 4:49 pm - Voted 10/10
Wow!I can't really imagine that long of a one day trip in the snow. Congradulation to those that summited.
Matthew Van Horn - Apr 7, 2008 2:30 pm - Voted 10/10
Good readI read every word, very exciting. I can relate to your story, especially the feeling watching everyone glide by while you scrambled to get ready. What an acomplishment, for you and Michael. I'm sure if you go again your time will be greatly improved.
ZeeJay - Apr 7, 2008 5:12 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Good readThanks, I appreciate yours and others positive comments. Michael's time will be greatly improved because I am sure he will spend every spare minute between now and then practicing. I don't think I could do it much faster though. And, I appreciate that you said you read every word. I almost died when I printed it out for my husband to proofread and found it was 8 pages long! I wondered how many people would take the time to wade through it.
Scott Wesemann - Apr 8, 2008 11:51 am - Voted 10/10
Very nice..I enjoyed your report and congrats on reaching the summit. I have been wanting to do this trip for a while, so I guess I better break out the skis and practice :)
seanpeckham - Jun 12, 2008 10:12 pm - Voted 10/10
Wow!I don't remember if I noticed this when you first posted it, but I didn't read it until now. What a well-told story, and impressive accomplishment! You write such good trip reports. I had emailed Larry some questions about this trip, thinking of going, and with that 80% chance of snow you mentioned changed my mind and skied a few hours in Butler Fork instead. It sounds like I didn't really know what I would have been getting myself into. I had this loony idea of bringing my AT gear all the way to the summit and skiing the east face. I think I wouldn't have gotten very far. Maybe next year if I can get in MUCH better shape.
ZeeJay - Jun 13, 2008 6:57 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Wow!Thanks Sean. I appreciate yours and others positive comments. Hope to see you next year.
Deltaoperator17 - Oct 20, 2008 10:36 pm - Voted 10/10
Love the TRVery nice Zee Jay! Just the right amount of data and story telling... love it
All the Best
Steve
ZeeJay - Oct 20, 2008 10:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Love the TRThanks Steve!
Dmitry Pruss - Mar 30, 2009 5:10 pm - Voted 10/10
So the next year cameand you were back :) It was interesting to compare timing. With heavier trailbreaking, and longer snack-and-rest stops, it looks it was half an hour slower on pre-Elkhorn and Elkhorn-to-Gunsight sectins, but then half an hour faster from Gunsight Pass to the top? Superb job!
ZeeJay - Mar 30, 2009 9:33 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: So the next year came:) Thanks D. Last year I ate while I was moving and didn't take a break until Michael and I got to the base of Kings. This year, when I saw everyone sitting down at Elkhorn, I had to resist the urge to keep going.
This year I definitely had a bad case of the "I want to back out blues" the day before, but it was better than last year when I had a worse case of the "I want to back out and actually might do so blues". There was no question in my mind this year about whether or not I'd actually go.
What a great trip! and thanks to you, Rob, and Mike for your patience and encouragement over the last two years.
One thing that you said to me sometime within the last month or so that was a huge psychological help was something about how there was no question that I could do it, the only question was how long it would take.
Dmitry Pruss - Mar 30, 2009 10:51 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: So the next year cameIt's funny, Rob wondered on some occasion, does Judy ever get tired? Does she ever need to stop and take a rest? And I thought, well, yes, I've seen you tired, and it was the sort of exception which only confirms the rule. Cuz I wouldn't have remembered if it wasn't so unusual :)
I actually think that the hardest issue with the KPT may be psychological rather than physical. The intimidating scale of these basins, the wind, the routefinding fears, the fact that there's no outside help should something bad happen. If that's true, then every next time should be easier!
Ryan Borzea - Aug 24, 2012 7:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Amazing Trip Report!Read non stop from beginning to end. Congrats on your summit! I've done this a couple times as a 3 day trip in the summer, always wondered how people accomplish this in the winter. Enjoyed the winter perspective!
ZeeJay - Aug 26, 2012 2:10 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Amazing Trip Report!Thanks! It for sure is a whole other world out there in the winter than in the summer.