"just a little bit further" is often used on every hike that I go on. That small phrase Seems to motivate people just enough so that they are able to go the extra distance to finish the hike. Excellant TR.
This nice trip report almost spiraled into philisophic discourse. Good for you! If you trimmed the beginning and added an anecdote about a time when white lies got you or someone else into trouble on a mountain, you'd really have a thoughtful, gripping, marketable piece!
I had to lie my arse off once in the Escalante-Grand Staircase. We had hiked down Wolverine Canyon, thru the narrows, and had to retrace our steps back to the truck, for a ten mile round trip. Well, my wife developed a nasty heat rash on her legs, making it painful in the hot sun. Once we exited the mouth of the canyon, it should have been about an hour to the car, but she was in agony and every time I pushed her on, saying "the truck is just over that rise", she eventually called me "a lying SOB and where is the F'ing car!". Well naturally I was lying to keep her moving and we made it back to the TH just fine. We had a cooler with cold beers and I dipped a towel into the ice water to cool her burning legs (and her mood!). She knew all along I was lying, and why I did so, and we still laugh about it today. Congratulations to you and especially your Dad.
I had to LOL at your recount of Engineer pass. I know exactley how your dad must have felt. My family did the trip up Engineer pass, but instead of a 4X4 we had a rented Mitsubishi galant. Now that was a fun drive! Everyone we encountered first asked us if the car was a rental, and then if they could help push us! Great Fun!
This post betrays a stunning lack of routefinding skills.
"I didn't know the best way through the towers." The answer is "why don't you follow the **expletive deleted**ing cairns?"
Uncompaghre is a class 2 hike with a trail that's practically a highway the whole way up. Anyone who can't follow that trail is going to be in trouble on other 14ers, and certainly should not be leading beginners on any peak. The route description for this peak is "follow trail to summit", as basic as it gets.
With the heavy traffic on all of Colorado's 14ers, it is also environmentally insensitive to tromp around wherever you want (or your lack of skills leads you). These mountains are not invulnerable to human destruction, and peakbaggers should stick to the routes.
I think you missed the point of my attempt to provide an entertaining story. Would it had read better if I would have said "I followed the boring cairns to the summit of the boring class 2 hike up the boring 14er." Of course we followed the cairns on what you call the highway. What makes you think we "tromped around" wherever we liked instead of staying on the trail? To someone who hasn't ever climbed (sorry - hiked on the trail to) a mountain before, this trail probably doesn't seem like quite a "highway" in certain spots. Just so you know most people that actually live in Colorado consider the road up to Engineer Pass a joke also - I'll be sure to change that section to "I drove up the boring road" to match the trail description so you are happy.
BobSmith - Dec 17, 2006 3:42 pm - Voted 10/10
Ha!Great report!
Dan the Jones - Dec 17, 2006 5:57 pm - Voted 10/10
The truth"just a little bit further" is often used on every hike that I go on. That small phrase Seems to motivate people just enough so that they are able to go the extra distance to finish the hike. Excellant TR.
aemter - Dec 18, 2006 8:45 pm - Voted 10/10
Good for youMy dad just turned 60 and while he still has some spunk, I'm not sure I could get him up to 14,000'! Thanks for the report--nice read.
Kruck - Dec 19, 2006 7:44 pm - Voted 10/10
Good studyThis nice trip report almost spiraled into philisophic discourse. Good for you! If you trimmed the beginning and added an anecdote about a time when white lies got you or someone else into trouble on a mountain, you'd really have a thoughtful, gripping, marketable piece!
ColoradoScott - Dec 20, 2006 2:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Great AnalogyI had to lie my arse off once in the Escalante-Grand Staircase. We had hiked down Wolverine Canyon, thru the narrows, and had to retrace our steps back to the truck, for a ten mile round trip. Well, my wife developed a nasty heat rash on her legs, making it painful in the hot sun. Once we exited the mouth of the canyon, it should have been about an hour to the car, but she was in agony and every time I pushed her on, saying "the truck is just over that rise", she eventually called me "a lying SOB and where is the F'ing car!". Well naturally I was lying to keep her moving and we made it back to the TH just fine. We had a cooler with cold beers and I dipped a towel into the ice water to cool her burning legs (and her mood!). She knew all along I was lying, and why I did so, and we still laugh about it today. Congratulations to you and especially your Dad.
timfoltz - Dec 21, 2006 1:45 am - Hasn't voted
LolI had to LOL at your recount of Engineer pass. I know exactley how your dad must have felt. My family did the trip up Engineer pass, but instead of a 4X4 we had a rented Mitsubishi galant. Now that was a fun drive! Everyone we encountered first asked us if the car was a rental, and then if they could help push us! Great Fun!
WalksWithBlackflies - Dec 28, 2006 7:06 pm - Voted 10/10
You're the reason...I never ask strangers "How far to the summit"! ;-)
autoblock - Dec 29, 2006 8:14 pm - Hasn't voted
ROUTEFINDING!This post betrays a stunning lack of routefinding skills.
"I didn't know the best way through the towers." The answer is "why don't you follow the **expletive deleted**ing cairns?"
Uncompaghre is a class 2 hike with a trail that's practically a highway the whole way up. Anyone who can't follow that trail is going to be in trouble on other 14ers, and certainly should not be leading beginners on any peak. The route description for this peak is "follow trail to summit", as basic as it gets.
With the heavy traffic on all of Colorado's 14ers, it is also environmentally insensitive to tromp around wherever you want (or your lack of skills leads you). These mountains are not invulnerable to human destruction, and peakbaggers should stick to the routes.
Renardo - Jan 20, 2007 2:09 am - Hasn't voted
Re: ROUTEFINDING!I think you missed the point of my attempt to provide an entertaining story. Would it had read better if I would have said "I followed the boring cairns to the summit of the boring class 2 hike up the boring 14er." Of course we followed the cairns on what you call the highway. What makes you think we "tromped around" wherever we liked instead of staying on the trail? To someone who hasn't ever climbed (sorry - hiked on the trail to) a mountain before, this trail probably doesn't seem like quite a "highway" in certain spots. Just so you know most people that actually live in Colorado consider the road up to Engineer Pass a joke also - I'll be sure to change that section to "I drove up the boring road" to match the trail description so you are happy.