Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Trek Pics and Routine
Suffice it to say that our Wilderness Trek could not have come off without the help of Debbie and Mike, former members of Central, and Harry and Marsha who are Debbie and Mike's good friends, all who live in Colorado. In the days of high gas prices, they took the time to pick us up at the airport, house us in their homes on the first night, and then drive us to the Trek Outpost in Salida.
Some of our guys in Mike and Debbie's pool during our first day in Denver. How about that for a "Wilderness Trek." That night would be our last night to sleep in a bed.
Yes, that's Steve-o with dyed blond hair. I told him for some reason he reminded me of Dennis (of the Chicago Bulls / Madonna fame) Rodman. Behind him from left to right are Matthew, Mark, and Janel waiting to leave Mike's for the Trek Outpost. 
Steven looking pretty excited along the Arkansas River on our way to the Trek Outpost.
Yours truly going up the wall. I praise God for Weight Watchers and the fact that I had 55 less pounds on my body for such an activity. Any comments on the legs?
The second day at the Trek Headquarters. From left to right, Chuck, Matthew, Steven, Kyle, and Ron. I think the guy seated is one of our two guides, Issac. His truck is in background. We were loading up packs and rappelling equipment for the drive to Independence Pass.
Steve-o and I on the edge of the cliff at the rappell site. The lakes and streams you see behind us are 100's of feet below us and probably a half mile or more away from where we're standing. 
Matthew, Kyle, and Steven harnessed up sans helmets for rappelling. These guys flew down the cliff and then flew back up. We were all told to climb back up to the top after we reached the bottom to help carry the equipment back down to our vehicles. Greg will love this - when I made the climb after my rappel, I literally missed our hill by another hill. I stood up and could see the tops of everyone's heads. I had climbed farther and higher than what was required. Everyone in our group thought I was just showing off or looking to explore. It would be the last time I would do something stupid and look somewhat cool for the rest of the week.
From left to right - David, Daniel, and Steven. This was the first time we had our full packs on. Does anyone look happy here? The boys were carry even extra weight in an attempt to help the girls. Our hike to Low Camp followed a road for a short distance and then our guide went "cross country." This was by far more difficult than the backcountry hiking I did in Rocky Mtn. National Park in the late 70's, early 80's. There, the trails were marked and maintained. This "short" hike was a preluded to the next day's hike to "High Camp."
Chad, our youth guy at low camp. He is demonstrating the ever maddening cycle of backcountry hiking / camping which included:
Filling your water bottles, purifying water with chlorine drops, packing your pack, repacking your pack, covering your pack with a garbage bag, and taking the bag off.
Left to right at our Camp fire at low camp - Zack, Chuck, Josh, Craig, Kyle, Steven, Danie, and our guide, Melanie, tending the fire. Notice the cool reclining chair she is sitting in that also doubled as her sleeping pad. I'll have one myself if I ever do this again. By the end of the week I was so tired of sitting on the ground, rocks, or wood that I began to fantasize about my recliner at home.
My next post will be about the hide to "High Camp" and our climb of Mount Tweeto.
Some of our guys in Mike and Debbie's pool during our first day in Denver. How about that for a "Wilderness Trek." That night would be our last night to sleep in a bed.The next morning we drove to the Trek Outpost in Salida.
Yes, that's Steve-o with dyed blond hair. I told him for some reason he reminded me of Dennis (of the Chicago Bulls / Madonna fame) Rodman. Behind him from left to right are Matthew, Mark, and Janel waiting to leave Mike's for the Trek Outpost. Steven looking pretty excited along the Arkansas River on our way to the Trek Outpost.Upon reaching the Trek Headquarters, we were given an orientation talk. One of the better parts was the varying ways folks had discovered how to go "poop" in the backcountry using a shovel, a tree to hold on to, and of course, biodegradable
toilet paper. It took me several days when I got home to stop asking Barb where she had put the shovel.
At the Outpost we were given our packs, sleeping bags, pad, crew equipment which could included cooking gear, food, and our tent. We had to pack our backpack as well as set up our tent for the night. We spent the night sleeping on the ground in our tent at the Outpost. We also were given time to climb a "climbing wall" they had at the Outpost.
Yours truly going up the wall. I praise God for Weight Watchers and the fact that I had 55 less pounds on my body for such an activity. Any comments on the legs?The second day at the Trek Headquarters. From left to right, Chuck, Matthew, Steven, Kyle, and Ron. I think the guy seated is one of our two guides, Issac. His truck is in background. We were loading up packs and rappelling equipment for the drive to Independence Pass. We left the Outpost and drove towards Independence Pass and the Rappel site. Each of us had to haul ropes, harnesses, and helmets up a 300ft cliff to get ready to rappel. Our two guides, Issac and Melanie, were great in helping all of us do something very unnatural - lean backwards off a 300 ft cliff! Our kids and adults were great. Issac told us that our group put the joy back into rappel day. He said they had several groups in which at least one person would balk at the rappelling. Imagine that, huh?
Steve-o and I on the edge of the cliff at the rappell site. The lakes and streams you see behind us are 100's of feet below us and probably a half mile or more away from where we're standing. Matthew, Kyle, and Steven harnessed up sans helmets for rappelling. These guys flew down the cliff and then flew back up. We were all told to climb back up to the top after we reached the bottom to help carry the equipment back down to our vehicles. Greg will love this - when I made the climb after my rappel, I literally missed our hill by another hill. I stood up and could see the tops of everyone's heads. I had climbed farther and higher than what was required. Everyone in our group thought I was just showing off or looking to explore. It would be the last time I would do something stupid and look somewhat cool for the rest of the week. Once everyone finished rappelling, we loaded up the vehicles and headed off for Leadville and our trailhead. Driving through Leadvilled can be "breath-taking" as it is the highest city in America at 10,200 ft! We hiked in from our trailhead a few miles to what our guides referred to as "Low Camp."
From left to right - David, Daniel, and Steven. This was the first time we had our full packs on. Does anyone look happy here? The boys were carry even extra weight in an attempt to help the girls. Our hike to Low Camp followed a road for a short distance and then our guide went "cross country." This was by far more difficult than the backcountry hiking I did in Rocky Mtn. National Park in the late 70's, early 80's. There, the trails were marked and maintained. This "short" hike was a preluded to the next day's hike to "High Camp."Chad, our youth guy at low camp. He is demonstrating the ever maddening cycle of backcountry hiking / camping which included:Filling your water bottles, purifying water with chlorine drops, packing your pack, repacking your pack, covering your pack with a garbage bag, and taking the bag off.
Our guides had a saying about taking a chance and not purifying your water thus risking getting a nice little parasite residing in your intestines. They said if you contracted this parasite, "The bottom would drop out of your World and the World would drop out of your bottom!"
Left to right at our Camp fire at low camp - Zack, Chuck, Josh, Craig, Kyle, Steven, Danie, and our guide, Melanie, tending the fire. Notice the cool reclining chair she is sitting in that also doubled as her sleeping pad. I'll have one myself if I ever do this again. By the end of the week I was so tired of sitting on the ground, rocks, or wood that I began to fantasize about my recliner at home.My next post will be about the hide to "High Camp" and our climb of Mount Tweeto.
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Okay, on the rock wall the picture doesn't really show your feet ... so there is a possibility you're standing on the ground just posing like you're on a rock wall. But I know you better than that. You would climb that wall or die trying!! Great pictures ... thanks for sharing the trip. If you ever come back out our way I'll have a shovel waiting for you. You'll have to bring the bio paper.
that girl - My wife concurs or at least I hope she does. There were several of us who had the "if we only stayed in Denver at the pool" thought as we were lugging around the Rocky Mountains.
Judy - I know, it was a painful, excruciating kind of fun. Yes, his Dennis Rodman look has grown on me as well.
Judy - I know, it was a painful, excruciating kind of fun. Yes, his Dennis Rodman look has grown on me as well.
Greg - Yes, you have had full and frequent contact with my "O.C. side." I appreciate the offer of a shovel and "b.p." Perhaps you could teach Cujo, I mean Chipper to use a shovel?
Awesome pics bro, with the exception of the legs. :)
This must have been the trip of a lifetime with your son.
This must have been the trip of a lifetime with your son.
Keith - See that girl about my legs. It was one of the best trips Steve-o and I have ever been on together. It was quite a moment for me when Steve-o put his arms around me after a tough day of hiking and said, "Pops, you're in pretty good shape for an old guy."
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