Backpacking part 2 - Redcloud/Sunshine

Looking at the map near the location of the Sherman aid station, I couldn't help but notice two 14ers looming over the road. After a wonderful pizza dinner in Lake City (Huge thank you to Steve and Deb and their truck!!), we got up super-early and started up toward the mountains. At least we were moving faster without packs for this portion of the journey.

We beat the sunrise to the ridge, but not to the top of Redcloud Peak. Here is the peak just as it is starting to get light - almost looks like the peak has a "moon halo"!


Wow!


Climbing toward sunshine:


No words needed:


Good morning!


The final climb up to Redcloud:


Signing the trail register, with the amazing San Juans in the background:


Almost a perfect selfie, trying to indicate our next goal of Sunshine Peak. It's the lowest of the high mountains, at 14,001 feet, not super-difficult to reach, but still a bit out of the way if you are doing both Redcloud and Sunshine in the same morning (which I believe most people do):


Rocks and snow on the way up to Sunshine:


Looking down into the valley where we were planning to try an alternate route down (including a scree field, and yes, that was my idea):


Good morning, Sunshine!


Putting on my morning "lipstick":


On of our odder summit photos. I title this one, "Taste of the Rockies":


Going down the west ridge, John had to wait for me to pick my way down, but he's a patient man. And luckily we were going to the right in this photo and not to the left:


Making use of trekking poles:


The top of the scree field:


It wasn't easy for me, but there were plenty of handholds for once (usually scree is just an open area of rocks and dirt). John of course had no trouble, but continued to be patient. Yay for reaching the bottom - still standing! (well OK, I sat down a couple times on the way down...)


We ran down the valley and back to the truck where we picked up our packs for the next leg of our journey. Time to get back on the Hardrock course!

Backpacking to Sherman - part 1

I have wanted to see the Hardrock course sections on either side of Sherman (a small "town" near Lake City), but I've also heard stories about the drive over Cinnamon Pass. Being so-not-a-fan of the high mountain 4WD driving around here, I've been trying to avoid being stuck in the back of a truck for 2 hours trying to stay calm over multi-hundred foot drops and rocky roads.

So I came up with a different plan. John and I would backpack in the opposite direction as the trail crew, hopefully get a ride up to Maggie's Gulch, camp on the other side, and continue over Handies the next day. It turned out that we were able to help with moving a couple of vehicles (again on 4WD roads, but at least fairly-short ones), plus we had a truck to sleep in overnight. Bonus!

Here is part of what we missed on the drive over!


Since we were carrying camping gear, food, warm clothes, etc., we took our time the first day. It was such a beautiful morning above Maggie's (where there will be an aid station during the race) and we had a lovely hike.


It made me think more seriously about doing more hiking/camping trips.


This seems fitting along the Hardrock trail:


That was also the spot where I dropped (and broke, for good I think) our original travel camera. Bummer! I was carrying our newer camera but didn't get it out of my pack for the rest of the day. Too bad, because I might have gotten a photo of a herd of elk from a couple miles away... Here's what the old camera is doing now (this photo was taken on the Continental Divide):


Oh well, we got plenty of photos the next day! Stay tuned...

HRH course marking - day 2

Day 2 of Hardrock course marking, more fun, with a touch of excitement. We rode our bikes to the Ice Lake trailhead and climbed ahead of the crew - who was moving really well today too.

John could NOT resist this:


More my speed:


The trail up toward Grant-Swamp Pass:


I LOVE Island Lake (someday we might even go down there for a lunch break):


Scree fields are lower on the "love" scale for me:


Contemplating Oscar's Pass across the way:


Here it is:


John decided this would be a great place for lunch. I just wish he hadn't taken my lunch along with him...


Getting some practice on the scree field (argh):


It's never pretty when it comes to scree and me:


But I'll (usually) get there:


More of the crew coming down:


Back on "solid" ground:


And now for my next trick - getting back up:


Phew.


When you find a solid rock on a screen field, that's usually a great time to take a break:


There must be a better way:


Back down the way we came (to get our bikes):


Ice Lake valley - another place we should visit sometime:


Looks like my internet connection just might allow a second post today or maybe more - I'll keep going as long as it lets me!

HRH course marking - day 1

Maybe I'll finish this post today (Thursday) - IF my internet connection stays on. I've been mostly away from web access, and then my Sprint card (now the 4G version) doesn't seem to care for running at 3G speeds. Well, at least our time up in the hills is going well, even if my time online isn't so much!

The day after we arrived in Silverton, CO we trekked to the top of Kendall Mountain just outside of town. A wonderful training hill. Here's John (he started later than I did and caught me just as I reached the top) amid a bunch of great scenery:


Yay for dried blueberries! (thank you Markus and Brandi!):


The next day we tagged along with the trail marking crew, starting with some work at the Mineral Creek rope crossing. The creek is WAY low this year, but it's still nice to have a rope:


Heck, if Shoal Creek in the Atomic race had been like this, we would have had NO trouble!


Love this sign:


This is where our Putman aid station was last year:


I believe these are King's Crown - lots of wildflowers out this year:


And lots of pretty views, as always:


Jim and John:


The trail marking crew:


The first steep haul, to the top of the first long climb:


More pretty flowers - these managed to grow in a fairly difficult spot:


The middle of the first section:


Should we mark it down here or over there?


How about straight down?


Coming over a small pass, one of the few snow spots we have seen on the course:


I like this plant:


Jim coming across the KT trail:


Andy and John checking out the creek crossing and the "bridge" that is sorta still up from last year:


The Red Crew (Andy, Liz, John) finishes the day:


Trail marking is great fun, a wonderful way to see the course and meet people, and something I highly recommend even if you aren't running Hardrock.