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Mt. Sneffels
August 31, 2004
My choice for a climb this week was Challenger & Kit Carson but the weather forecast for Tue PM was not good so I checked on Mt Sneffels and it was acceptable. I drove from Grand Junction to Yankee Boy Basin arriving at 4 pm Monday afternoon. I got stopped shortly before reaching the trailhead by a man in a jeep asking if I had a satellite phone which I didn't. He wanted to call rescue for a Florida man who fell below Lavender Col (or Scree Col, I've seen both names used) and hurt his back. I was going to take water and food to him but was told by returning climbers that he had everything he needed. I decided to hike Blue Lake Pass for a warm up and as I was coming back I could see the injured climber and his friend from the trail. I talked to him as we both reached the trailhead at the same time. He never mentioned is head but he had an abrasion on his forehead. His only complaint was his lower back. He said he couldn't walk until about half an hour after his fall at which time he took some anacin (aspirin). I gave him some ibuprofen, he thanked me and hobbled over to the rescue vehicle and was on his way.
Molly (the mountain mutt) and I went down by Wrights Lake (at least I think that's it's name) to camp. Had trouble sleeping because the moon was almost full and it was light as day all night. Got up at 6:30 and was at the trailhead at 7. I reached Lavender Col by 8:30 and summited at about 10:30. I know, I'm slow but I had to help Molly. Actually she did well until we went through the notch at the top of the couloir. I had to help her quit a bit there. We sat on the summit for about 20 min drinking water, eating nuts, taking pictures and relaxing.
The first time I climbed Sneffels, the summit was shrouded with clouds but there wasn't anything but high fluffy ones today. I got to see Grand Junction or at least where it is because I could see Grand Mesa. Man what a view of Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn to the east and The Wilsons and El Diente to the west.
It seemed much harder getting down than I remember it and I had to help molly 5 times. But once we were in couloir the going was easy. I reached the trail head at noon. I only saw one other climber. We met on Lavender Col. He summited and got back to the trail head at the same time I did. I gave him a ride down to his vehicle at the outhouse.
The trail up to Lavender Col reaches almost half way up. It is a great trail and makes the climb to the Col only half as crappy.
The first time I climbed Sneffels, I had to use the old trail and it didn't go very far up.
It was a great day. If the lady who lost her sunglasses reads this I have them and would be glad to send them. The picture is of the scree below the Col. The trail now reaches about half way up. |
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