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CULEBRA PEAK!
#55/55 Grand Slam
Date Slammed: 8/24/03
So, I too climbed Culebra Peak last weekend, fortunately we did it on Sunday the 24th, which turned out to be the best weather day of the three. Completing the Grand Slam was a good feeling, although It felt sort of surreal. Well, at least now when people ask: “How many 14ers have you climbed”? I don’t have to say: “All of them except the privately owned one.” “What, someone actually owns a 14er?” “Yes, its true, some ex-Enron Executive Texan &*%$@#$!”
No, but in all seriousness, it was nice of the owners to allow us lowly peak baggers access to his mountain. He owns it, and that’s that, nuff said.
I arrived at San Luis on Saturday afternoon to find out that the hotel was booked, most likely by a few fellow peak baggers. So we drove back to Fort Garland, and, not wanting to camp anymore after our week long trip, elected to stay at the Fort Garland Motor Inn. Although the rooms were new and clean, I would NOT RECOMMEND STAYING HERE! If you want to know why, please email me @ coloradoclimber@msn.com and I would be happy to tell you.
So, anyway, we arrived in the town of San Luis @ 5:30 and drove around much like Mark Fisher until we found a group of cars and the meeting place. We were the last ones there, but were right on time, eager anyone? We met our CMC leader, Vern Bass, and got in our vehicles and proceeded to the ranch. Driving in a train of 15-20 cars was indeed a strange sensation @ 5:30am in a small town. What must the neighbors think? That we are some strange cult heading for a sacrifice? Or some drunk teens following the early morning party train? Sorry, my attempt at humor. We made it to the ranch, and after the debriefing and free Cliff Bar munchin’ we began our hike at around 6:30am
Vern, the trip leader had us break into “groups” according to our pace much like Mark Fishers trip. But basically we just chose random meeting spots, the first one was just before the 4-way signed junction on the road. Which is 3 miles from the starting point. At this point I was in the lead group, with several other hikers, with the exception of one guy, who decided he didn’t want to wait up, and continued alone. :P We regrouped and continued along the road which was a nice casual stroll with some good conversation among other 14er climbers. We stopped again to regroup at treeline, and discussions ensued on what route to take up to the ridge leading to Culebra. After some map reading, or lack there of, we headed up some gentle, grassy slopes which led to a giant cairn. All the while I was determined to reach the impatient speedy hiker that I could see higher up on the ridge. Johnny Turbo, as one guy from Breckenridge nicknamed him . My hiking buddy, Ethan Foster, was “asked” to carry two glass bottles of sparkling cider that Vern was having a hard time carrying, so he obliged and was now unable to keep up with me given the 10 pounds of extra weight he was now carrying ( and it wasn’t even alcoholic!) So it was up to me to catch Mr. Turbo, who had a good half hour jump on me. I reached the Giant Cairn and was looking at the now forming clouds around the summit, but I wasn’t too concerned with any incoming threat. I did spy Johnny Turbo on the ridge leading to Culebra’s false summit, and decided that I would show him how it was done. 10 minutes later I passed him and made it to the false summit, which was west of the true summit. I made the quick jaunt over to Culebra Pk! I had done it! The time was 9:45am. My first 14er was Wetterhorn Pk in 1994, age 14. 9 years and many, many miles later I was on my final 14er. It was kind of weird though, I didn’t really feel special or any different from any other 13er or 14er summit experience. But I was happy at accomplishing the goal I had set out for myself in 1998, to summit all of Colorado’s 14,000 mountains. Of course that was only round one. I plan on climbing all the 14ers several more times, via different routes, and perhaps in the winter with snowboard descents! I am currently working on the 100 highest, but with 89/100 of those, I will soon have to continue on the 200 highest. Darn!
I summited alone and took a few solo summit pictures for my ego, and waited 10 minutes for Johnny Turbo to show up. He graced the summit for all of ten minutes, we chatted for a bit, then he took off for the ranch, in hopes of making a quick exit, if the ranch manager would let him out of the locked gate! I waited for the rest of the group who summited anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes later. We had some good conversations about past 14er trips, hardest climbs, favorite climbs, etc. We also talked about funny “14er tourists” who climb without any idea of what they were getting into, much like many of us on our first 14er. One story that my friend Dave recalled from our trip to Mt Sneffels: We were in upper Yankee Boy Basin on our descent from the summit at around noon when we passed a weird looking guy on his way up. He asked us for some of our water, to which Dave reluctantly obliged. This guy asked us if this was Mount Sneeefels, or mount Sinffles? We told him it was, but suggested that it wasn’t a good idea to continue on towards the summit at noon, with no water, given that he wasn’t even at the start of the talus! But, he explained that he had hitch hiked up here, and that he had two cans of soda, and that he would be fine. Dave then suggested that soda was not the best thing to stay hydrated, to which he stated, “Oh, its ok, they’re diet.” So we were like, ok buddy good luck!
So anyway, we all summited and drank a toast of sparkling apple juice to our success! Vern, our guide was the second last to summit, but it was only 10:45, a pretty darn good summit time. We all descended, and the fast group was down to the car by 1:30pm, at which point we met up with Johnny Turbo, who was not granted access to the gate until more people came down. :P Hah Hah! We got a group of 4 cars and Ed, the very friendly Ranch security guy, let us out, Johnny Turbo leading the charge. I did glance at his license plate, yup, Texas. No offense to other Texans intended, its just that a few of them give bad reps to the rest of you, as I’m sure Coloradans do as well. So all in all it was a good experience and I would like to try out my new CMC membership with some other activities, any suggestions? |
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