You only turn 59 once, and after that, you just keep telling people you're 59. Mom's birthday is Oct. 3rd, so on Sept. 11, we thought we'd attempt her first Colorado 14er, Quandary Peak. Here's a shot from the Safeway parking lot in Frisco at 5:50 a.m. Kathy figured one donut would be enough breakfast for the hike.
Kathy starts up the trail, about 7 a.m. Only 3,000 vertical feet to go!
First injury: Gash on shin from slipping on a rock. "Well, shit, Mom, my first aid kit is basically duct tape, gauze and Krazy Glue." This is one nurse practitioner who endorses Krazy Glue when sutures are not a possibility. I actually did the Krazy Gluing, and then we posed this photo a few seconds later after it dried.
Looking back down the ridge, at about 13,000 feet.
Everyone behind us. I think they were faster, but they didn't wake up at 942 feet elevation in Marshalltown, Iowa, the previous day.
The final couple hundred feet to the summit. Spirits high. Don't worry about that cloud, Mom.
Kathy summits: 5'2" lady at 14,265 feet.
I am my mother's son, in at least one respect. Cheers on the summit.
Mom and son, on top of the world. Halfway to some ice cream.
Probably the first signature from Marshalltown on the summit register in a while ...
North Star Peak next door, on the way down.
Next day, the weather wasn't so hot in Rocky Mountain National Park. This started immediately as we drove up Trail Ridge Road.
Photo on the left is from Aug. 1985, when I was 6 and Joe was 33. Photo on the right is Sept. 12, 2009, and I'm almost as old as Joe was in the other photo. After careful examination, we think this is the same location the bench was in 1985, but may have to return next year in better weather just to make sure, when we can see the mountains behind.
Nice Sandals on Trail Ridge Rd.
Weather… there’s an app for that.
I took my mom up Mt. Princeton when she was 58, it didn’t go as well. After getting to about 13,100, she wasn’t feeling hot, and we had a harrowing walk/vomit down to the jeep road. My brother stayed with my mom, and I ran three miles to my car, drove it up jeep road, picked up mom, bro, and other edemic climbers, made 8 point more harrowing turn around and down mountain. No EMT services available Friday afternoon in Buena Vista, so onward to CO springs with mom not looking great in the back. Get to CO springs hospital, mom gets on the O2, bro and I go get food (starving at this point), come back half hour later. Mom is fine, and feels like whole episode never happened (O2 is amazing).
Next day, mom sticks to plan, and we go whitewater rafting in the Arkansas, great time had by all.
Aftermath – I bought my own tank of oxygen. If you ever want to borrow it, my sister still has it.
PS: Way to go Kathy!