Mt. Evans. in two pieces

I flew into Denver on Friday the 4th of July to visit my sister Kendra and her husband Markus and their little girl and to do some outdoor activities like hiking and rock climbing.
   So, Monday morning Markus and I got up earlyish and headed out. The plan was to grab coffee and breakfast at Whole Foods but they were not open when we got there, so we redirected to a local coffee shop and had our breakfast. fortunately we were still on schedule as we headed out to Idaho Falls and then up to Echo Lake at 10,600 ft. It took us a bit to park as Markus was debating where to park. The write up we had suggested one side but Markus had another idea that turned out to be better, (I kinda hoped it would not so I could give him crap about it later.)

 The air was clear and warm but not hot. There was not a cloud in the sky. Our path took us past the lake and the swarms of blue dragonflys. We passed a nice couple all done up in all the fishing gear upon asking how the fishing was we received the response of "it is fishing."So we let that be and hiked on. The trail ziged and zaged and switch backed descending through a lovely forest. Wildlife was abundant mostly squirrels chattering at us for being in their forest and birds flying around. The trail descended to the valley floor and then started up the gentle incline to the lakes.

We came to a small stream with a log bridge and soon after Markus pointed out a Columbine flower. Just before the trail headed up with a high clearance vehicle road we passed a couple of tents just off the side of the trail. It looked like a great place to camp. The road continued the uphill climb.

We passed the first big boulder, Markus is a big boulder. which is rock climbing without ropes and harness and generally staying 6-8 feet off the ground. though he was wearing the wrong shoes he had to play on the rock for a sec before we carried on.

 We came to our first major feature. the Idaho Springs Reservoir the view was great and I found my own rock to stand on, and I did so without getting wet. The road passed the reservoir and came to two little cabins and some private property signs. The car by the cabin had WV plates so they must be rentals. What a great place to spend a vacation.

 Right after the cabin was the entrance to the Mt. Evans wilderness zone. I filled out the free use permit and checked out the signage. As we were doing this another hiker passed us with his dog. The Valley opened up as we got into the Wilderness zone tall rock walls on either side and large Boulders that Markus really wanted to climb but that is not our objective this trip. Though coming out here and camping and bouldering could be a great trip. There were large section of fallen trees, and standing deadwood, it looks like there might ave been a fire or serous drought that killed them all off. I would have been a while ago because the shrubs and grasses are there and doing very well and very green. Our trail followed a the right side of a stream that was heading down to the reservoir. The sound of water was ever present.

We skirted above the next big feature Lower Chicago lake. Where our climb really began. After the lake there is a good incline past a small snowfield. We are able to stay off the snow and skirt the edge of it. This is where I am just beginning to feel the altitude, I am getting winded and I have a tinge of a headache.

The fatigue is there too but we have quite a ways to go. up e hill we push to Upper Chicago lake. As we crest the ridge to the upper lake the wind picks up and it starts to feel chilly We decide to find a bit of wind shelter and have a break and snack, by the edge of the lake. Despite the chill the hike is enough work that we really don't need to put on more layers. After snack it is hard to get moving again. Inertia seems to be a real factor. A standing break might have been better. The trail is quite clear and has been for the entire hike, but ahead of us there is a big landslide that goes over the trail, we suspect we will not have trouble finding the trail once we are on top of it and can look beyond, though we cannot see from where we are how we exit this massive bowl that contains the lake. As we climb up the landslide Markus spots a Marmot the first of the real mountain life I have seen. He watches us approach then peeps and disappears into the rocks.

We scramble over the slide and easily find the trail that snakes and switchbacks up the bowl. A little ways up the slope we spot our next bit of mountain life. Mountain Goats, there is a small heard ahead of us. The trail seems to go above them. We stand there for a while watching them as they move closer. They are in mid molt their fluff pealing off in clumps. so cool.. we push on, conversation ends as all effort is going into breathing and walking. We are close to 12,000 ft. The Summit lake where we are meeting my sister and niece is at 12,800 and this is only my 3rd day more than 50ft above sea level.

 The trail crests with a sign and we see the 4th lake in the line. There are puffy clouds now and the air is cool and crisp.

Still sucking wind we head over to get some lunch. that Kendra brought up. After a short break and some good food we do the swap. Markus takes my niece and Kendra suits up to do the rest of the trail up to Mount Spalding's summit at 13,842 ft and finally the Mount Evans Summit at 14,265 ft. I have eaten 1/2 a sandwich and a coconut water I don't feel great but and ready to go.

We set off. Almost immediately I am sucking wind and not wanting to spend energy on speaking much. but I can do this. the trail is a steady climb but nothing super aggressive. As we are heading up one longish straight section of trail a goat steps out on the trail. and looks down us. as if to say "hey whats up?" and then looks quizzically at us because we are standing where he wants to go. After a short pause he starts down the trail toward us. Now, the area on either side of the trail is mountain Tundra and all the signs say "Don't Walk on the Tundra" and they also say "Don't Interact with the wildlife" so.... which is the greater evil? we move to one side as best we can to get out of the goats way and he kinda goes around us. He is so close I could have tapped him with my walking stick. after he is by we turn back to our hike. Kendra is encouraging to keep going and after a few hundred feet more my head reels and my stomach turns I have to sit down. I am done.

I feel like puking Kendra goes ahead and sees we are about to hit an area that is a scramble after I get myself together we head down. knowing it was getting harder and I already felt off. Markus was going to check the Summit lake parking lot before going the the peak lot. Kendra's phone gave us the estimation of 13,100 ft of elevation my map says 13,227ft as our max. either way it is not a summit and I am bummed. I wanted to hike more with my sister, but safety first everything.

 I read says don't push it if you feel bad. We get back to the lot and I find a rock to sit on I don't feel nauseous anymore but my head is pounding. after about 20 min Markus is back from Visiting the nature center with my niece and he picks us up and drives us down the mountain. When we are back at the house and I had eaten and had a sports drink and was feeling better I did some more analysis. the entire trip I had been fighting with my Platypus Hydration pack and it seems I only got a liter out of the 3 liter pack because the mouthpiece was not working for me. So, suspect I was dehydrated and needed more electrolytes. Total rookie mistake, Though I am sure it was also the altitude and fatigue.

2 Days Later

Two days later I had the day to myself and a car. Kendra and Markus had to work so I decided to not let mountain beat me and I would drive up to Summit lake and do the last bit of the climb. I headed out at a reasonable time 7:30ish and got to the lake by 8:30 and I headed off. There was no goat on the trail but I quickly was getting too warm so I shed my shirt and made my pants into shorts hit myself with more sunscreen. The air and views felt good I had spent the previous day at over 10,000 ft to help get my system used to the altitude and I had picked up Osprey replacement bite valve for my platypus bag and it was working so much better.

The trail got rockier and rockier and their were gaps to the sides where you could see 1000 feet below it was amazing. I came across an older woman slowly working her way up the trail,not in any rush, taking flower photos along the way. We had a quick chat and I pushed on. I crested the top of Mount Spalding to find a few guys hang out. an older gentleman, the husband of the woman I passed on the trail and two other fellas. The older fella had all kinds of stories and suggestions about the peaks.

After a short chat and some photos I continued on the Evans summit. The saddle between the two peaks was a rocky wasteland with scattered vegetation. It proved a challenge to stay on the trail as the only markers were little Cairns that blended in with the rest of the terrain. the rail did not just track the saddle ridge as I expected it wrapped around the backside of the peak and kept turning into scrambles over scree fields and large rocks. it got even herder to keep on trail. At one point I looked down the hillside and the trail was 50+ ft below me. I stayed on my current trajectory assuming the trail would cut up eventually, which it did.

 The views were fantastic I could see all the Rockies around me. I was starting to slow down getting tired, and winded. I did my best to keep my pace steady the 2 guys from Mount Spalding caught up and I let them pass. No need to mess with others with a faster pace.

  I followed them as they took slight shortcut onto the switchbacks that the people who drove up use to get to the summit. I had done it. it took two days but I made it. The guys who got there with said it was ok to do it in two pieces I did it no shame in how I did it.

 I still did not feel like I could sign summit log though. After a rest at the summit I looked around at the sky and it was looking like weather as coming in, the puffy clouds were getting dark and bundling up. I decided to follow the auto road down instead of backtracking so if it opened up I might be able to catch lift and the road was all downhill (there are other hiking trails I found out about later that might have been better but this is what I could see.

Heading down I was really feeling tired I cut corners on the switchbacks where I could without stepping on vegetation. about halfway down a couple pulled up next to me and said" hey man you want a lift down before this weather comes in?"grateful I accepted then noticed that they were driving a very nice Cadillac with beige leather interior. I carefully got in totally fearful of damaging the nice car. The couple was about my age from Golden, she is a teacher, he works in construction something to do with building new houses they are also hikers and were doing some of the connecting hikes off the peak and saw the weather and though they would get caught. when I told them of my two part hike they they dropped me at the car and I thanked them again and headed back to Kendra and Markus's total hike me 3:20 tracking app says 2.9 miles.