SP now has THE BEST report on this ridge traverse! Great commmentary and advice accompany the photos in the text, which is concise and straight forward. The photos (which could at least use some brief captions-maybe you've added them by now) are excellent and tell much of the story. As route photos, they're the absolute best I've seen depicting this route anywhere. Thanks for taking the time to add this great report to SP.
Fossana... that must have been intense. Ice is the last thing I'd want to find on that ridge. Did you have to use one of the bailoff points or did you make it to Blanca?
What a great story. And flash backs. Oh how my nerves felt, your description and photos put me back on the ridge line looking up at Blanca Peak some 250' from Ellingwood Point. After two failed winter assaults in back to back years to summit Blanca, between Christmas and New Years of 1998 &1999, that's as far as I got. I wanted to keep climbing toward Blanca because there wasn't any sign of ice on the ridge, but my heart kept telling me to Listen to reason, as well as my brother in law, and turn back. The exposure was freaky scary, the wind was gusting 65 knots and the thought of getting stuck on that exposed terrain at night made my decision to descend that much easier. Better to live and fight another day is what they say. Anyway, kudos to Debbie for making her 55th 14er summit. That's really awesomeness. I'm planning on making a spring break trip back to CO in mid March 2015 to try Blanca again. I did a practice run up Eureka October 30, 2014. I'm looking for a local climber companion to make this attempt with me. Does anyone want to be a taker?
chris.mueller - Sep 12, 2007 8:37 am - Voted 10/10
Excellent reportWell done!
Chris
doumall - Sep 12, 2007 11:56 am - Voted 10/10
Front Page!This ones got to hit the front page buddy, well done!
Hobopoet - Sep 12, 2007 2:30 pm - Hasn't voted
"Because it's there..."Great report, and great pix! GOOD JOB!
Woodie Hopper - Sep 12, 2007 2:42 pm - Voted 10/10
BreathtakingGood job! This is a priority for me next summer.
Woodie
Aaron Johnson - Sep 12, 2007 8:50 pm - Voted 10/10
ExcellentSP now has THE BEST report on this ridge traverse! Great commmentary and advice accompany the photos in the text, which is concise and straight forward. The photos (which could at least use some brief captions-maybe you've added them by now) are excellent and tell much of the story. As route photos, they're the absolute best I've seen depicting this route anywhere. Thanks for taking the time to add this great report to SP.
maverick - Sep 13, 2007 1:25 am - Hasn't voted
Re:Thanks for all the comments guys. I enjoyed posting this report. T'was a sweet trip.
Scott Rogers - Sep 14, 2007 1:29 am - Voted 10/10
...without a doubt one of the best trip reports I have ever read. Congrats on an amazing and successful climb.
-scotty
fossana - Sep 14, 2007 2:27 am - Voted 10/10
NiceMakes me miss CO. We had a bit of an epic on this last Oct and had to blindly descend in icy, whiteout conditions. Thanks for posting.
maverick - Sep 14, 2007 11:14 am - Hasn't voted
Traverse in a whiteout???Fossana... that must have been intense. Ice is the last thing I'd want to find on that ridge. Did you have to use one of the bailoff points or did you make it to Blanca?
Thanks for the vote and comment Scott.
tphubbard - Sep 14, 2007 12:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Looks fun- and remarkably like the Skye ridge in Scotland. :-)
Matthew Van Horn - Sep 14, 2007 1:18 pm - Voted 10/10
ExcellentExcellent report, pictures, and route. My hands get all sweaty just looking at those photos.
Doehle - Sep 14, 2007 6:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice TRFantastic and informative pics.
tetonmaniac - Sep 14, 2007 11:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Great reportSomewhat of the same route i did in 1976. Brings back some scary memories
EastKing - Sep 15, 2007 1:07 am - Voted 10/10
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!My nerves are in high gear after this report and pictures. Great Report!!
Charles - Sep 19, 2007 11:54 am - Voted 10/10
Great day outThat´s a great traverse! Well done
Cheers
Charles
maverick - Sep 20, 2007 5:10 pm - Hasn't voted
Thanks...for all the votes and comments, folks. It's truly a great opportunity for an aspiring mountaineer to be able to live in and climb in Colorado.
Prakash
CheesySciFi - Sep 21, 2007 7:11 pm - Voted 10/10
Heart-stopping!Fantastic descriptions and pictures.
WalksWithBlackflies - Oct 18, 2007 1:17 pm - Voted 10/10
Great TR!Seems the constant exposure would be as exhausting as the climbing.
comcamera - Feb 19, 2015 3:25 am - Hasn't voted
3rd time hopefully a charmWhat a great story. And flash backs. Oh how my nerves felt, your description and photos put me back on the ridge line looking up at Blanca Peak some 250' from Ellingwood Point. After two failed winter assaults in back to back years to summit Blanca, between Christmas and New Years of 1998 &1999, that's as far as I got. I wanted to keep climbing toward Blanca because there wasn't any sign of ice on the ridge, but my heart kept telling me to Listen to reason, as well as my brother in law, and turn back. The exposure was freaky scary, the wind was gusting 65 knots and the thought of getting stuck on that exposed terrain at night made my decision to descend that much easier. Better to live and fight another day is what they say. Anyway, kudos to Debbie for making her 55th 14er summit. That's really awesomeness. I'm planning on making a spring break trip back to CO in mid March 2015 to try Blanca again. I did a practice run up Eureka October 30, 2014. I'm looking for a local climber companion to make this attempt with me. Does anyone want to be a taker?