| #4: Terrible Torrent on Tabeguache Trip Report |
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| #4: Terrible Torrent on Tabeguache   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 38.62560°N / 106.2505°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Aug 1, 1987 | Page By: Aaron Johnson Created/Edited: Aug 7, 2003 / Jul 4, 2006 Object ID: 169023 Hits: 1022 Loading... Page Score: 0% - 0 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
MA and I summited Tabeguache at 10:00AM. A huge, black cloud was forming over the Monarch Pass area. I stated that we should descend and try Shavano another day. MA was convinced we could race the storm because we were in such good shape. I foolishly agreed to this exercise in stupidity because I didn’t want him up here by himself when the storm hit.
We ran over to Shavano, making that summit in 18 minutes. By then, the cloud was over us and so dark I felt like pulling my flashlight out. I looked at MA and said, ”we’re fucked.” MA knew our greed for the Shavano summit was going to come at a hefty price, but at least he would at least be alive later to regret it.
We ran back over Tabeguache and contoured beneath most of the ridge difficulties to buy us some time. Running over the talus covered south slopes of the mountain took some less than graceful moves, but we weren’t much for keeping up appearances at this point. We came to the south bearing ridge that leads toward the scree descent through the old burn and proceeded to run full tilt along it as thunder rolled and lightning struck.
I paused to put on my rain gear, seeing MA approaching me about fifty yards up the ridge. Ready for the onslaught and about to descend, I turned to look for MA and all I saw was a white wall of water coming at me. I was a deer frozen in the headlights of an oncoming train.
Pea sized hail immediately pelted me. The sound was deafening as literally thousands of ice pellets ricocheted off my body and instantly covered the ground in a blanket of white. I called out MA’s name, but there was no way he was going to hear me in such roaring commotion.
Lightning cracked, lighting up the hail shower in a flash that almost blinded me. A crack of thunder followed and I bailed down the side of Tab’s south ridge, skiing down the scree among the old, bleached logs of the burn. The hail stopped but the rain came in thick sheets, washing down the mountain’s scree in muddy waves amidst a clamour of lightning and thunder. I was skiing down a collapsing mountain.
I knew Mark could handle himself and would find his way down safely. I could only hope that he was not harmed and unable to respond to my calls, which were likely unheard over the wind and thunder. The storm’s fury was matched by its speed, and within the hour, it was gone and the sky had become a flat gray. I returned to camp to find Mark sitting comfortably, much to my relief.
After verbally grilling him alive for getting us in the mess we just escaped, that in turn caused me to lose track of him and fear for his well being, he apologized. Nothing like it has ever happened again, at least not with him. Well sorta…go here to find out more.
NOTE: The route described here is the Jennings Creek route, which was closed recently due to the damage caused by heavy traffic in the burn area on the west side of Tab's south ridge. For details and route alternatives, refer to the Tabeguache main page. Images
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Sawatch Range
