Mt Elbert

A cracking day - Wed Oct 4, 2013 - and one to be savoured.

A long standing ambition of ours to summit Mt Elbert, at 14,440 feet, the highest of Colorado's 14ers.

Alarm at 3am, left house at 4, over Independence Pass and reached trailhead in pitch darkness at 5.15. Had huge difficulty finding it which delayed us 30 mins or so.

Equipped though with head torches and fair amount of gear - huge range of weather conditions to be catered for - set off at 6 on the dot. Ridge at 9.15 at 13,500 ft and summit at 14,500 ft at 11.15.  5.5 miles and 5,500 ft of climbing.

Just made it down to tree level before the first serious blot of lightning hit the mountain. Back though to car on Hwy 82 at 4.15 and home by 6. Epic.

Sun rising on La Plata  NW ridge  with summit in background

Good view of La Plata summit. Definitely smiling only for the camera. It was a tough pull to the ridge and still only 9am. Highway 82 on valley floor is where we started.

Auto pic having just hit the ridge at about 13,500 ft with summit in background still a couple of hours away

No , we didn't bring this with us or the flag!

Looking SE back towards Independence Pass

How's that for exhilaration and deservedly so. The summit.

Our Danish friends that we met on top. They had come up the traditional ( and very much shorter and easier route ) from the left of Twin Lakes that are in background. But would have meant a much longer drive for us.

Feeling a bit unsettled , but only thunder at this stage