| Date: August 8, 1998 I climbed my first fourteener, Mt. Sherman with my Boy Scout group. We left our house at 6:30 with about a two hour drive ahead of us. We came to treeline and saw some people parking there and hiking up. They were most likely purists starting 3,000 feet below the summit to make the ascent official. We drove on to the gates near some mining buildings (11,200) and set off. I do not like being part of a big group so my brother and I set off ahead of the rest of the group. Casey (my brother) made a goal of making the summit in an hour and speed off ahead of me. I couldn't keep up so was by myself. I didn't want to wait up for the group so just followed the masses up the gentle trail. I saw what I thought was a shortcut that went straight up some loose talus/scree and went up that hard way. Taking this shortcut I nearly climbed a neighboring thirteener and had to descend to the connecting saddle between the two. I met up with the scouts here and said hi but once again, they were too slow. I followed the people up the obvious ridge on the easy trail and kept a good pace. I made it to the gentle summit plateua and felt the altitude a little going to the summit. I signed the register and considered climbing a neighboring thirteener but considered it better to wait for the group. After a 30-45 minute break the group finally got to the summit and we took pictures. I had an ice axe and started using it as a cane on the descent. This was my first real mountain I climbed and I planned to practice self-arrest on the remaining snow field. I donned my rain gear and my dad taught me the intricities of the self-arrest. I had tried the self-arrest once before but it was on a really short slope. I slid and stopped myself going down the August snow while my dad descended the neighboring talus. We hiked down the lower slopes and met my brother at the car. This was my first real mountain, and first fourteener and I had a lot of fun. I did this trip shortly before my eight grade year when I was fourteen. There are some pictures coming... Back to Fourteeners Back to Dan's Base Camp |
| Mount Sherman Trip Report Tenmile-Mosquito Range |