| Skywalker Couloir on South Arapahoe Peak Date: June 6, 2004 Partners: RMRG group w/ Mark S. N., Steve P., met up with Shelly S. N. at top More Pictures Trip Report A prospective member of nine months for Rocky Mountain Rescue last year, I saw that one of the upcoming practices was listed as Hard snow/Peak Climb on the training schedule and was interested in both topics. As a mountaineer at heart, the peak climb had great appeal but alas I would stay near tree line and put in some dues, learning mountain rescue skills such as snow evacuations as these topics were new to me. With a nice view of the sweeping couloir from the practice spot, it was with some jealously I watched nearly a dozen members make their way up the beautiful sliver of snow dissecting the face of South Arapahoe Peak in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Nearly a year later the same practice comes along on the schedule and once again the climb draws my attention. Much has occurred in this last year: at an even six months I became an official member of the group, the winter is spent on snowy peaks and ice developing alpine skills, with the last week I�ve made it up some snow climbs. After getting the climb�s leader�s blessing for attending the climb I realize that most importantly in the last year I�ve gotten to know these people I will climb with�I�m no longer a stranger. The climb does not get early sun hit and insets into the face thus at a semi-casual time of 6 a.m. I meet Mark in Boulder. A cancellation phone call comes in before a ten minute grace period goes by for potential stragglers. The windy sub-hour drive to the trailhead is passed by what climber�s do well, talking about climbing. Upon arriving at the 4th of July trailhead, we pick up Steve and pass Shelly�s car as we leave the lot, quickly filling up on this mellow Sunday morning. Only a few miles of good trail separate us from the base of our objective and soon enough the entire length of the climb is visible above as we turn off the trail and scamper over to the base. There is a queue of climbers at various stages of the climb, all ready to pick the plum of a climb. At the base, we joke about getting a number to wait our turn at the climb as crampons go on and axes readied. Mark takes the lead and we follow up the frozen snow slope most entirely with French technique as the prelude to the climb is passed. I count around a dozen people in the classic climb in between bursts of climbing the increasing slope angle. Eight people are divided into three rope teams above and it is our wish to catch them before the crux to avoid entanglement. Step, step, step; we climb up what is now a staircase of kicked-in steps as we pass one rope party then a second who move surprisingly fast up the sides looking for rock pro without the advantage of the steps. Soon enough the crux is reached at the top and it looks friendly today�a slightly steeper slope of perhaps 60 degree continuous snow. I was anxious to see what the crux would be like as we didn�t pack ropes and descriptions from others report this as sometimes being 70-80 snow and ice and possible rock sections. At this spot I play tourist with my two cameras, making a lens change on the SLR to the annoyance of the rope party�s leader who waits a second on the boot track for me. Back into the climbing now I start catching up to my photo subjects on the crux and find myself never wanting to plant either the axe�s pick or free hand into the slope. Above this step, the snow fades into talus blocks and there is a reunion of CMC folks switching out gear. Shelly, with her early start has topped out the climb and is here waiting as well as one rope party, whose leader is known by all my partners. Slightly more windy here, I put on another layer and soon start moving again to stay warm. South Arapahoe�s summit is close at hand and I reach it for the first time, enjoying great intimate views of the IPW and surrounding Front Range. Several minutes pass before the four of us reconvene for a quick break before descending. It is an interesting perspective of seasoned rescuers I share the summit with: tales of years ago are regaled to me including a plane crash from years ago onto the Arapahoe glacier cirque and on the descent a sub-point is referred to as �lightning point,� the name having morbid origins from an incident in the past. The descent is steadily passed by, with a few breaks had near the trail which is once again reached. Not too far down the trail we meet up with the rest of the group, nearing the end of their hard snow practice. Helping out with one final lower and raise before packing up, we now descend as a group strengthened to around a dozen strong. More Pictures Back to Dan's Basecamp |
 |
 |