- Part 10

Mt. Sneffels in Winter

by Brandon Chalk | Feb 25, 2016 | Colorado 14ers, Ski-mountaineering

The boys and I had our annual Silverton ski trip this past weekend. Typically, we have been very lucky with snow conditions every year with massive amounts of powder and storms on this exact weekend. However, this year the mountain had not seen good snow in weeks and I felt like the conditions would leave a lot to be desired. So, I decided to see about skiing on Saturday and climbing a peak on Sunday. I chatted up my friend Natalie and she soon had me convinced to attempt the 14er Mt. Sneffels with her as she had tried it in winter 3 years prior and had turned around at the 13,500′ Lavender Col because of unfavorable snow conditions. She is trying to climb all of Colorado’s 14ers in winter – a serious and very admirable undertaking. I always thought I was done with lists after the 7 Summits and I still claim that I am. However, climbing Sneffels made me realize how I do enjoy being up high on a 14er in the winter. Our crew did end up skiing on Saturday below gorgeous sunny bluebird skies and the snow on Silverton Mtn actually warmed up to acceptable ski conditions. It was a lot of fun with a good crew. Natalie showed up at our Wolf Haus late that afternoon and we all went to a great dinner that evening at Eureka Station in Silverton. We got to bed around 11pm and woke up at 3:15am for a 4am departure to the Sneffels winter road closure gate outside of Ouray. It was a great day to be up high in Colorado and things went about as well as they can on a 14er in the winter. I had climbed Sneffels maybe 6-7 times before all via the standard Lavender Col route and one trip via the Snake Couloir on the peak’s north face , but never in the winter. So, this trip was a special treat to see such stunning terrain in all its winter glory. Natalie wrote a nice little trip report here, which sums up the day well. Below are a few of my favorite pics from the day:

Me starting the steeper skinning up to Lavender Col above. Photo by Natalie

Natalie booting up the steeper slopes to Lavender Col with Gilpin Peak behind

After leaving the skis around 13,200′ (because the very icy and firm snow made the slope unskinnable), Natalie boots up the steeper slopes to Lavender Col with Gilpin Peak behind

Me booting up the Lavender Couloir. Photo by Natalie

Me on the upper face. Photo by Natalie

Natalie forging ahead on the steep and exposed upper face

Mt. Sneffels summit (14,150′) on February 21,2016

Natalie and I at the summer 4WD trailhead at about 12,400′ on the ski out

It was about a 14 mile RT day with about 5,000′ of vertical gain is just over 9 hours. I kept thinking how fun and enjoyable it would be to come back with Kristine and drive up to the summer 4WD trailhead and ski some nice late May/June corn snow on this peak and the surrounding terrain and other peaks. We’ll try and make that happen.

Rainier’s 13th Bday Swissbob

by Brandon Chalk | Jan 29, 2016 | Miscellaneous

One of my most favorite activities is hiking up the ski mountain and swissbobbing down with Rainie. We’ve been doing this for years and have perfected her ability to sit on my lap while we rocket down the slopes. Its so much fun. She circles around me ready to hop on my lap when we reach the top and wouldn’t even consider hiking downhill. The older she gets, obviously riding down is better for her joints. And, she still gets the good cardio by hiking uphill. Joel Gratz, Lauren Alweis, and Megan Gilman joined us for her 13th birthday swissbob up on Arrowhead on January 11. J was going to as well but needed to descend with baby Raina as it was bitterly cold outside. Joel was so extremely helpful in skiing down beside us getting the “skier cam” perspective. I had J’s GoPro on my head for a bird’s eye view. Rainie & I have been up Arrowhead probably close to 1000 times in all seasons (skinning/skiing, swissbobbing, running, hiking) over the past 12 years, but had never videoed the fun swissbob descent. Well, this time we did. And, with the fantastic video editing by Thomas Oelberger, we have a fun video of Rainie swissbobbing down the mountain. Special thanks to Joel & Thomas. I hope you enjoy the video below and be sure to turn on the 720p HD setting:

Rainie turns 13!

by Brandon Chalk | Jan 11, 2016 | Miscellaneous

Today is Rainie’s 13th birthday! To be able to say that feels so good considering the fall we have been through. We went through a few months of knowing Rainie had a splenic tumor and via ultrasounds and such we determined as best we could that it was benign. Yet, it was still a tumor and could rupture causing internal bleeding and ultimately death. And, it was getting larger. It was ultimately my call to put her through this surgery in order to have it removed. I was worried and worried and worried every minute of every day for weeks that it would rupture. Her belly was looking fairly distended as well. Knowing she was as healthy as an almost 13 yr old could be, I decided to schedule the surgery with Charlie Meynier knowing full well he would do his absolute best and take care of her. And, that he did. She was a rockstar and really did so well. She stayed overnight for monitoring, but her spleen and tumor were removed all together weighing almost 4.5 lbs. Imagine that in your gut! She has so much more energy now and acts like her old self once again. Hopefully, we have prolonged her life a bit longer.

Me & Sawyer visiting Rainie the morning after her big surgery. She was pretty chipper!

Rainie has been by my side for 13 years. She is the best friend and companion a guy could ask for. I am so lucky to have had her all these years through the many adventures, tough times, and the happiest of times. She really is the best of the best. You know you truly love something when you love that something more than yourself. Here’s to Rainie and more happy times with us on this earth!

A much younger me and Rainie on the summit of La Plata Peak

Mt. Harvard’s summit over a decade ago

The four of us on a winter climb of La Plata Peak

Me & Rainie at the Sand Dunes a long time ago

My buddy Lee Hoffman took this great pic of Rainie with Mt. Aetna behind

An old pic of Rainie and I on top of Lionshead Rock with Mt. of the Holy Cross behind. This was one of our go-to hikes for years and years

The Spider’s summit in the Gore rainge with Rainie

Mt. Arkansas’ North Ridge

by Brandon Chalk | Dec 23, 2015 | Colorado 13ers, Ski-mountaineering

Kristine & I wanted to get another peak in together before the holidays and we’d always had ole Arkansas on our minds as a fairly quick outing especially since Kristine had not summitted this mountain before. I climbed this route a few years back in some fairly deep spring snow (report here) staying to the ridge proper adding some nice class 3/4 scrambling in mountain boots. Nevertheless, I was pretty excited to go back with Kristine. Good buddy Dillon Sarnelli joined us as well and it was awesome for the three of us to spend 6 hrs together up high in the alpine on a decently sunny December day. Our friend and my co-worker Chelsey Lange was gracious enough to come over at 8:30am and babysit Sawyer and look after Rainier while we went and did our thing. Dillon did a fun recap of the day over on his site at http://basecampcolorado.com/2015/12/22/mount-arkansas/, which I am sure you will enjoy. A few of my favorite pics of the day are as follows:

Me battling the wind. Fortunately, the air temperature wasn’t all that cold. Photo by Dillon

Me, Kristine, Kona, & Dillon on the summit of Mt. Arkansas (13,795′)

Looking down at the north ridge from the summit. Photo by Dillon

Happy holidays from all of us Chalks!

Cold Climbing in the Monument

by Brandon Chalk | Dec 17, 2015 | Rock Climbing

Typically, when a decent storm rolls into Colorado bringing snow, one would want to head for the slopes or backcountry for some powder turns. Well, Steve, Mike, and myself decided to head west to get out of the snow and onto some sandstone. It wasn’t looking too promising, but we pulled it off and got on some nice cracks and a tower to boot. However, it was indeed some chilly climbing (temps in high 30s at the warmest part of the day), especially in the shade and when the sun was not out. Our original plan was to head to the Fisher Towers to climb Ancient Art, but it is a teetering tower of mud and would not have been safe after a snowstorm (as it wouldn’t have dried properly) nor would have been good climbing karma to climb this tower so soon after it snowed. The harder sandstone near Grand Junction in Colorado National Monument was safer and in no way did we stand a chance of harming the rock.

Me leading the 1st pitch of Dewar Dihedral (5.10), a new route I had not climbed on the Monolith Spire

Steve on Dewar Dihedral. This route has a 2nd pitch, but having three of us just didn’t make sense with the hanging belay at the top of the 1st pitch. Next time we’ll do the 2nd pitch

Mikey

Steve. For some reason when I led this route it was freezing! It got warmer as the afternoon progressed even though then sun was behind the clouds

Mike on a close to dark lead of Left Dihedral (5.8+)

Instead of driving to some trailhead in the dark and suffering through a cold night in the desert, the young Mike followed Steve and my lead and we all checked into the Comfort Inn in Fruita and had a comfortable night in a warm bed. Steve & Mike had never climbed Independence Monument, the 400′ free-standing tower in Colorado National Monument, via its moderate classic 5.9- route called Otto’s Route. I had climbed it twice, the first time with Jesse Hill and the second time with Kristine, and knew it well. The only issue with Otto’s Route was that the 1st three pitches were on the west side in the shade. It was to be very chilly on the fingers and toes. I was the 3rd wheel along for the ride taking pictures while Steve led pitches 1 and 4 and Mike took pitches 2 and 3. Finally, we got in the sun at the top of pitch 3 and it was a sunny and warmer pitch 4 and summit.

Hiking the 2 miles into Independence Monument

Bighorns enjoying the morning sun

Steve making one of the most awkward moves of the day on the 5.6 pitch 1. The cold really contributed to zero friction between your hands and shoes and the sandy rock, i.e. the cold made 5.6 feel way harder

Mike leading the 5.8+ off-width pitch 2

Top of pitch 2

Me belaying Mike on lead up the 5.7 pitch 3

Mike belaying Steve up pitch 3

Me topping out on pitch 3…into the sun, finally!

Steve beginning pitch 4

Steve leading the really fun 5.9- roof move (mantle) to the summit

And Mikey is off on pitch 4

Steve belaying Mikey up the roof

Its then just a short belay away from the true summit cap. Mikey took this pic of Steve and me way down below

Me goofing around on the roof move

Independence Monument summit

Gorgeous Monument Canyon from the summit

A nice hiker took this pic of us from the ground. You can see my red jacket on the summit of Independence Monument

A nice hiker (Toni Leuthold from Winter Park) took this pic of us from the ground. You can see my red jacket on the summit of Independence Monument

Me rapping off the summit. Photo by Toni Leuthold

Two double rope rappels and we were down on the ground again around 1:30pm. We started hiking back down Monument Canyon and the high clouds rolled in and blocked the sun yet again. It got pretty chilly. Oh well, at least we had sun for the tower’s final pitch and summit. We wanted to go to the fun 120′ crack route called Wide Load (5.10) that I had climbed before, but a pair of climbers were on it. So, we bouldered around for 30 minutes waiting for them to finish up. Steve set up his phone and speakers to get the Broncos game. Climbing Wide Load seemed tougher than normal because of the cold but all good fun. However, listening to the Broncos game was not fun. Disappointing to say the least.

Mikey leading Wide Load (5.10)

Steve at the roof on Wide Load

We pulled the rope and then I led Wide Load

By 4:30pm, it was just too cold to stay out. Our fingers and toes were numb. We packed up and headed out to the trailhead. All in all, despite a less than favorable forecast, we made the most of our rock climbing weekend and got on some good stuff. I’m looking forward to hopefully another one or two winter trips to the desert.