Mount Sherman, Take One

It's been more than two years since I climbed San Luis Peak. So when a friend asked if I wanted to join a group climbing Mount Sherman, I figured I was past due to bag another 14er.

We got an early start -- met at 5:30 and were on the trail by 7:45.  I was surprised how many other folks had started even earlier, as evidenced by all the parked cars.  It was chillier than I'd expected, too.  But it began to warm up quickly when the sun found a gap in the clouds.

Unfortunately that gap didn't last long, as clouds continued to roll in from the west.  And once we passed this talus field and mining ruins the wind picked up considerably.  Of course I'd neglected to bring gloves or a winter hat.  A fellow coming back down the trail said the winds near the summit were gusting about 50 miles an hour.  He'd stopped short and turned around due to safety concerns.  We decided to press on for now.

The pictures make the conditions look much better than they were, since I only stopped to shoot when the sun made a brief appearance.  My fingers were so numb I'd shoved my hands in my pockets trying to get the blood flowing again.  The clouds on the ridge were so thick we couldn't see the summit, and the wind was whipping tiny ice shards at our faces.  Once someone had the guts to suggest that we give up and head back, the notion was quickly approved by the group.

Of course, the clouds started to break up once we'd made it back down off the ridge.  But the wind was still blowing just as hard, so we didn't question our decision.

The fast-moving clouds did add to the great views on our descent.

I'm amazed at some of the ruins of old mining equipment you can find high in the mountains.  It was all I could do to carry my backpack up this high.  It's hard to imagine how people got some of this massive machinery up there, but easy to be impressed at the ingenuity, effort and determination it must have taken.

Frankly, the closer we got to being back at the trailhead the nicer the conditions became.  At least, the conditions down at 12,000 feet were nice.  Back up at 14,035 feet, I'm not so sure.

The sign we'd made and beers we'd brought to celebrate reaching the summit didn't go to waste.  They looked lovely amidst some remaining wildflowers.  And the beers still tasted pretty good.

Despite not reaching our goal, we had a really fun three hours.  Hopefully we'll get together again for another hike soon!