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Saturday, September 17, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Treasure caching
Peter and I drove about 50 miles east of Fort Collins past the town of Ault to Highway 390 for the start of our geocaching adventure. Our plan for the day was to meander along the Pawnee National Grasslands power trail and head north toward the town of Grover, CO picking up many caches. Caches are hidden about a half mile apart.
Our normal process is to consult the GPS, count down the feet to ground zero, stop the car with both of us getting out to look for the hidden treasure. But the constant repetition due to the relative closeness made this too time consuming. So I took over the driving chores and Peter hopped out each time I stopped. He located the cache, signed the log and hopped back into the car. This worked out better. We stayed on the dusty dirt roads traveled only by us and the occasional oil rig truck , cattle trailer or pick up truck. The road followed the edge of the Pawnee National Grassland. We saw windmills with water troughs, oil wells surrounded by cattle, prancing pronghorn antelope, grazing sheep, and cottonwood trees along an occasional stream crossing. We are thinking that this would be a good place to come back to for pictures in the spring time.
Upon reflection, the farmers, ranchers and settlers of this austere grassland must have been hardy, dedicated, self reliant folks. They must have felt comfortable with themselves and have been highly motivated to endure the demands of this national historic treasure.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Geocaching in West Bend
What do you do while you're waiting two days for your 50th Grade school reunion to happen? When you're Peter and Renee Skiba you geocache!
We traveled to Milwaukee the second week in August to attend Peter's Grade School Reunion. Having graduated in 1961 from St. John Kanty meant that you lived in very close proximity to about 60 other children during many of your formative years. We learned together, we played together, we went to church together year after year. We formed relationships that have lasted decades. But the event was not going to happen until Saturday evening.
Since we had time on our hands we decided to participate in the 4th Annual West Bend Geocache Bash starting in Regner Park. Geocaching is a world wide phenomenon wherein cachers seeks out hidden treasures using a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to guide them to the location of the cache. We registered at noon on Friday with our caching handle, Pixelmagic, and learned that we were to be among a total of about 1600 teams participating in the event. 66 new caches were published specifically for this event in and around the greater West Bend area.
Friday afternoon we headed to the northernmost caches and followed roads, trails and paths to get to the caches. A sports themed series through the woods led us along buggy, shaded, hot trails to find a baseball cache at the end of a long branch propped against a tree and a basketball cache high in a tree trunk complete with hoop and net. The themes and placement were well thought out and funny. We met Dan and Vicki at registration and caught up with them in the woods. It took some serious walking and hiking to complete 30 caches in the afternoon.
Saturday we were back in the rainy West Bend area attempting to get our share of the caches along with several hundreds more walking along the paved and not so paved trails. We had a blast in West Bend. Thanks for the cache.
We traveled to Milwaukee the second week in August to attend Peter's Grade School Reunion. Having graduated in 1961 from St. John Kanty meant that you lived in very close proximity to about 60 other children during many of your formative years. We learned together, we played together, we went to church together year after year. We formed relationships that have lasted decades. But the event was not going to happen until Saturday evening.
Friday afternoon we headed to the northernmost caches and followed roads, trails and paths to get to the caches. A sports themed series through the woods led us along buggy, shaded, hot trails to find a baseball cache at the end of a long branch propped against a tree and a basketball cache high in a tree trunk complete with hoop and net. The themes and placement were well thought out and funny. We met Dan and Vicki at registration and caught up with them in the woods. It took some serious walking and hiking to complete 30 caches in the afternoon.
Saturday we were back in the rainy West Bend area attempting to get our share of the caches along with several hundreds more walking along the paved and not so paved trails. We had a blast in West Bend. Thanks for the cache.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sheer face of the Third Flat Iron
I have seen the flat irons from a distance. They look big. I'm not sure if I have a short term memory issue relating to the size and scale of mountains, but as I get closer to the exposed rock I am awed by the size of the height and width of the bare rock. It takes us a while to get to the base of the rock formations. We hike along the road and trails past the first, past the second, and finally to the trail that leads to the start of the climb of the third. We hike over rocks and boulders doing a couple of switch backs till we get to the start of the climb. At the base of the climb, I look up and see rock and more rock. This is a tall climb. Years ago I climbed Devil's Tower in Wyoming with both of my sons and with Heidi, Doug's wife. That climb to the top of the Tower was big and it looked big because of its isolation and rise from the surrounding land. This climb exceeds the climb of Devil's Tower but is disguised because of the proximity of the other Flat Irons. We wait our turn behind two pair of climbers who made it to the trail head just before us. Doug is leading our climb and will place temporary protection in cracks and crevices of the rock so that our rope can flow through these anchor points and arrest any fall. My job is to belay him as he climbs and sets a route safe to follow. Once Doug reaches a permanent bolt he will set up a belay station and allow me to climb and clean the route by removing the temporary anchors as I climb to reach his new position on the rocks. This process is repeated as we complete each pitch up the massive vertical slab of rock. Sometimes the anchor is a fancy piece of hardware known as a cam. Other places a simple sling is placed over a knobby rock and a quick draw is attached to allow the rope to freely move through a carabiner. The route up is steep but the rock features many holds that allow a climber to step onto or grab a hold of. We are wearing climbing shoes, skinny soled wraps that use sticky rubber on the bottoms and sides that allow for good traction as we move across the rock. Using the holds and the shoes we move ever higher up the rock with each pitch of the climb. About midway up the rock on the third pitch , Doug noticed a rookie climber close by with a lot of rope hanging slack in front of him. Doug advised him to yell "up rope" to his belayer before moving on. If the climber would have fallen, he would have extended his fall by the yards of extra slack that had accumulated in his rope. The belayer has the responsibility of staying current with his climber. But sometimes there is no visual contact between the climber and the belayer. The climber must communicate with his partner to stay safe. Standard commands are used as climber jargon which sometimes must be shouted up or down the length of the rope. Doug and I follow an easy routine with each pitch. At the start of each new pitch we flake out the rope to eliminate tangle and knots, double check our harnesses and continue upward. This repetition is comforting as we move along the route climbing ever closer to the summit. On the fourth pitch we see peregrine falcons circling and squawking about humans invading their space. The spring months are off limits to climbers on the flatirons because of the nesting habits of the raptors in the areas. This climb has just been opened because the young birds are able to now move from their nests. The final pitch moves over a huge gap in the rock called the gash, that seems to drop down forever. Doug led this spot by climbing upward and found a small traverse to get over the gash. We summit and share the top with four other climbers who join us there. We stand about 1300 feet above the trail we see below populated with walkers strolling along. We look around and decide that this is a good place to be.
After a little conversation and admiration of the surrounding country side, we are offered a ride on the rope of our summit partners. The ride is down, straight down. We share the rope and each take turns rappelling down the rope to the next rappel station. After three rides down we are at the start of the hiking trail leading back to the start of the route.
We congratulate each other as we move down the trail smiling both inwardly and outwardly as we have conquered another obstacle and have done it safely enjoying each others company along the way. Thanks Doug.
Third Flatiron in Boulder
Today is the day for Peter and Doug to ascend the Third Flatiron in Boulder, Co. Peter home at 4:30Am to meet up with Doug. They have plans to be off the rock before the sun gets too high and hot.
The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder. They are numbered First through Fifth along the east slope of Green Mountain. They are shaped like the flat, metal irons that were used by pioneer women to press their cloths. They consist of conglomerate sandstone and geologists estimate the age of these rocks to be about 290 million years old.
As Peter and Doug complete their multi pitch ascent, they will see the graffiti that has been painted on the side of the Third Flatiron. Students in the 40's, 50's and 60's from the University of Colorado wrote "CU" in giant white letters on the rock. In the 70's, the City of Boulder painted over the illegal graffiti with color very similar to the rock. The match is not perfect and be can be made out if one knows what to look for. On Thursday, Doug took me for a walk near the base and pointed out the marks. Easy to find, once you know what you are looking for.
This climb looks quite strenuous and not for the faint of heart. The whole face of the 3rd, is about 1300 feet. I prefer not to be watching their every step, so will wait for their return to hear the details.
The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder. They are numbered First through Fifth along the east slope of Green Mountain. They are shaped like the flat, metal irons that were used by pioneer women to press their cloths. They consist of conglomerate sandstone and geologists estimate the age of these rocks to be about 290 million years old.
As Peter and Doug complete their multi pitch ascent, they will see the graffiti that has been painted on the side of the Third Flatiron. Students in the 40's, 50's and 60's from the University of Colorado wrote "CU" in giant white letters on the rock. In the 70's, the City of Boulder painted over the illegal graffiti with color very similar to the rock. The match is not perfect and be can be made out if one knows what to look for. On Thursday, Doug took me for a walk near the base and pointed out the marks. Easy to find, once you know what you are looking for.
This climb looks quite strenuous and not for the faint of heart. The whole face of the 3rd, is about 1300 feet. I prefer not to be watching their every step, so will wait for their return to hear the details.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Climbing Long's Peak
Today is the day Peter, Doug & Heidi have been waiting for and training for. They are now climbing Long's Peak in RMNP. Peter left here last night at 10PM with the plan to meet with Doug & Heidi at the trailhead at about midnight. They had plans to start the long hike in the nite so that they could summit before the ever common afternoon storms broke through. It is now about 2:30PM on Sunday and I have not heard from them. Hoping that that is just because there is no phone service where they are headed.
Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park
Douglas, Heidi and I met at the Longs Peak Ranger Station parking lot at midnight Saturday to start our journey to the summit of Longs Peak. The vertical climb is 5100 feet to the summit of this 14er. We have been training this year by hiking and climbing. I have been hiking in the Poudre Canyon summiting some of the many ranked peaks there, but the hikes have been 8 or 9 miles long and the elevation gain was less than 3,000 feet. We also climbed Mount Elbert which is the tallest of the 14ers in Colorado. One of the big distinctions of Longs is that much of the climb is considered Class 3, requiring use of hands and feet to scramble along rocks. This demands concentration, care and keen sense of balance.
We hiked in the dark using headlamps to light the way through the pine trees. We crossed rushing streams that we could hear better than see. We switched back and forth winding our way up to treeline where the clear sky revealed stars without end. When we glanced back down the slope we started to see a parade of lights dancing through the trees below. Other hikers had started the climb as well. The city lights of metro Denver blazed from below providing a compass of sorts showing east instead of north.
With no sleep since sunrise on Saturday, the effects of the elevation gain are wearing me down. We stop for snacks along the way to stay nourished during this calorie burning trek. At about mile four, I'm feeling a little light headed. My 15 pound pack is starting to feel heavier than it should. At one of the breaks, I curl up on a foam pad and close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. After a few minutes of quiet, I rise and feel a little better. Faster hikers, those of muscle and youth, pass us up as we wish each other well.
The eastern sky lightens as we gain elevation. Instead of dark shadows, I can now make out sharper outlines of the peaks in front of us. The change in terrain is evident as the size of the rocks grow bigger and bigger. Instead of walking, we are now hopping from rock to rock balancing on the soles of our boots hoping that the rock we jumped on is stable and doesn't move. A trail sign announces that the "boulder field" is just ahead. Our dance across the rocks purposefully protects the fragile alpine plants.
With first light we can see tents of campers ahead in the midst of acres and acres of boulders. A structure ahead is the target for our dance line. The building is the site of the solar powered privy. The toilets are really just elevated toilets surrounded by a short fence for privacy. This rest stop is a welcome relief.
The "Keyhole" is the next landmark. Moving through this hole in the rock moves us from warm morning sunlight into the shade of the mountain. We travel along the back side of the mountain close to the base of the rock. The exposure and drop to our right is sharp and steep. Thousands of feet of drop. People have died along this stretch of rock. This is the start of the Class 3 scrambling. Painted markings dot the way winding steadily upward. We take turns leading the way finding the best rock for good footing and looking for hand holds as well. Some sections are crumbly and slippery. We try to avoid those areas as dangerous for our own safety as well as for those below us. Rocks spilling downward can be serious trouble. My progress is slower than Doug and Heidi and they relieve some of my burden by pulling some weight from my pack and adding it to their own. Thanks guys. Progress is slow but steady along the "Narrows". After what seemed like miles through the Narrows we turn into the Trough for an even steeper climb to the "Home Stretch". Every foot step and every hand grab requires attention up this steep section of the rock face. I'm not thinking about breathing at this point because we can see the summit point and the adrenaline kicks in. We made the summit by 10:00. This area is huge and flat and awesome. We remove our packs and celebrate with some snacks.
Heidi unfurls her Ostomy Awareness banner and celebrates her success. Doug upends himself with his traditional summit headstand. I sign in at the summit log and down we go to complete the climb in reverse order. Gravity helps, sometimes a little too much, on the climb down. We move on all fours down the rock facing outward for much of the sheer vertical drop. Where there is no rock protecting against a precipitous fall we turn and face the rock and climb down. There is much traffic on the climb today. We must wait our turn and allow others the chance to climb at their own pace. Doug reminds me that accidents most often happen during the euphoria of success and the rush to get back down. We move slowly and methodically down the sheer rock face.
Doug stopped along the boulder field to filter a new supply of ice cold water for the rest of the trip. The cool water is refreshing. The hike down is long. We're working on energy supplies that have dwindled.
We celebrate that the weather has been great all night and so far during the day, but we see clouds starting to fill the sky. As we near the tree line the clouds now dark with rain start to break loose and share the moisture with and on us. The rain is great, but the lightning storm that came along with it is near and loud and fierce. We hurry along the trail now sloshing through the muddy pathways and sliding on slick rocks. The lightning is scary. It is real and close. We continue quickly along the trail that eventually leads to the trail-head. Despite our rain jackets and pack covers we are drenched to the skin. The rain came in hard, cold, steady streams. Everything was shiny and wet. After changing into whatever dry clothes we had at the cars, we unceremoniously depart anxious to return home and rest our sleep deprived and weary bodies. It will take days before I can take in the literal enormity of this trip to the top of Longs Peak.
We hiked in the dark using headlamps to light the way through the pine trees. We crossed rushing streams that we could hear better than see. We switched back and forth winding our way up to treeline where the clear sky revealed stars without end. When we glanced back down the slope we started to see a parade of lights dancing through the trees below. Other hikers had started the climb as well. The city lights of metro Denver blazed from below providing a compass of sorts showing east instead of north.
With no sleep since sunrise on Saturday, the effects of the elevation gain are wearing me down. We stop for snacks along the way to stay nourished during this calorie burning trek. At about mile four, I'm feeling a little light headed. My 15 pound pack is starting to feel heavier than it should. At one of the breaks, I curl up on a foam pad and close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. After a few minutes of quiet, I rise and feel a little better. Faster hikers, those of muscle and youth, pass us up as we wish each other well.
The eastern sky lightens as we gain elevation. Instead of dark shadows, I can now make out sharper outlines of the peaks in front of us. The change in terrain is evident as the size of the rocks grow bigger and bigger. Instead of walking, we are now hopping from rock to rock balancing on the soles of our boots hoping that the rock we jumped on is stable and doesn't move. A trail sign announces that the "boulder field" is just ahead. Our dance across the rocks purposefully protects the fragile alpine plants.
With first light we can see tents of campers ahead in the midst of acres and acres of boulders. A structure ahead is the target for our dance line. The building is the site of the solar powered privy. The toilets are really just elevated toilets surrounded by a short fence for privacy. This rest stop is a welcome relief.
The "Keyhole" is the next landmark. Moving through this hole in the rock moves us from warm morning sunlight into the shade of the mountain. We travel along the back side of the mountain close to the base of the rock. The exposure and drop to our right is sharp and steep. Thousands of feet of drop. People have died along this stretch of rock. This is the start of the Class 3 scrambling. Painted markings dot the way winding steadily upward. We take turns leading the way finding the best rock for good footing and looking for hand holds as well. Some sections are crumbly and slippery. We try to avoid those areas as dangerous for our own safety as well as for those below us. Rocks spilling downward can be serious trouble. My progress is slower than Doug and Heidi and they relieve some of my burden by pulling some weight from my pack and adding it to their own. Thanks guys. Progress is slow but steady along the "Narrows". After what seemed like miles through the Narrows we turn into the Trough for an even steeper climb to the "Home Stretch". Every foot step and every hand grab requires attention up this steep section of the rock face. I'm not thinking about breathing at this point because we can see the summit point and the adrenaline kicks in. We made the summit by 10:00. This area is huge and flat and awesome. We remove our packs and celebrate with some snacks.
Heidi unfurls her Ostomy Awareness banner and celebrates her success. Doug upends himself with his traditional summit headstand. I sign in at the summit log and down we go to complete the climb in reverse order. Gravity helps, sometimes a little too much, on the climb down. We move on all fours down the rock facing outward for much of the sheer vertical drop. Where there is no rock protecting against a precipitous fall we turn and face the rock and climb down. There is much traffic on the climb today. We must wait our turn and allow others the chance to climb at their own pace. Doug reminds me that accidents most often happen during the euphoria of success and the rush to get back down. We move slowly and methodically down the sheer rock face.
Doug stopped along the boulder field to filter a new supply of ice cold water for the rest of the trip. The cool water is refreshing. The hike down is long. We're working on energy supplies that have dwindled.
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