This year's hut trip was fantastic (Thursday March 15-17)! As soon as Don and I found out I had miscarried, (I had literally just finished talking to the doctor and we were still in the ultrasound room) I told Don to call Dan Wilson and tell him I was going on the trip. It gave me something to look forward to during those first few weeks that were so difficult.
I had a crazy time trying to find skis for the trip. It costs $80+ dollars a day to rent tele/alpine touring gear so I was looking on Craigslist to try to find some gear of my own. I went and looked at someone's gear only to find that the boots were too small (and he was a man. Depressing.) I finally found a woman who was willing to rent me her skis and as I was going to drive to her house to pick them up, she told me that she'd decided not to let me rent her skis. So, I looked and looked some more only to get really frustrated and realize how tricky it is to get a kit together that wasn't purchased together (skins don't fit, boots don't fit! AHHH!!!)
Finally, I consigned myself to the fact that I was going to pay $200+ to rent skis. There was no way I was going to miss out on good touring/skiing by using x-country skis or snowshoes - it would have been a waste of trip. So, I had to get teles/AT gear, even if that meant paying out my nose.
The day I'd decided to give up looking for skis, I ran in to my friend and co-worker Maggie. As I was bemoaning my frustration about skis she said, "Why don't you just borrow my skis?" I couldn't believe she had skis and that I happened to talk to her that day! It was amazing! After a long wild goose chase looking in her closet, storage unit, and finally her brother's house, we found the skis and boots. The boots were a smidge too big but I figured if I wore thick enough socks and really duct taped my feet, I'd be fine. I was wrong; I wasn't fine. I got enormous blisters - one that was particularly painful. But, it was still so, so much fun. I think I would rather end up with the blisters than pay $200. Well, maybe not... Next year, hopefully I can figure out something better gear-wise but I was so grateful for the unexpected blessing of Maggie lending me her skis. Don also borrowed skis from a friend so we lucked out.
On Wednesday afternoon, Don's mom met me in South Denver and took Sam down to Colorado Springs for the weekend. Don and I prepared our chicken in sun-dried tomato sauce for the dinner we were in charge of at the hut and got all our gear together Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, we headed to Dan's. Dan is Don's old scoutmaster and bishop. When we lived in Provo, we'd come to Colorado to run the Bolder Boulder and always stayed with the Wilsons. They are like family to us. Also, Alan Wilson, Dan's son, was one of Don's close friends growing up and they were roommates in college. Alan even designed our wedding invitation.
Boyd Hanzon, another family friend and father of Don's good friend, Luke, came. Garrett, Dan's nephew came along and so did Kaname, a Japanese friend on the Wilson's who is living with Rachel (Dan's daughter), while she studies English.
We were worried as we were driving to the trailhead (near Eagle, CO) that there would be no snow. It had been so warm; there was hardly any snow anywhere! Luckily, the trailhead had some snow. By the time we got back on Saturday, though, the snow had all melted off the bottom of the trail.
Here we are at the trailhead. It was so warm - nearly 50 degrees. From R-L, Don, Garrett, Kaname (not actually a midget. She is super short and her bag was nearly as big as she was but she is standing a little ways back. It makes her look puny!), Alan, Dan, and Boyd.
The snow was mushy and the streams were flowing. It felt like mid-April, not March.
Don's "happy" face.
Alan, Kaname, Boyd, and Garrett... Kaname was fast on her snowshoes. I was expecting her to really struggle since she was carrying such a huge, ill-fitting bag, but she was quick! It was her first time over 10,000 feet and she handled it well. She did sleep the majority of the time at the hut and on the car rides there and back. I don't know if that was a way of avoiding awkward conversations or if she was just completely exhausted. I did get to know her a little bit and we played cards for most of the afternoon on Friday. I had fun hanging out with her.
The hike was really steep. My feet really started to hurt after the first mile and I knew I was in trouble. I had taped my feet up before we started but it wasn't working well enough. I could feel the blisters forming and every step I took, I felt like I was scraping my heels off. Super painful. Once we stopped for lunch, I taped my heels again and added some moleskin on the outside of the duct tape to prevent my heels from sliding so much in my socks. I also took some ibuprofen. I'm pretty sure that without the ibuprofen, I would have been done for.
The hike was beautiful, though. The snow was really slushy and icy, but we were all having fun in the warm weather.
A poof ball of snow (and Dan).
The sky is so blue up there.
It was so steep and icy that Garrett and Alan could not make it up the switchbacks with their cross country skis. They carried their skis for about a mile and a half. It really was warm enough for short sleeves. Crazy!
Once we got to the hut, we looked at a map that said something along the line of, "Shorter but very steep trail to Peter Estin. Skins required." Even with my skins, I still slipped backwards several times when I could get my ski flat to the slope. It was intense.
Even though the hike was steep, the fact that it was shorter than last year made it easier. I didn't feel nearly as bad (minus the torn up heels - I did have a blister last year too, but not nearly as much pain) this year upon arriving at the hut.
Don and I at the top of the first set of switchbacks. Super sweaty! That was hard work.
Don took off and beat everyone to the hut. I got there a little while after him. Dan had said something about there only being 200 feet left to the hut so I thought I was nearly there. I realized after climbing for another half hour that he must have meant only 200 feet of elevation gain left. Different story entirely. That was a rough half hour.
Don with solid sweat lines on his shoulder from his pack.
In the process of pulling off the duct tape from my heels, I tore the skin from a huge blister that had formed under the tape. It hurt like crazy. I ended up using Boyd's knife to do a little surgery to cut the skin from the duct tape so I wouldn't expose more raw flesh. It made me a little queasy so I kept having to stop, wait, and then cut some more. Here is a picture of my attempt and putting moleskin over the blister to protect it.
Don and I took naps and then made dinner for everyone. We brought up veggies and hummus and heated up the chicken in sun-dried tomato sauce we had made at home and cooked the pasta. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot.
Then, we played cards and talked and hung out with the other people in the hut. There were a bunch of women who had come up together and two older men from Wisconsin. It's fun to get to know the random people you end up sharing the space with.
Then, we went to bed. We slept late and Garrett cooked some eggs, bacon, and hash browns for breakfast. Then, we played Air Baron.
The blister kept me at the hut during the afternoon while Boyd, Dan, and Don hiked up Prospect and Charles Peak. I really wanted to go and got ready but when I put my boots on, I knew it was a bad idea. So, I played card games with Kaname and read my book. It was very relaxing but I hated missing out on the fun.
Here are some pictures Don took during the Prospect/Charles Peak excursion:
Dan on his way up Prospect Peak.
Don at the top of Prospect.
Once Don, Dan, and Boyd got back, we finished Air Baron (it took so long, we had to take a break for the afternoon ski). Don and I hiked around a little bit and I decided that I didn't care how much it would hurt - I had to get out and ski!
The view directly in front of the hut.
Don shoveling snow right in front of the hut (such a great view). We melted the snow to use for washing and drinking water. We'd either boil or filter the water for drinking so we all spent some time with the water filter pump filling up water bottles.
Alan, Garrett, Don, Boyd, and I went out for a ski. I took some ibuprofen and bandaged my foot up as well as I could and we headed out. The ski down was such a blast despite the terrible snow (super icy and mushy). We did get two turns in nice powder. Then, we hiked up and skied down again. On the second hike up, my foot with the open blister was pretty painful and I knew I'd pay for it the next day, but it was totally worth it.
Boyd on the ski down. It was such a great run.
Hiking back up.
Our tracks in the mushy snow.
An awesomely awkward Conkey crouch.
Boyd and I hiking up the second time.
The sunset as we hiked up.
A picture of the three of us once we got back to the hut in twilight.
Dan and Kaname had stayed back to prepare dinner. I could not believe that amount of food Dan brought up. He must have carried in about 10 lbs. of chicken and steak, tortillas, and toppings. The fajitas were amazing, though, and we ate almost all of it.
The anticipation of awesomeness.
Kaname cooking up the peppers and onions
Dan cooking up the tortillas.
The whole group! Dinner time!!!
We played rummy and Carcasonne 'til late and then finally went to bed. In the morning, Boyd made breakfast burritos and we played Carcasonne again before packing up to head out.
This awesome guy in the other group who shared the hut with us was prepared with his sunscreen. Alan said it was a reverse 5 o'clock shadow.
Then, we headed out for our ski down. Don, Alan, and Garrett and I took the 8 mile long route down the road while Dan and Boyd went the way we'd come (5 miles) with Kaname since she was on snowshoes.
The snow was terrible. Every shadow was icy and in the sun, the snow was sticky and mushy. Alan and Garrett crashed a lot and I crashed several times, too. It is so hard to get up after crashing with a heavy pack on. Funny to watch someone else fall and try to get up and not so fun when it happens to you. My heel was sore and very bruised and nasty looking after getting back but I'd do it again right now if I had the chance. Man, I can't wait 'til next year!!!