Triple Tripping
Brainard Lake then Eldora then Mount Evans
Last Thursday I pushed the wheelchair from Boulder to Brainard Lake. First there was the early wake up to negotiate. Then there was Lee Hill to carry myself and a gallon of liquid over. Then I was somewhat tired and there was ten or twelve miles of Left Hand Canyon to sort. Then there was the road up to Ward which sits at 9200 feet. Then we have the steeper road out of ward up to the Peak to Peak Highway. Finally there was the not so steep five miles down Park road to Brainard Lake at 10300 feet.
In all maybe 30 miles and 5000 feet of elevation gain, plus another 1000 feet considering the downhill on the back side of Lee. Start time 6:50, finish ~4:20.
Rain started threatening about halfway up Left hand Canyon but never really hit. Support didn't show in Ward but Team Us member Vijay Viswanathan serendipitously appeared to save the day. The initial view of the Rocky Mountains surrounding Brainard Lake was transcendent. I left with a gallon of Brainard spring water as tourist treasure.
Last Saturday I pushed the wheelchair from Nederland to Eldora. First there was Vijay to situate with his hand cycle and his able-bodied roommate John in Vijay's wheelchair. Then the three of us headed maybe three miles down the highway to the turn off to Eldora Ski Resort. Then (and even I am already getting tired of this 'then' device) there was that big ole hill leading up to the ski slopes. Then there was more of the hill and more and more. Then there was the hill and a little snow. Then there was the hill and a lot of snow. Then there was the top of the hill and loads of bitter cold snow blowing straight sideways and then I started getting worried. Then a third of the way or so back down the hill John, whose able bodied physique had impeded his wheelchair pushing progress on the hill, showed in his four wheel drive and possibly saved my life.
I hadn't even a wind breaker to bring along. It wasn't really far we were going. It wasn't even that high up either although Nederland is 8300 feet up already. Vijay, in proper apparel but no gloves, made it all the way back home unassisted. His hand cycle is a lot quicker than my wheelchair, but still it was bitter weather. All this before 11 or so in the morning.
Last Sunday (which sounds weird because it is yesterday I am talking about) I pushed the wheelchair from the base of the Mount Evans Autoroad at Echo Lake to its top, along the highest paved road in North America. First I wasn't even sure I wanted to attempt this road that sits above 10000 feet as I was a bit unnerved by Saturday's sudden bad weather around and below 9000 feet. Then I finally decided to go ahead with it. Then we didn't get to the camp spot till 2 am. Then I decided not to get up at 4 am for early start in bitter cold and high wind.
Then it was after 6:30 and the wind had died down and the sun was rising and myself and my support man, Mark, got up and got started. Maybe the base is 10200 feet. Well, we got ready and just past 8 am we paid our dollar fifty each and started up the road for what turned out to be quite an adventure. One sign says the top of the road is 14 miles away. Another says the road to the top, above Summit Lake, is closed. Mark rode his bicycle in low gear and I pushed my chair and we started ticking off miles. Mountain goats and mountain sheep and mountains and mountains and more mountains. Reaching mile 9 meant we had reached Summit Lake at 12700 feet and would next decide whether or not to continue to the actual summit.
There is a rock hut at the lake and there was a wood fire inside tended by park staff. It was about 12:30 pm. We sat inside and planned things out. The weather was good and so was the forecast. We ate some and warmed up some and headed on up the hill. The wind blowing down the mountains and across Summit Lake was very cold. Heading on up it was bitter in the shade but manageable in the sun. Mile 12 passed. Mile 13 went by. We went on toward marker 14 and the top. Approaching mile marker 14 it was obvious that there were at least 5 more switch backs to go. The pace slowed continuously. Somewhere along the way we passed mile marker 14 and there were bunches yet of switch backs to go.
Finally the top of the road was beneath us. It was 3:30. We'd reached a paved parking lot at 14130 feet. Then I started wondering how my feet had fared. It was maybe zero if you allowed for wind chill. After not so long we started down. With the wind at my back I was braking with vigilance.Then we reached the first switchback. With the wind at my front I was pushing down hill. Things went on like this for miles. Strongest, coldest winds I've ever felt. Finally we were closing in on Summit Lake and that stone hut with the wood fire. Gee, but that really cold wind on my back as we headed up past Summit Lake was now very much more to deal with as we faced it, as I pushed down hill into it.
We reached the hut. Then I sat quite close to that fire for the next hour while Mark bicycled the next 9 miles to the base and got the car. I had time to eat and time to hydrate. I had time to worry about my toes and time to worry about Mark's safety after he left the hut.
Looking at the majestic mountains beyond Brainard Lake, beneath threatening cloud cover, it occurred to me this was the most epic wheelchair journey I'd ever done.
The little tiny Eldora run, only two hours up, well before noon. Headed down I was thinking not about epic but staying alive.
The big, bold Mount Evans run, ... what an epic!
Last Thursday I pushed the wheelchair from Boulder to Brainard Lake. First there was the early wake up to negotiate. Then there was Lee Hill to carry myself and a gallon of liquid over. Then I was somewhat tired and there was ten or twelve miles of Left Hand Canyon to sort. Then there was the road up to Ward which sits at 9200 feet. Then we have the steeper road out of ward up to the Peak to Peak Highway. Finally there was the not so steep five miles down Park road to Brainard Lake at 10300 feet.
In all maybe 30 miles and 5000 feet of elevation gain, plus another 1000 feet considering the downhill on the back side of Lee. Start time 6:50, finish ~4:20.
Rain started threatening about halfway up Left hand Canyon but never really hit. Support didn't show in Ward but Team Us member Vijay Viswanathan serendipitously appeared to save the day. The initial view of the Rocky Mountains surrounding Brainard Lake was transcendent. I left with a gallon of Brainard spring water as tourist treasure.
Last Saturday I pushed the wheelchair from Nederland to Eldora. First there was Vijay to situate with his hand cycle and his able-bodied roommate John in Vijay's wheelchair. Then the three of us headed maybe three miles down the highway to the turn off to Eldora Ski Resort. Then (and even I am already getting tired of this 'then' device) there was that big ole hill leading up to the ski slopes. Then there was more of the hill and more and more. Then there was the hill and a little snow. Then there was the hill and a lot of snow. Then there was the top of the hill and loads of bitter cold snow blowing straight sideways and then I started getting worried. Then a third of the way or so back down the hill John, whose able bodied physique had impeded his wheelchair pushing progress on the hill, showed in his four wheel drive and possibly saved my life.
I hadn't even a wind breaker to bring along. It wasn't really far we were going. It wasn't even that high up either although Nederland is 8300 feet up already. Vijay, in proper apparel but no gloves, made it all the way back home unassisted. His hand cycle is a lot quicker than my wheelchair, but still it was bitter weather. All this before 11 or so in the morning.
Last Sunday (which sounds weird because it is yesterday I am talking about) I pushed the wheelchair from the base of the Mount Evans Autoroad at Echo Lake to its top, along the highest paved road in North America. First I wasn't even sure I wanted to attempt this road that sits above 10000 feet as I was a bit unnerved by Saturday's sudden bad weather around and below 9000 feet. Then I finally decided to go ahead with it. Then we didn't get to the camp spot till 2 am. Then I decided not to get up at 4 am for early start in bitter cold and high wind.
Then it was after 6:30 and the wind had died down and the sun was rising and myself and my support man, Mark, got up and got started. Maybe the base is 10200 feet. Well, we got ready and just past 8 am we paid our dollar fifty each and started up the road for what turned out to be quite an adventure. One sign says the top of the road is 14 miles away. Another says the road to the top, above Summit Lake, is closed. Mark rode his bicycle in low gear and I pushed my chair and we started ticking off miles. Mountain goats and mountain sheep and mountains and mountains and more mountains. Reaching mile 9 meant we had reached Summit Lake at 12700 feet and would next decide whether or not to continue to the actual summit.
There is a rock hut at the lake and there was a wood fire inside tended by park staff. It was about 12:30 pm. We sat inside and planned things out. The weather was good and so was the forecast. We ate some and warmed up some and headed on up the hill. The wind blowing down the mountains and across Summit Lake was very cold. Heading on up it was bitter in the shade but manageable in the sun. Mile 12 passed. Mile 13 went by. We went on toward marker 14 and the top. Approaching mile marker 14 it was obvious that there were at least 5 more switch backs to go. The pace slowed continuously. Somewhere along the way we passed mile marker 14 and there were bunches yet of switch backs to go.
Finally the top of the road was beneath us. It was 3:30. We'd reached a paved parking lot at 14130 feet. Then I started wondering how my feet had fared. It was maybe zero if you allowed for wind chill. After not so long we started down. With the wind at my back I was braking with vigilance.Then we reached the first switchback. With the wind at my front I was pushing down hill. Things went on like this for miles. Strongest, coldest winds I've ever felt. Finally we were closing in on Summit Lake and that stone hut with the wood fire. Gee, but that really cold wind on my back as we headed up past Summit Lake was now very much more to deal with as we faced it, as I pushed down hill into it.
We reached the hut. Then I sat quite close to that fire for the next hour while Mark bicycled the next 9 miles to the base and got the car. I had time to eat and time to hydrate. I had time to worry about my toes and time to worry about Mark's safety after he left the hut.
Looking at the majestic mountains beyond Brainard Lake, beneath threatening cloud cover, it occurred to me this was the most epic wheelchair journey I'd ever done.
The little tiny Eldora run, only two hours up, well before noon. Headed down I was thinking not about epic but staying alive.
The big, bold Mount Evans run, ... what an epic!
posted by Sean at 5:17 AM
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