Looking for Partners

“I'm planning another in a series of trips to do some exploration around what may be the ruggedest place in Colorado, west of Wetterhorn, although this particular trip is expected to be relatively easy in terms of terrain.

The Cow Creek basin contains no trails, no roads, no mines, and from talks with the BLM, locals, guides, climbers, authors and SAR, I can find no-one who's ever been into it. Part of the reason is its remoteness, and the rest is that entry requires either 3 to 4 miles of 1000' deep slot canyon, prone to flash floods and rockslides, or else coming in from the top which requires a two to four hundred foot rappel, and perhaps more significant, a full gear jug haul in reverse to exit.

This trip doesn't involve anything like that though. Instead I plan to hike in, set up one or more base camps, and explore the ridgelines overlooking the canyon floor to get a feel for additional rope requirements beyond the initial rappel.

The area is gorgeous, with 8 faces exceeding 1000', up to 4500' in a watershed comprised of 4 main creeks and numerous ridgelines, numeroud waterfalls, many exceeding one to two hundred feet, all under the western shadows of a 14 thousand footer, Wetterhorn Peak.

The general plan is to make two 5 to 6 day out and backs from the 4wd trailheads along the north fork of Henson Creek, one to explore Blackwall, Bighorn, and Difficulty Ridges, the other up Matterhorn Creek, over the 13k saddle on Wetterhorn's SE ridge, passing west of the summit to access Wetterhorn's west ridge, and down into Wetterhorn Basin, and then to points NW and SW overlooking the valley.

I've been in there before, even solo, but the remoteness means that even a turned ankle could give me problems without a partner so this time I'm looking for someone to go along.

The limits of the trip will be based on the skills and abilities of those in the party, and may range from easy backpacking for a day or so followed by several days of exploration hiking (1st and 2nd class only) up to and including moderate technical work on the ridges, short rappels and/or 5th class ascents. Most of what I need to do might be accomplished without any rope work at all, but I won't know that for sure until it's completed. There won't be any pressure to exceed personal limits, however, as the exploration is a multi-year project anyway.

The only real requirements are at least a basic level of backpacking experience, having most of your own personal gear, (I have spare bags, pads, stoves, headlamps, etc) and some knowlege of your abilities at altitudes between 11,000' and 13,000'.

I will probably split the two legs with a day in Lake City to clean up and restock, on or around Saturday 6/28, and so can accomodate partners for either or both legs depending on their time constraints.

I am hoping to find that brief period between heavy snowpack and summer monsoon lightning, and have considerable flexibility in the dates of the trip from mid June through the end of July.

There are a few pictures from previous trips to the area at:

http://www.in-motion.net/~jefft

Anyone who might be interested, please either reply here or by e-mail to jeffers_mz@yahoo.com .

Thanks!”

“Sounds great to me. I have my own gear. Won't be able to go in, or down this year. I will be going to Alaska to climb instead. Would be interesting for next year. What about that?”

“jeffers, will you marry me?

seriously, this sounds exactly like the kind of trip id like to do. too bad all my vacation days are already planned out.”

“Waterdog, if all goes well then next year will be the first trip down to the canyon floor. Outside the first two hundred feet, which I've never seen except on maps, the West Ridge of Wetterhorn looks like it'll go, at either grade 5 or 6 given the approach. There's quite a bit more potential around there too. E-mail me if you want to look into setting something up.

2scoops, if your profile's current we can't be very far apart. Even if you can't get off work for this trip, we ought to hook up over beers and set up a weekend or something.”

“Sound like an exciting trip, have fun and be careful!!”

“and practice safe.....er hiking.”

“i can go if you switch your dates to later in july. i have plans thru the 6th and after that am available thru the 20th of july. this sounds like a very exciting trip and i really do prefer off trail exploration. i have my own backpacking gear and harness and 100' of rope to use. we can take it if you agree to carry it. haha. let me know if the dates are workable for you.”

“Sonja,

6/6 thru 6/20 may be an option, or even a necessity. Ouray has been above freezing at night for more than a week now, and up in the 70's by day. Best info I've found on snowpack at 12,500 is around 60". That was further north at Buckskin Pass on 5/19. It's still too early to call, but people who know say your dates may work better for snowpack and still miss the start of the monsoon.

I can tell you have some experience at this....already trying to stick me with the rope...hmmm...

I'd guess I'd rather carry a 30m than a pair of 60's like last time, and a 30 would be about perfect for this trip. If I carry the rope, are you going to haul the rack? Nothing serious...a few cams, hexes, nuts, ascenders, lockers, biners, stop, 8's, ATC, slings....it's light as a feather..I swear.

;-)

It sounds like this might work. Why don't you e-mail me at jeffers_mz@yahoo.com and we'll see what we can put together?”

“7/6-7/20, not 6/6 - 6/20.”