James' Peak: A solo summit

I spent a week at the Shoshoni ashram in Rollinsville, taking an excellent class on yoga for healing.  Duane, Gary and Aspen spent four days camping at Kelly Dahl, while I was studying yoga.  I commuted via mountain bike for those days.  When they left on Friday, I was on my own camping on the Shoshoni property.  It was my first experience camping alone.  I enjoyed my moments of quiet and reading in my tent.

The training duration was nine days, with one day off.  On my day off, I decided to hike James' Peak.  I'll be honest, that I didn't really think my summit would be a reality.  I figured that I would hike until something turned me around.  After all, I've always relied on Duane to guide me and make the decisions when my brain gets fuzzy around 12,000 feet.  While at home, I used Google Earth to map out and virtually hike the mountain.  This helped a TON.  Above treeline, I was able to recall land features on the ascent.  It wasn't as much help below treeline, because the visibility on Google Earth wasn't as clear.

Google Earth snapshot showing Rollinsville, Moffat Tunnel start and James' Peak.  Roundtrip = 13.2 miles

Google Earth image of James' Peak from the ridge line.

 At the start of my morning, I was really alarmed by poor weather.  The clouds were low, the visibility was reduced to about 80 yards, the temperature was cold, and rain or snow was falling.  I was nearly ready to crawl back into my tent, when I thought to myself, "What would Duane do?"  He would do exactly what I wanted to avoid, which was to start the hike.

I stopped at the kitchen to get a little zucchini bread and fruit before my trip, and I headed on my way.  I figured that I would hike until I couldn't go any further.  The weather was very similar to the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2008, so I assumed that it was probably pretty ugly above treeline.

When I arrived at Moffatt Tunnel, the clouds were beginning to clear and the peak had become visible.  I was pretty happy that I hadn't wimped out on this journey.  I began my hike pretty close to some other people, but was able to gain some distance within the first mile.  I was really alone on this trail.  I'm pretty sure I was the first person to hike that morning.

As I continued on my journey, I recognized the beauty and secrecy of this area in the state.  The ground was green and lush with life.  Very little pine beetle infestation had begun, but I'm sure it isn't far off.  A few years ago, when I visited, the area was free of infestation.  Now, Rollinsville appears to be doing a lot to eradicate infected trees, but it is only a matter of time that it spreads more profusely in the area.  Some trees were marked, but little work was done on the trail. 

Recent rains created very muddy conditions.  The mud was thick and deep.  I was fortunate enough to take some of it home after a few slips and sinks.  The rain had also caused some flooding in the South Boulder Creek.  The trail follows parallel to the creek, and flooding was evident by the muddy banks and bent grasses.  I began wondering what a flash flood on the mountain might look like.

The creek is fantastic.  There are a few bridge crossings, a couple of rock crossings, and one difficult tree crossing.  The waterfalls along the trail were magnificent.  As I approached the lakes, I witnessed the most beautiful of the falls.  It cascaded over rocks in multiple directions and glistened with the now shining sun.  The lakes were stunning.  The water is clear and still, with the occasional, visible ripple from mountain winds, creating a glistening surface from higher elevations.

The James' Peak Wilderness Area has an amazing diversity of wildlife.  Maybe many mountains that I have climbed do, but I've been too busy talking during the hike.  I noticed about five different species of mushrooms, dozens of moth species, and the usual peppering of Colorado wildflowers.  I did not encounter any four legged friends, except for the pika and marmots.  At the lakes, I encountered quite a few other people that had backpacked into the area on the previous day.

After hiking a few steep switchbacks to the ridge line, I became a little confused about the trail.  I also struggled to decide which peak was actually James' Peak.  I recalled my virtual hike via Google Earth and redirected myself to the correct route after a short diversion.  The ridge appears rocky and dangerous, but the trail drops below the ridge line.  As I rounded the ridge, I saw a sharper peak in the distance and thought it might be James'.  It was quite a distance out, making me a little nervous.  I decided to trust the journey and follow along wholeheartedly, letting the end result unfold as it would.  I was on a trail, and it had to end somewhere.

It turned out that the peak directly in front of me was James'.  As I followed the last bit of switchbacks, I realized that my brain was becoming fuzzy and airy.  I took a few pauses along the way to clear my head and make sure that I was following the correct route.  Just below the summit, at a large boulder field, I spied the last cairn.  I assumed that the last of my hike must climb the boulder field.  I looked around to double check, but couldn't see the trail off to my left.  Again, my brain was becoming fuzzy.  I began climbing with all fours up the boulder field, realizing that this was one of the toughest that I've had to traverse on a mountain, I knew there had to be an easier way.

I was relieved to finally reach the top.  Duane figured it was about 4 miles and would take me 3.5 hours.  According to my Garmin, it was 6.6 miles and took 3 hours and 20 minutes.  I was happy to have a little battery power left in my camera to get some "first solo ascent" shots.  I was also fortunate to enjoy the summit alone for awhile.  After soaking in the beauty, enjoying a snack, and taking a few more pictures, I began my descent.  I quickly found the trail I had missed on the way up.

I realized quite a few things along this hike, but the most valuable was remembering myself.  As we begin to plan having another baby, this was a valuable time for me to reconnect with myself and remember that I am more than just a mom.  Don't get me wrong.  Being a mom is awesome, amazing, inspiring, and valuable.  But, it's nice to remember that I am a person, capable of so much, and full of wonder, curiosity and adventure.  Sometimes it is nice to take some time and be alone.  It can be a fruitful moment to remember the mystery of the self and appreciate the richness of human bonds.

We are so lucky to have such beauty surrounding us in Colorado.  On my descent, I recognized many roles:  a father and sons camping at the lakes; the father teaching his children how to fish, a family of three generations exploring beauty, a botany class classifying various plants, a young couple gossiping about young things, friends lost and reading a map.  The protected lands are beyond discernible value.  They shelter so much beauty in geology and pulse with the heart of our great rivers.  They nourish diversity, curiosity and wonder.  They provide the grounds where we discover ourselves and develop lasting, deep bonds with our family.  We are lucky to have them protected, and it is vital that we continue that legacy.