THE GREAT COLORADO CENTENNIAL FOURTEENER CLIMB

Chapter 3

The Really Wet Climb

I am sure by now you want to know what happened, with storms, floods, wet and slippery mountains, 640 crazy Coloradans in 100 separate parties, trying to summit 55 of the highest mountains in Colorado, all on one day, during record storms,and live to tell about it.

Well, as the preface to the 100 page Commemorative Book that was printed well after every group sent its written tale about the adventure and a photograph of all who made it to the top said:

"The Centennial Fourteener Climb dramatically revealed, as nothing in recent history has, Coloradoan's love affair with their mighty mountains. But it also revealed the maturity of that relationship, as virtually every group showed enough prior planning, skill, stamina, and good judgment, to enjoy a very high rate of climbing success, without injury, in the face of really dangerous and difficult climbing conditions."

Take that, Colorado Mountain Club!

Twas a far cry from a half century earlier when a formidable woman in light clothing set out with her husband to conquer Pikes Peak, only to be found days later, frozen on Windy Point.

We received some kind of confirmation from all 100 groups after the climb. Over 80 groups followed up with a written narrative, and pictures most of which were pretty bad given the weather on the mountains, which we printed into the book later. Every climbing party got a copy of the book, which was handed out at a fine party at the Governors Mansion where the climbers swapped 'war stories' about their climbs.

Incredibly 91 of the 100 groups managed to make their summit, with at least a part of their original party - which ranged from 2 to 20 persons. Only one injury was reported when a falling rock lacerated a climber's leg. But a doctor was climbing with that group and patched him up. He went on.

The narratives of the climbers were fascinating. Somehow the hardships made the climbs more memorable. The Ivy League three-some who climbed Mt Yale pictured themselves with proper suits, coats and ties on top. Others unfurled small Colorado flags as well as the Centennial Pennants, with everyone autographing them. Some added American flags and carried up wooden flagstaffs. 17 girls from the Telluride Mountairing School, 4 from Colorado the rest from all over the US, cheerily climbed Mt. Wilson. The rain and fog caused many a team to take wrong turns and backtracks.

Some writers were keen observers of the wildlife, others of the mountains and vistas, and some of each other. Food was a fascinating preoccupation. Everything from upsidedown cake to steaks on top were described. Climbers on tough peaks described their rope work, Others encountered crowds on top. One group even was shot at in the fog, being mistaken for mountain sheep.

And being the years right after John Denver presented Colorado with Rocky Mountain music, more than a few groups smoked marijuana on top. Rocky Mountain Highs indeed.

Our Sherman climb, starting at the Dauntless Mine at 5:45AM was pretty straightforward until the television Cameramen started struggling the last 500 feet, and we - my oldest son and I - had to shoulder their heavy camera and tripod, and drag them along to the top, which they finally made. Exhausted that evening they managed to put some footage on air on Colorado Springs television. I wonder where that footage is now.

One enterprising soul popped a bottle of champagne, and we all toasted the feat of all 17 of us making it. A picture of our group, with me kneeling at the front, and Senator Hart standing at the back, accompanies this narractive. My 13 year old son, the group Team Leader is holding the flag. My other son David is at the far left.

We didn't tarry on top.The Senator loped down the mountain fast, for he wanted to make the noon time Centennial Celebration in Denver. I got back to Colorado Springs in time for my event. Because of the big and tragic flood, Governor Lamm did not make the climb as he spent that day insuring that State assistance was delivered to northern Colorado.His wife Dottie, an avid climber, however made climbed with a woman's group.

Only two peaks were not climbed by either the A or B party, both turned back by severe lightning near the summit. Snowmass, and fierce, forbidding El Diente in southwestColorado.The climbing party's hair on El Diente was standing on end. When they got within 100 feet of the top static electricity started crackling on their equipment. They were prudent to turn back on that technical climb peak, before they were faced with carrying down an injured or dead climber. But they took a picture of the summit when they were within 100 feet of the top. We ran that picture on the cover of the commemorative book which is reproduced here.

El Diente, the "Devil". Maybe its appropriate that it was the baddest peak and did not get climbed. So that we left the Colorado Tricentennial Committee in 2076 something to shoot at for the next 100 years.

I'm not sure I'll be around then. I'm almost 80 now. But if I am, I'm willing to try. For I made 15,000 feet on Mt Everest 3 years ago when I was only a lad of 75. topping Jerome 'Bud' Weiser who was only 75 on Mt. Harvard.

On second thought, maybe I AM a Mountain climbing nut after all.