Susan, Chris and I are in Denver at a technical conference that ends Friday. This places me within striking distance of Mount Elbert which I have yet to climb.
At 14,440 feet Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado as well as the Rocky Mountains. It is also the second-highest mountain in the contiguous US, and the highest of the fourteeners of Colorado (the peaks which rise above 14,000).
So after the conference ends, well make the 3 hour drive southwest to Twin Lakes and will spend the rest of the weekend at the foot of the mountain in a Bavarian style lodge overlooking the lakes. We also plan to visit the former mining town of Leadville which at 10,152 feet is the highest incorporated city in the United States. I’m told it is a quaint little historic town with an endless supply of events, fairs and festivals and breathtaking views in every direction.
I’ll start the climb early Sunday, August 10th, which will have me climbing under the SuperMoon. The forecast calls for some bad weather and this mountain is renowned for its afternoon thunderstorms complete with dramatic light shows. The top of a mountain is no place to be when lighting takes the stage, so I intend to move fast and get to the summit and back down before that happens.
As always, you can follow along via the satellite uplink, once the climb starts. My cell phone tracker is already active and will show me in Denver until Saturday morning. Visit the Track page for all of the tracking maps.
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