Today’s moment was a happy one—reaching the summit of Colorado’s highest peak, Mt. Elbert, at 14,433’! This one had been on my list for a while.
While on most summer days in Colorado, thunderstorms begin building around noon, today was crystal clear. But as is often the case, the weather still had a trick up its sleeve—wind. Gusts in the valley 4,000’ below were clocked at 20 mph. High on the mountain, they were strong enough to knock me off balance, push me a few feet to the side, or grab my pack and swing it to one side of my back. Climbing switchbacks that faced directly into the wind was an exercise in patience.
Near the summit, the trail lies slightly lower than the ridgeline; a sheer drop is on the other side. While that short portion of the trail was sheltered, I could hear the wind thrashing against the rocks below, and when the trail rose at the pass, the wind tried to push me left once again. Luckily, temperatures were fairly warm, though I loaded up on the windpants and extra fleece to descend, without the heat of climbing.
The view was spectacular. Not a cloud floated in aptly named Summit County. Peaks rose in all directions. Mountains more than 100 miles away were clearly visible. And today’s wind-whipped climbers earned every bit of that summit view!
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