While we scouted the river yesterday the boys went fishing, caught some fish! Thanks Will for keeping them happy!! Scouting was a fail, Andrew has to take the out and back option for La Plata. After scouting we unpacked and repacked and met Wes. We drove up 381 to Clohesy lake to pick up Andrew. Rough 4 wheel drive Kim, was a champ. Very impressive. Andrew arrived at 1102pm. Missouri was in blizzard conditions, (he was extremely thankful we scouted out this route last year during one of our hikes.) He can’t get complete breath in and is coughing a lot, dry heaving (most likely because he ate next to nothing today) Shin splits on right and left ankle extremely irritable. He absolutely needs sleep so we are trying for at least two hours. We know now he hates the mountains MissouriPrinceton and Yale ha ha. The plan was for Huron to take about 4 hrs then La Plata out and back BUT THEN brilliant plan by Andrew to take a raft across river (James owns a raft-lives in Aspen, easy drive to pick up) after La Plata. Because bridge was out:boat is IN! Boys are going rafting baby!!!!
After a couple hour nap I braced his ankle and knee, tried to force feed some pizza (although way too much garlic on it) ibuprofen and other meds, and packed his pack while Kim and James went back to the pathfinder so James could drive to Aspen. He started on the trail to Huron at 0216 with Wes. back at 0603 off to La Plata. His body is feeling great!!! “The only thing holding him back is sleep”-Wes. He took 3 one minute naps on the mtn. At 10800 Wes took lead and started carrying his pack down the mountain. A couple girls were on their way up and by look of extreme exhaustion from Andrew they believed Wes’s comment of this being Andrews very first 14er, they wished him luck and moved on! HAHA! He tried to catch some sleep while Kim drove down the VERY bumpy road to La Plata West Winfield. The plan: to come down north side to the river and raft across the river. Andrew is still mad at us for not sharing in his experience with the blizzard on the summit of Belford. 0702 Andrew leaves to start, Wes had to do a couple things but is trailing shortly behind to catch up and keep Andrew company! LETS CROSS OUR FINGERS FOR SUCCESSFUL RIVER CROSSING!!! Pics and videos to come. Stay tuned.
2024 14er Attempt Blog