Author: Andrea Sansone

Yesterday after Andrew started Elbert, Will and I drive to Aspen to pick up his inhaler (for his sports induced asthma that he never knew he had, it spurred on for the first time ever on this adventure). We were in Aspen until around 0100 when we met up with the rest of the crew. here is their report from the rest of the day.

James and Kim went up the 4wheel drive on the back side of Elbert where they met up with Wes and Andrew. A quick shuttle over to Massive to begin an out and back. Wes said at 13000′ he was super impressed with Andrews speed and condition, eventually Wes ended up separating from Andrew to avoid the icy snowfield Andrew glissaded down. Upon Wes’s return to the trailhead, Kim decided to hike up to Andrew and meet him to hike back. Andrew is losing a lot of momentum at nights, and is appreciating all of his hiking partners. At one point on Massive he mentioned he found himself standing on a boulder just staring off and could not recall how long he did that for. Our favorite Andrew story so far was when we asked if he needed an ice axe and his reply was “nah its just Princeton” BUT in fact he was set out for Huron and departing in two minutes. Yes, we had to reorient him to the correct mountain he was climbing!!! We then met with the crew at 0146. At 0354 Andrew and Stefan left after we packed Andrews pack and doctored him up. Their plan is to summit Capitol, Snowmass North South Maroon, Pyramid and Castle. (I do not think Stefan will be joining Andrew on Castle). Andrew had been non stop talking about Snowmass and his excitement in glissading down. Hopefully Charlie Nuttelman and possibly Homie will be joining Andrew Thursday, lets keep our fingers crossed ok!? All these hiking partners are amazing and have been so critical in keeping Andrew awake on the trails!

 

Change of plans, no raft: we are using ladder, quicker and safer. Found a great place to make a bridge, no raft needed!! We secured the length of two ladders and laid them across the gap in the rocks. A few others showed up and helped secure the ladder. James went off to meet up with Wes and Andrew on the trail, and shortly after, showed up. River water crossing was a success. We transitioned in the Red Van and at 1250 Wes and Andrew left for S. Mt Elbert TH. I left for Aspen with Will to buy Andrew his inhaler and meeting back in Aspen at Capitol trailhead at 7 pm with rest of crew. I will post tomorrow.

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.

Homies friend Wes will be joining Andrew for Huron tonight, good news!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday we were driving up to Princeton trailhead and it was pouring! We parked when we saw the dirt bike, car and mtn bike. Shortly after dinner Homie and James showed up at the trailhead and did a lot of talking about routes for todays mountains. While they were talking, we had a little entertainment as a bear just decided to make his way to Andrews car towards the food, it wasnt hard to scare him off. Then Andrew arrived back at the trailhead and we headed towards Denny creek TH while I transitioned him in car. massages with the roller, fixing feet, changing socks and shoes, changing ace wraps, feeding, ibuprofen- all the good stuff. (We met Kim here). Andrew slept for 1 hour until about 215 am when we woke him up and he changed, got rolled out with the massager, brushed teeth and left for the trail at around 255 . We woke up around 645 and no Andrew so kim hiked up to 10800 and met Andrew there, they hiked back together. Andrew said he couldn’t shake being tired, he had to take a few naps on the trail. He has been struggling with the night hikes, as they are his slowest times. He is not looking forward to going up and down Huron in the dark, it will be a long day. At around 745 we left the trailhead and headed to Columbia – North Cottonwood trailhead. Here we organized all gear and vehicles and James left to hike with Andrew. James will descend and come down Harvard where me and Kim plan to hike up and meet James, then leave to do some scouting around Huron, and meet Andrew for some TLC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey guys. Just an update on me! I’m fine got some stitches in my chin and elbow is a little beaten up but Will and I are headed back to Andrew today to finish this thing! Andrew this pic is for you!

Hey everyone! thanks for being patient as you probably know cell service is limited out here! Thanks to Natalie for keeping everyone posted until I can get on to update!
Andrew arrived at 530 am at Culebra and they let him start at around 0545-6 THANK YOU Ron.(great job for being on time Andrew!) Around 945 Kent brought us homemade cinnamon buns (thanks Kent!) and Andrew was on his dirt bike following shortly behind him. The grassy fields on his hike were an enjoyable relief for him and he even got to glissade a bit! We rolled Andrew out with the roller massager and forced him some food and hot cinnamon buns and headed to Lake Como. Transition time was quick and Andrew got in too short of a nap! He is tired and wants to sleep but is staying motivated. We are keeping him well fed even when he doesn’t want it. (But no more peanut butter for him, it didn’t go down well this morning!) He started up Lake Como Road around 11. It was extremely difficult for Andrew on the dirt bike and we were able to pick him up in the car (as we were not far behind from following him up)and drove him to 10500′ (great job James!!) where he met Ryan (a friend of James) and his friend Sean to hike with. We headed to James’s cabin after to hang out, get clean,do some repacking and were on the road again to wait for Andrew at huerfano TH. Currently we are waiting for Andrew to head to Pikes!