Monday, August 7, 2000 - Quandary Peak ("The Big Hump")

We had a very large group - 22 climbers - so we decided it would be best to divide into three groups.  They were something on the order of "slow", "slower", and "slowest".  Rick took the slow group.  We gave them a few minutes to build a lead and then I set out with the slower group.  Lynne waited behind with the slowest group which left a few minutes after us.

Not surprisingly, the groups got mixed up rather quickly.  Many of the less experienced climbers raced ahead, leaving me behind the slower group and mixed in with the fast part of the slowest group.  It didn't really matter since nobody was going to get lost on this mountain anyway.

Altitude is the great equalizer.  Eventually some of those who raced ahead now were taking longer breaks and slower steps and were falling back into line.  I could tell that some were thinking that this was getting a little harder than they bargained for.  Two climbers, Teri and Kaitlin, were having altitude troubles and decided to turn back.  That was okay - they'd have plenty of chances for a fourteener later in the week.

Twenty out of twenty-two of us made the summit.  The weather had stayed very nice and the haze that had bothered Joe and I on Longs had cleared up, allowing us to see all the way to Pikes Peak and beyond the Sawatch.

Although Quandary's gradual steepness makes it a relatively easy climb, the gradual steepness makes it a tiring descent.  There aren't much for steps or switchbacks, so you end up doing a lot of careful stepping that eventually tears up your feet.  The Stinchfields, the Sheerers, and I were the last ones down, enjoying our time on the mountain.  That would be a trend that would continue throughout the week.

Last Updated:  Friday, October 20, 2000