Jacob's Troop 765 - Summer 2009 High Adventure

"We Can Do Hard Things"
Chicago Basin
July 20-26, 2009

Goal to Hike 3 of Colorado's "Fourteeners"
(Peaks that are 14,000 ft. in elevation and above)

Windom-14,082 -- Sunlight-14,059 -- Eolus-14,083

The Preparation

After months and months of preparation -- buying/gathering equipment, practice hikes and camp outs -- Jacob and the rest of the young men in his Church Scout Troop headed out for their big adventure.

23 Young Men (Age 12-17) & 10 Leaders

(Some not pictured)

First Day Traveling by Car to the KOA Campground

in Durango, Colorado

The first day was spent traveling to Durango, Colorado by car, where they spent the night at a KOA campground. Thank goodness that they had some time in Durango that night because I discovered when I got back home later that day that Jacob had forgotten his jacket! Luckily his wonderful leaders bought him one in Durango -- of all the things to forget!

The Train to Silverton

In Durango, they boarded the Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad which would take them to the Needleton Trail Head.

Unbelievable views on board this great old train!!

The Hike to Base Camp - Chicago Basin (Elevation 8,200 feet)

From the Needleton Trail Head, they 7-mile hike began to base camp into the San Juan National Forest and onto Chicago Basin. It was pretty much uphill all the way! Of course it had to rain too!

Getting instructions! Jacob in the front of the picture.

Crossing the Animas River Bridge - and they're on their way!

Don't have too many pictures of the actual trek up the foothills to base camp. Jacob took Kraig's camera but it quit working on this day (naturally) and so he didn't have any more pictures. His comments about the hike up was that it was so very hard with a 37-lb pack and straight up hill. And then it started to rain! So the rest of the pictures are from other boys and leaders who went.

Pictures of the area where they were at.

Their loud-hairy hiking companions, the Mountain Goats.

Onward and ever-upward!

One of their awesome/fearless leaders, Shawn Tooley. This wonderful man was just made our Bishop last Sunday.

One of the boys said this is about all he saw going up the trail! Because of the rocks, you were always looking down and not too far in front of you!

Base Camp Chicago Basin

After the initial hike up into Chicago Basin, they set up camp from where all the other hikes would start. It was great because they didn't have to do the "peaks" with their full packs on. From this camp they would rise early in the morning with their day pack, trail food, water, and water purifiers and hit the trail to one of each of the 3 mountain peaks. They would arrive back in camp in the early afternoon and eat their dehydrated evening meals at this time. They would review the hike, discuss lessons learned, do problem assessment and prep for the next morning's hike. The boys would hit their tent by 8:00 pm completely worn out and tired!

Jacob said that there were at least 20 Mountain Goats in their camp at all times. The goats also followed them everywhere they went. The Forrest Ranger told them that the goats eat the grass they urinate on for the salt content.

Jacob said that it was really kind of creepy! At one time, they surrounded his friend's tent so that he was afraid to come out!! There were lots of mothers and babies and some males off in the distance. At one point there was a baby high up on a ledge, calling to his mom who was down the cliff. He said that the baby would not shut up or come down. The mom patiently would call back and wait until he finally came down. He said they were really loud ALL THE TIME!!

Jacob, along with some of the other boys and leaders could not bring themselves to hike the first peak the next day. They had sore muscles, sore feet, some were a bit altitude sick and they just could not confront the challenge. So they hung back at camp that first day of climbing and rested. The rest of the group hiked Sunlight Peak - 14,059 feet.

Because Jacob's camera was broken, some of the "scenery pictures" are actually from the first groups hike up Sunlight. But the trail to all the peaks is basically the same. You must hike to Twin Lakes (you will see them) and then all the trails to the 3 different peaks leave from that point.

The Climb to Windom Peak

Jacob's group hiked Windom Peak which is at 14,082 feet. The hike is about 10 miles round-trip climbing 5,882 feet from base camp. It took them almost 4 hours to get up to the top.

The trekking poles came in really handy, going up hill AND down.

Nick Warnick -- best Young Men's President, EVER!!!

Twin Lakes -- the point where all the trails head up to each of the 3 peaks. Another picture of their ever-constant trail companions.

Crazy boys going for an icy cold swim!



Leaving Twin Lakes and heading up the trail to Windom.

Not very easy going!

Climbing to the snow fields. That slant will get your heart rate up!




A long way down if you slip!

Previous hikers leave markers to show the way.

THEY DID IT!! CONQUERED WINDOM PEAK

STANDING 14,082 FEET

ABOVE THE WORLD

Like one of the leaders said, at 14,000 feet -- almost everyone is afraid of heights! However some are braver than others! This is why mothers aren't allowed on these kinds of trips!



The Green Family are all gymnists and basically have NO fear! Well maybe just Jarin the dad!



It was a tough trip, but each boy climbed at LEAST one of the 3 peaks.



This the the marker that is at the top of each of the peaks.



This is some of the view from the top. I had a short video of a 360 degree view but couldn't get it to upload.

The Hike Down

The trip down was really rough. Jacob twisted his ankle and had to go really, really slow. It took them almost 6 hours to get down. He was able to walk, but when they got back down to the snow fields, the boys and leaders had him sit on poles and they drug him across. His ankle couldn't be trusted to not cause him to slide. Once again we have a great video of his treck across the snow but it was too large to load.

His leaders said he did great and didn't whine or complain!

His wasn't the only casulty. Nick Warnick took a tumble and got a pretty good gash in his knee. At least nobody did any CLIFF diving!!

They finally made it down the mountain and were happy to be back across the bridge and waiting for the train.

They had a great, great trip!

"That which doesn't kill you can only make you stronger" and these young men really "elevated" to new levels on this trip both phyically and spiritually.