After four grueling days on the road, trail, and snow, I have decided to end my quest to cycle to and hike the 54 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado. There are several reasons for my decision, but the biggest one was the snow. When I started thinking about this trip in late November, Colorado had received very little snow and forecasters were calling for a very dry winter. Instead, we had a near-record snowfall. As spring progressed and the snow continued, the eternal optimist in me believed it would end soon and the warm spring sun would melt the snow. Instead, the snow continued and the temperatures stayed low. I was anticipating a lot of snow, but was not mentally prepared for the amount that remained in the mountains.
On my first day of the expedition, I cycled nearly 80 miles lugging approximately 55 pounds of gear, nearly all necessary given the conditions. I was dismayed to be stopped three miles short of the first trailhead by impassable snowdrifts. I decided to snowshoe the last three miles that night before setting up camp. The next day, on my attempt to summit Mount of the Holy Cross, I encountered variable snow conditions and difficult route-finding. I became scared for my safety on some of the icy slopes and decided to turn around. After abandoning my bid on Holy Cross, I snowshoed five miles back to my bike before cycling 40 miles over two passes to Leadville, CO where I opted to get a hotel room for the night to reassess my route.
After consulting with several experienced friends, I decided that several of the peaks I was planning on attempting this week would be all but impossible with current conditions. I would be approaching many of the peaks from the north, which is the aspect that tends to hold more snow. While I could have skipped some peaks, many of the cycling shortcuts I planned on would remain impassible for several more weeks.
I ended up cycling from Leadville to the Mount Massive Trailhead and proceeded to summit the 14,421 foot Mount Massive (the 2nd tallest in Colorado) the following day. Shortly before reaching the summit, I began experiencing a headache and dizziness, both classic symptoms of altitude sickness, and something I haven’t suffered from in the past.
At the end, I wasn’t feeling enthused about my journey any longer. The thought of postholing up to my knees with every step for miles each day was dreadful, and the snow had made the approach to and ascent of several peaks improbable. If I could have postponed my departure date by three or four weeks, I believe I would have had much more success. Due to work obligations, that was not an option.
I am comfortable with my decision to end my journey. While I have failed at the physical portion of my trip, that portion is merely symbolic. Ever since the seed of this trip was planted in my mind, my primary goal was to raise awareness and funds for World Bicycle Relief. Thanks to your generosity, we have succeeded at that core goal. Together, we have raised enough to purchase over 75 bicycles for volunteer caregivers, disease prevention specialists and vulnerable households. These bicycles will ensure that vulnerable Zambians receive access to healthcare and education. Together, we have empowered individuals and improved the lives of many. Thank you so much.
