Santa Fe Peak Trip Report 12/13/2011

Peak(s):	Santa Fe Peak - 13,180 feet Sullivan Mountain - 13,134 feet Geneva Peak - 13,266 feet Landslide Peak - 13,238 feet
Date Posted:	12/13/2011
Date Climbed:	12/10/2011
Author:	Papillon

The Good, The Bad And The Unranked
We had to start at Peru Creek Road because there isn't a legal place to park in this town. If you know of one, give me a After 0.7 miles and 400 vert, we reached the center of Montezuma. Hang a left here and you're on your way. The road is Five minutes later, we picked up a couple of locals. They would be with us the rest of the way - 4 peaks, 13 miles, 4000 ver We left our snowshoes in the car and the hounds were more than happy to break trail for us. Weather was shaping up to be ste Even at 12,000, the road was holding quite a bit of snow. We cut it when we could and were grateful to reach a wind-scoured This is Lobo. He loved to scout and then wait for us. I was amazed he responded to my voice commands. Truly a great mounta And this is Lucy. We would become buddies for life on this great day in the Colorado hills. Sarah would crest the ridge in the distance and announce that we still had work to do. I was surprised/crushed by exactly ho I had somehow packed my "C Game" and this was a very sobering view of Objective #1. But it only took us ten minutes to get there. And Lobo was chomping at the bit for more. Hit the bricks, Papillon... Objective #2: Sullivan Mountain Looking back at Santa Fe Peak. Objective #3: Geneva Peak. My "C Game" had morphed into a "B+ Game". Maybe it was the pepperoni I wolfed? Frosty orange talusy goodness near the finish of Geneva Peak. It felt weird to hike in a baseball hat in December. Looking back from the summit of Geneva Peak. Objective #4: Landslide Peak... ...and a smiling wooderson to boot. Not wanting to retrace our steps and upclimb about 1000 vert, I spy a possible descent option near Webster Pass. So we continued up and over Point 13,214, picked up the CDT on the backside and took it down to the pass. The terrain was mellow and the views serene. I check the time and realize we need to start chasing daylight. So we drop down in hopes of locating the road back to Montezuma. I have visions of following a nice groomed snowmobile track Looking back at Webster Pass. Our peaks in the skyline. We locate the road in sh---- unconsolidated snow as Sarah wonders aloud if things get rad on Radical Hill. Well, do they bra So much for a good snowmobile track. Up next was three miles of glorious postholing hell. Calf. Knee. Thigh. Calf. Knee. Th The sun dips and the temps drop. Fatigue sets in and there is a cadence to our breathing in the bluish evening light. We hoof the remaining miles, us and the dogs. We might not make it back to the car before dark but does it really matter any Thanks for coming along for the ride. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

The Good, The Bad And The Unranked

We had to start at Peru Creek Road because there isn't a legal place to park in this town. If you know of one, give me a

After 0.7 miles and 400 vert, we reached the center of Montezuma. Hang a left here and you're on your way. The road is

Five minutes later, we picked up a couple of locals. They would be with us the rest of the way - 4 peaks, 13 miles, 4000 ver

We left our snowshoes in the car and the hounds were more than happy to break trail for us. Weather was shaping up to be ste

Even at 12,000, the road was holding quite a bit of snow. We cut it when we could and were grateful to reach a wind-scoured

This is Lobo. He loved to scout and then wait for us. I was amazed he responded to my voice commands. Truly a great mounta

And this is Lucy. We would become buddies for life on this great day in the Colorado hills.

Sarah would crest the ridge in the distance and announce that we still had work to do. I was surprised/crushed by exactly ho

I had somehow packed my "C Game" and this was a very sobering view of Objective #1.

But it only took us ten minutes to get there. And Lobo was chomping at the bit for more. Hit the bricks, Papillon...

Objective #3: Geneva Peak. My "C Game" had morphed into a "B+ Game". Maybe it was the pepperoni I wolfed?

Frosty orange talusy goodness near the finish of Geneva Peak. It felt weird to hike in a baseball hat in December.

Looking back from the summit of Geneva Peak.

Not wanting to retrace our steps and upclimb about 1000 vert, I spy a possible descent option near Webster Pass.

So we continued up and over Point 13,214, picked up the CDT on the backside and took it down to the pass.

The terrain was mellow and the views serene.

I check the time and realize we need to start chasing daylight.

So we drop down in hopes of locating the road back to Montezuma. I have visions of following a nice groomed snowmobile track

We locate the road in sh---- unconsolidated snow as Sarah wonders aloud if things get rad on Radical Hill. Well, do they bra

So much for a good snowmobile track. Up next was three miles of glorious postholing hell. Calf. Knee. Thigh. Calf. Knee. Th

The sun dips and the temps drop. Fatigue sets in and there is a cadence to our breathing in the bluish evening light.

We hoof the remaining miles, us and the dogs. We might not make it back to the car before dark but does it really matter any

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

d_baker	game 12/13/2011 17:53 Whether it's a ”C Game” or a ”B+ Game” you at least have game! The stay home game just doesn't work well, nor does it bring the fine photo's to accompany the Papillon comments. Nice work friends. We need to get out again sometime soon!
SuperPolok	Love your reports 12/13/2011 19:52 Always fun to read. I had my F Game out last weekend. F standing for fat a$$. Good job on some tough winter hikin'
Jay521	Nice... 12/13/2011 21:18 Nice route, nice report. I'm gonna have to give this one a shot...
Chicago Transplant	Hammertime 12/13/2011 21:37 They have had that sticker on that stop sign for a long time, always give me a chuckle. 8) Your comment about the baseball hat was spot on, it was warm on Atlantic too, felt like an October climb!
Floyd	Love the caption reports. 12/13/2011 21:42 Quick and dirty. Nice report, the postholing adventure alone made the trip worthwhile.
Presto	And a smiling Wooderson ... 12/13/2011 22:41 8) Nice to see you knockin' some peaks off in our old winter stomping ground. Yes, indeedy, for many decades there's been multiple worthy, 4-legged chaperones in Montezuma that are willing to tag along for the day ... always well behaved, follow voice commands, and will partake of any vittles you are willing to part with ... and, they always seem to be available on a ”first-come, first-served basis” so you truly do have their companionship and uninterrupted attention for the day. It used to be, back in the day, that you could park in various parts of Montezuma ... such is not the case anymore (as we found out the last time we were up there to cross-country ski). Nice report, my friend, thanks for posting. Happy trails!
globreal	Glad you didn't call it.... 12/14/2011 02:46 The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly....cuz there wasn't any ugly. Especially since you were blessed to follow a beautiful woman and two nice lookin' hounds. Speaking of animals, you two are a couple of animals. You're peak bagging is amazing! My favorite line: Frosty orange talusy goodness!
kimo	Hey, Blondie! 12/14/2011 07:28 It had to be done. That is some very strong work, banditos. And the effort paid off in riches. But don't hang that saddle yet, the last story in the trilogy still needs to be told! Remember the big bomb that used to hang from the Montezuma sign? Did the funkiness come down when the no parking signs went up? It's really too bad.
Papillon	Thanks everyone 12/14/2011 22:25 I've been pretty surprised at how cooperative the weather has been since late October. Historically, this is usually a downtime for us. @d_baker: Any interest in an alternative Christmas? Maybe some car camping at a subzero TH? @SuperPolok: Thanks dude. I can tell by your peak list that you can bring it. @Jay521: I like your almost 2:1 13er to 14er ratio. If you need any info on some low hanging fruit, don't hesitate to ask. @ChicagoTransplant: Glad you two had a good day out of Mayflower Gulch. We'll definitely join next time around. @Floyd: I call it ”30 in 60” in that I can try to give info and tell a story with 30 pics in 60 seconds. Maybe we can team up for Marble next month? @Presto: The smiling wooderson caption was all you. @globreal: Thanks man, you've been knocking them down as well. Let's get out soon. @kimo: Forecast looks good this weekend. The trilogy may be completed. This was our first time in Montezuma so I never saw the bomb. We walked from one end of town to the other in the dark. Pretty slick.
Derek	More than a swig 12/18/2011 05:24 I gotta say, from your pictures all of those peaks looked pretty beefy. (Pepperoni-y?) I think that moves them to a ranked category. Hell of a day and nice trip to both of you. And the two hitchhikers. Looked like a big day that is now on my radar. And to finish it with a two hearted. Radical. (hill.)
unclegar	wow 12/18/2011 15:12 I can't keep up with you guys. Every time I look at TR's there's at least one new one by you. Way to keep at it. The contents of Image 30 looks like they have Johnson's and my name on them. Wait...I sense that they are empty now.

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