This past weekend I had a little lesson in mountaineering safety, which complements my other post today on difficulty ratings.
The standard route on Mt. Lindsey is rated 2+ and involves climbing up a scree-filled gully that holds snow until mid-summer. We climbed the peak on Saturday after hiking up Forest Road 580 Friday night (our Civic couldn't make it up) and setting up camp.
Rather than take the loose gully and flirt with the rotten band of snow in the middle of it, we skirted to the right and found a more solid class 3 route, as shown in this photo:
The safety lesson was learned by observing other climbers. Even though Mt. Lindsey is notoriously loose and steep, the other four people we encountered on the mountain were not wearing helmets.
I strongly recommend a climbing helmet for any route with rock-fall potential, and for any climb rated class 3 or above. This is an $80-$100 purchase that could save your life!
We also managed to tag Huerfano Peak, a Centennial 13er just 0.6 mile from Lindsey. The extra summit made for a 13-hour day (including the 6-mile backpack out), but was well worth it.
On a final note, I have to admit that I failed to heed my own advice on adequate hydration. I ran out of water on the summit of Huerfano. The next four miles and 4,400 feet of elevation loss were brutal, as I fantasized about an ice cold glass of tart lemonade.
Another lesson learned: Take 10 minutes to filter more water!
-Sarah
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