Mt Belford... there's a method to my madness, I swear!

 After last week, I had some things I needed to improve and a couple of hypotheses that needed "testing".

1. Hydration the day before and Diamox the night before was good, but would Diamox the morning before be better? (The interwebs and associated Kili climbing participants thought maybe it made a difference.)

2. Loss of appetite at altitude is a slight problem for feeling depleted, even when food isn't appealing. A number of top athletes I know (who are also smarter than me) suggested that I should experiment in finding the 'right food' for me. Apparently everyone has a little somethin' somethin' that speaks to their gut even at altitude and finding it would change things for me. 

3. More time at altitude to acclimate. Did this mean 2 days, back-to-back hiking to 14,000' or arriving earlier/sleeping longer at altitude before hiking? Try both and find out! Seems reasonable, right?

I left Boulder at 3pm on Friday, bound for the trailhead at Mt Belford. I fueled 4runner and myself in Idaho Springs and 5:30pm was watching a wet moose exit a pond not far from the trailhead. 

The very gravely Cty Rd 390 (somewhere between Leadville and Buena Vista) took me the rest of the way to the trailhead and by about 6:30pm I was parked and making new friends. Elevation 9,900'. In theory, no camping allowed here... But I didn't see "no overnight parking" signs so I joined the dozen or so vehicles already there and I hunkered down with a good book on my inflatable mattress. It was warm. 

All evening long, vehicles arrived. By 11pm parking was limited to the line forming down the side of the road. I had no idea it was such a popular 14-er! But maybe the smell coming from the one toilet at this trailhead, should have tipped me off!

In the dark at 4:15am, my alarm sounded and I went about getting ready:

1. Take Diamox with healthy swigs of Liquid-IV.

2. Down a double chocolate chip muffin - despite my stomach being about 2 hours away from extending an invitation.

3. Hiking clothes and boots on. Headlamp fitted. Poles extended to the appropriate uphill length.

I was off! It was 4:45am and at times felt like I had joined a headlamp conga line. In the pitch black I crossed the river and started up the steep trail through the forest. The darkness was hiding the true unforgiving nature of the trail from the get-go. As the first rays of a new day found me, I stopped to capture them. Not only was I the slowest on the trail, but I was also the only one who stopped to admire the view. Two minutes from now, this purple sky would be gone... they didn't care.

Check out this "bridge" of sorts! Oh my! I was not convinced that one slippery boot later, I wouldn't be wedged between the logs, getting splashed from underneath as the river rushed by. 

Missouri Gulch: a little reprieve from the switchbacks, filled with the sounds of river, critters and beautiful greenery. 

Somewhere in here, the trail to Elkhead Pass peeled off and the trail to Mt Belford (and Mt Oxford) began its infamous ascent. Freakin' straight up the mountain!!!

Here's the thing though; the steep and relentless switchbacks were a path through God's most exquisite rock garden. Marmots, pika, flowers and bees, chipmunks too. And the view from here was breathtaking (or was that just my current physical condition?!)

I plodded up slowly. Knowing I'd eventually arrive - not feeling any leg-burn or being too out of breath. This was very different from 6 days ago on Mt Elbert. My mental resignation was growing to serve me. And aside from that sugary muffin for breakfast, I'd been remembering to pop the occasional gin-gin (ginger root candy) in my mouth.

9am - I reached the summit. It was cold and windy but now 4500' feet up and 4 miles in, I was feeling pretty great! My O2 saturation was 82% and after a 5 minute break my heartrate was 105 and falling. Plus, I had encountered a low battery issue with the pulse oximeter AND problem solved the heck out of it... borrowing batteries from the headlamp to revive it. At this time I managed to get a half a power bar in me too.

In fact I was almost feeling great enough to be talked into skipping over to Mt Oxford.  In reality this would have added 2 hours, 1400' more in elevation gain and the probably a well-deserved face-plant on the way down as my knees gave out. That's a nope! Instead, I rugged up with some down and a windbreaker then began the descent. (IMHO, the hardest part.)

About here, I noticed my phone was deader than a doornail! A few too many chipmunk videos now meant when the marmot stopped on my path and stood to attention as I chattered away, interviewing him about his life here, I have no proof. One of life's little tragedies, I do declare!

At 12 noon, I was back at the trailhead with weary legs and an expired appreciation for switchbacks and downhill hiking. I ate, drank and charged my phone then began the drive out toward what I call 'Moose Pond' - the place where I saw the moose last night. Feeling like a wee break and a nap in the sun with that cool breeze blowing through open windows was calling, I curled up on my bed and rested a minute.  The next time I looked at the phone, 2 hours had mysteriously gone by!

I had time to call on Kat and her Colorado Trail through-hiking friends, Tim and Chloe, near Alma then I made tracks to the trailhead at Mt Sherman.... another gravel, pocked and pitted, rutted and rough road that the 4runner was made for! 11 miles later, I was the latest member of what appeared to be a Subaru club meeting (Subi drivers have guts and skills.... their trusty steads haven't got what I'd call high clearance but they sure as heck push them up here anyway!) The trailhead was not even remotely crowded and I slept like a baby at 12,000'. It was cooler, much cooler. And my inflatable mattress was overly inflated thanks to the altitude!

I fell asleep to the sound of a howling and yipping coyote somewhere not far away.... Bliss.