Bear Peak

A great run on Thursday - Green Mountain (5.3 miles, 2,344' gain) in 1:19:14. A personal best (partially attributable to the presence of fruit eating bears and partially to an incoming storm)

I didn't see any bears and beat the storm by 10 minutes. It was snowing in the mountains of Indian Peaks Wilderness



Today met up with Leadville Chuck at NCAR as we were going to run Bear Peak (5.6 miles, 2,381' gain). Expectations - based on what I had read - was a run similar to Green Mountain but a bit tougher



Looks fine. Right?

HAHAHA!

Books and websites did say it was "brutal" as far as steepness (going up Fern Canyon). They also mentioned the scrambling at the top

Too few mentioned the possibility of death. There was one final move to the narrow steep summit that was Class 3 or Class 4. It was like going around a (rock) corner onto a (rock) landing and immediately climbing (rock) stairs that were 3'-4' each. With a gusty wind. And if you tripped or slipped, you died. No exaggeration. Coming down was much harder than going up

Kudos to this guy - an ultra runner - for agreeing
http://nolimitsever.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-south-boulder-and-bear-peaks.html

Here are pics from the summit - I was sitting



Boulder





Green Mountain



Mandatory





Not sure - this is looking south or south-west



Indian Peaks