paul wrote:Thanks for the video of Shangri La, Pete! Are you using a GoPro camera?
Thanks Paul. It's fun using that thing.
Yeah, it's an old one I bought in 2011. Very basic one.
I was going to use it this hike but I left the bolt in place and it came out somewhere on the hike to the pass
The last time I did this route, the weather was cold and cloudy and it got worse as I started the climb up the rocks. It started raining and the rocks got quite slippery. I had no choice but to go forward because climbing down would be much worse. I'll never attempt that again in questionable weather!
Going up that rock would not be fun when wet, but I know what you mean about down climbing it. Nothing for it but keep on going!
On another subject....
I'm a "novice" at this scrambling/climbing(for me) stuff. ShangriLa is a different kind of scramble from going up Piegan.
The way up ShangriLa is "well worn" in a sense. There aren't but a few ways up for most of us.
Piegan is a different matter....at least I think so.
Once you get to the saddle and begin, you realize how large this mountain is and how many
potential routes there could be.
Passmore, in a pic of the beginning of the climbing part, shows a red line that points you up into the cliff/ledges and says, "Find a safe route up..."
So up I went...The deal is what's a
safe route can vary a lot from person to person.
I don't have the flexibility or the strength I used to have. Plus my pack was a hindrance at times on my skinny(6'4"/170 frame).
Gotta be careful in tight spots when turning and moving around. I've had my pack nearly knock me off a ledge several times in the past.
I forget it's there and turn my back on a rock wall and it nearly knocks me off the ledge.
And this potential route was full of places like that. I could see where a decent mountaineer or rock climber would have no trouble getting up and through some of those pitches, but not me. I simply don't have the strength and agility required.
Whatever people believe about the risks I take doing this stuff alone, I'm not crazy.
I know my limits....and I reached them yesterday.
I spent some time after being stymied just getting
down and out from where I stopped.
And this gets to the point about trying a route like this. Up in those cliffs and ledges there are countless LARGE rocks and rock slabs of every size and description lying around in all manner of precarious positions. You have to be
extremely careful about everything you
touch, let alone "grab".
Lest you dislodge a rock big enough to injure you badly. Or step on a rock and it "tilts" or slides out from under your foot.
I was really,
really careful about moving around for the next 30 minutes working my way back
down to "friendlier" terrain---friendlier being a
relative term.
You just can't make mistakes scrambling around in that environment. Helmets are a must, and an experienced partner would be best for finding a shorter way up through the ledges---for me anyhow.
So from now on, I will stick to the
basic route that I did with
DanLowery last year. We avoided the area I was in yesterday and got up there in good time.
This was my 4th time up there and I always learn something new.
Walking on all manner of steep(ish) terrain that ranges from big slabs and boulders down to small slabs, scree "shingles" and loose small stuff...
Well it sure works on my legs!! This is not terrain for those with questionable knees or ankles.
Sometimes it was hard to find a place level and stable enough to just rest a moment.
There are several
miles of walking in that stuff going up. and then back down.
I'm sure the physical experience helped me toughen up to have a better experience the next time.
I'm feeling pretty strong recently. Yesterday after getting back down to the Pollack/Piegan pass, I put on some knee braces, the black neoprene heavy duty type.
I took some ibuprofen as well. The combo made a big difference. My right LCL which has been "twingey" lately with all the downhill hiking I've done.
I felt great going down this time. No pain or cramping afterwards. I also brought coconut milk to drink along with water. Better than GatorAid...imo. Fewer carbs and better electrolyte content.
Anyway my legs feel good today.
I know, blah blah blah....
later
pete