[Earthpig]

More from Borah.

1. Of our group of 7 who started the hike, 4 of us made it to the top. JT, me, p*, and Big O.
2. This is a picture showing why only 4 of 7 made it up to the top. There's a section of the hike, at about 11,400 feet, called "Chicken Out Ridge." It's a knife-edge ridge that you basically have to climb up, along, and over. Pretty serious exposure on either side of the ridge, which is probably about 6 feet wide (or less) on average for its length. In climber's terms, doing Chicken Out is considered class three "bouldering," meaning (I think) that it's about as gnarly and exposed as you can be without roping up and seriously climbing. You can see about 4 people up to the left who are just about done with Chicken Out. It's not a kind place to be for acrophobic people - like me. (Heights and I have never gotten along well. Go figure.) The other 3 of our party turned back at about the beginning of the ridge. They don't call it "Chicken Out" for nothing.
3. The travelin' rat, a few hundred feet below Chicken Out, looking back up at the peak.
4. Happy campers, post hike. Yes, I do believe we drank some beer when it was over.

No, not a bike ride, but more "extreme" than any ride I've ever done!

 

[mtnbkrdr98]

Schweet tough hiking

/rock climbin!
thanks for posting EP

 

[Mr.Bob]

That looks like a great hike. How long did it take you to make the round trip?

 

[smilycook]

the real question

Do you think the trail below chiken out ridge is rideable?

 

[Earthpig]

funny you should ask!

Do you think the trail below chiken out ridge is rideable?

Good question. As I was walking down the last mile or so before the bottom/trailhead, and my feet and legs were aching, all I could think was "man, I could ride this section!" However, that thought only made my feet hurt more!

 

[Earthpig]

8 hours and 50 minutes total time

That looks like a great hike. How long did it take you to make the round trip?

It took me 4.5 hours to the top, including three stops of at least 15 minutes apiece to wait for the other members of our group. I spent 1 hour at the top. 3.5 hours to go downhill, including one stop of about 20 minutes. We started at 6 AM, and I was having a beer at the campsite by 2:50. I think if I really pushed it, I could climb it in 3.5 hours, but I'd have to be doing some serious hiking/altitude training beforehand. I've heard the record for up and back down is 3 or 4 hours. Ouch.

 

[CBro]

More from Borah.

1. Of our group of 7 who started the hike, 4 of us made it to the top. JT, me, p*, and Big O.
2. This is a picture showing why only 4 of 7 made it up to the top. There's a section of the hike, at about 11,400 feet, called "Chicken Out Ridge." It's a knife-edge ridge that you basically have to climb up, along, and over. Pretty serious exposure on either side of the ridge, which is probably about 6 feet wide (or less) on average for its length. In climber's terms, doing Chicken Out is considered class three "bouldering," meaning (I think) that it's about as gnarly and exposed as you can be without roping up and seriously climbing. You can see about 4 people up to the left who are just about done with Chicken Out. It's not a kind place to be for acrophobic people - like me. (Heights and I have never gotten along well. Go figure.) The other 3 of our party turned back at about the beginning of the ridge. They don't call it "Chicken Out" for nothing.
3. The travelin' rat, a few hundred feet below Chicken Out, looking back up at the peak.
4. Happy campers, post hike. Yes, I do believe we drank some beer when it was over.

No, not a bike ride, but more "extreme" than any ride I've ever done!

Great pictures! That's on my "to do" list, for sure. Sounds pretty tough, even if I do here about Boy Scout groups doing it all the time. They're just young and unstoppable.

Chris Brown