Summit of Organ Mountain (13,801 ft), La Garita Wilderness, October 6th.
One of my only firm goals for this year was to finally wrap up the Colorado Bicentennial list, that is, the 200 highest peaks in our state. It’s a project I had technically been working on since 2003, dating all the way back to my first summit of Mt. Elbert when I was 18 years old. Well, last month Anna-Lisa and my long-time friend Stu Clark joined me on a gorgeous fall hike up Organ Mountain in the San Juans. And with that summit, I’m finally finished.
A cold fall night near the Stewart Creek Trailhead.
A little more info on the Bicentennial list… Colorado’s top 200 is comprised of 53 fourteeners, the next 47 highest thirteeners (which together make up the top 100 or “Centennial Peaks”), and then the next 102 highest thirteeners which stretch all the way down to 13,580 ft in elevation. Because the peaks ranked #198 through #202 are all that exact same elevation, it’s become customary for Bicentennial finishers to complete a list of 202 peaks as opposed to 200.
But aside from all of those definitions and technicalities, the Bicentennial list is an incredible set of peaks which gets you into many corners of this awesome state, in all major ranges, both popular and obscure. Approximately one-third of them are in the San Juans, and a quarter of them are in the Sawatch. Twenty-five reside in the remote Weminuche Wilderness, and one peak, Mt. Powell, ensures that the Gore Range doesn’t get overlooked either.
Many of the peaks are scenic walk-ups, many are inviting scrambles, several are technical climbs, some are buried deep inside remote wilderness areas, and some just beg to be skied down. From the rotton rock of the Elks to the Crestone conglomerate of the Sangres, the endless expanse of the Sawatch to the humble hills of the Mosquitoes, the Bicentennials are a list that many spend a lifetime pursuing. I was just fortunate to get out enough to make it happen sooner. As of the Winter 2018 edition of Trail and Timberline, less than a hundred people have stood atop all 202 peaks.
The clear, starry October sky we were treated to at camp.
After a fun evening of camping with our friend Steve Cummins who was also in the area, we set off from Eddiesville and began the short, sweet trek up towards Organ’s eastern ramparts. The prime fall colors had mostly faded into more of those familiar October browns and grays.
On Organ’s mellow east ridge.
Unlike when I finished the Centennials 4 years earlier on neighboring Stewart Peak, this day was nearly windless, warm, and pleasant. It’s always nice to get out in weather like this in October.
Jax dog was enjoying the nice day as well.
It only took a few hours, and we were on the summit of Organ enjoying a nice spread of food and soaking in the views of the La Garitas all around us. Though this area is thought of by many to be boring, I’ve always enjoyed it for its relative remoteness and docile beauty.
Our summit mugs. It’s been a fun journey.
Finisher hikes are always a little strange in that they have a tendency to feel anticlimactic. This one was no different, but I did my best to reminisce about all of the different experiences I had with all the different people along the way. I guess finishers can also be a good excuse to think back not only on the peaks, but also how much you’ve changed and grown in the time that’s passed between the first and last one. I’m not really sure how much I’ve changed to be honest, but there had to be some growth in there somewhere along the line 🙂
Stu, Anna-Lisa, and Steve, thanks for hanging out on this weekend and for all the support over the years. And thanks to all of my other friends and partners who I shared a summit with along the way.
A little celebration back at the parking lot.
And lastly, in the name of reminiscing and since I just happen to like lists of useless information, here’s a log of dates and routes on peaks #101 through #202, sorted by elevation.
Onwards and upwards…
I’ve never been much of a list guy, but the Bi-Cents are in fact a sweet list. Too many peaks to really mention, but you’d be hard pressed to find a higher quality group of peaks in the state, maybe even the lower 48. It was fun to join you on a bunch of those. Lots of gaper slogging, nerd raging, surprisingly fun peaks, surprisingly amazing summits, surprisingly shitty/anti-climatic summits and last, but certainly not least – the post climbs. I admire your stubborn persistence, all the gapers you strategically avoided and the miles you logged on your poor cars. How many people do you think you shared a summit with on all those peaks? I’m guessing that number is 1/50th the amount you see in 1 hour on Bierstadt.
I’d like to think we grew in there somewhere. I mean, I was a total retard before I embarked on the gaper slogging journey, and I don’t think I’m a total retard anymore, so something must’ve happened in between. And we still have all our limbs and our health, so we must be doing something right.
Nice work Colonol. I’m drinking a Coors stubby bottle in your honor.
Agreed on all counts! I still think your mentality of just doing cool peaks that interest you is the best one, but I appreciate that a good list can be a motivator and an excuse to get out to new areas you may not have otherwise. I think the Bi’s really are an awesome list to pursue, especially if you take your time, try to appreciate each peak, and ski down a handful of them along the way.
Cheers to all the adventures we’ve shared on this list and outside of it as well Colonel!
Congrats Benny! Great accomplishment. I feel like that area is actually a really fitting spot to finish a list like this. The ” relative remoteness and docile beauty” would seem to fit a list like this (with obvious exceptions) quite well. So, great work.
Ah oh, I definitely feel some guilt we didn’t get the last one years ago. But funny that it’s right next door to your centennial finisher too, eh? Maybe you can return the favor whenever I finish the bi-cents someday. 🙂
Thanks Zam! Funny for sure, we even camped at that exact same spot from 2015. And yes, I love that area for finishing lists, apparently.
As for the Bi-cents, go get the rest of em! I’ll definitely be good for some repeats, especially the close ones like Powell and Jackson 🙂
I hope that last picture is on the wall in your living room. #111, #156, #157, #161, #164, #191, #195, #201 – Good times! 🙂 Well done. This is inspiring, Mr. Conners. I need a damn list, haha. Glad I could be a part of some of this. All those trips were sick. Keep up the good work and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks buddy! Agreed, glad we got out on several of these. Good times. As for the list, go get it! It’s a good one. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well Dillon!
We’ve enjoyed a bunch of fun summits in this 13er quest, Ben! You are a master tactician in the way that you find the most logical link ups an postulate the path of least resistance to offset my POMRanian tendencies.
I hope to finish next year, but- as we’ve discussed on occasion, the list must not dictate! In the next few years, we need to get out to the Palisades, Wind Rivers, up to Glacier….
Congratulations on finishing the Top 200.
Agreed Steve! Would love to get out of the state at least once next year. Thanks for being an awesome partner over the years. I’ve never tried to count how many summits we have together but I’m guessing it’d have to be 250+.
Have a great Christmas if I don’t see you before then!