Double Bow
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- Apr 29, 2005
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I'm getting later and later posting these TRs, I know but, I've been busy. I've got a life ya' know! 
Anyway, Sadie and I had originally been planning to do Jefferson via Castle on Saturday but the 90% chance of rain, chance of thunderstorms, and strong winds told us we should do something a bit more sheltered. Since Sadie still needs Garfield and I hadn't been there since August, it sounded like a decent option so that's where we went.
Parking at the gate, we started on the roadwalk and found it to be dry and clear on this warm and sunny morning. I was suprised to find a paved section of that road (anyone know why a short stretch of it's paved?) and was disappointed to find a lot of beer cans on the branches of bushes.
We got to the trailhead pretty quickly and started up. We got warm quickly and a warm wind was blowing so we stopped and shed layers. I wound up barebooting in a tee shirt and shorts! We were going along on clear, dry trail for quite a while and the sun was shining through the trees. We couldn't believe it! A good ways up, the trail got snowy and icy and so my crampons went on. I had just got the replacement clip to fix them in the mail the day before. I had called Black Diamond on Monday and they sent it out free that day!! Not bad turn around from Colorado!
When we reached the summit, we had it all to ourselves! We hadn't seen any cars at the trailhead and no one on the trail. I took off my crampons and put on a fleece. We got inside the foundation and used it as a wind break since the wind was picking up. While it was kinda cloudy, we had views of (most of) Franconia Ridge, Owl's Head, Galehead, and the Bonds. I was really glad because I thought we wouldn't get any views that day. I took some pics and we ate. After eating we noticed that the big black cloud mass that was on Franconia Ridge was heading our way so, we boogied down off the summit. Shortly after that, the storm broke and it started raining. We stopped and I put my hard shell and rain/wind pants back on as well as my pack cover. We laughed at the two of us April Fools going out on a day with such a horrid forecast, and then we saw them. It was two guys coming up the trail. They said they were headed for the Garfield Tentsite to spend the night. One of the guys said that he hadn't owned a raincoat until the day before when he bought his "water resistant" jacket. It looked like it had stopped resisting a few miles back.
We continued down and found that water was flowing much more freely. The snow and ice on the trail was melting more rapidly. Below, the trail was much wetter and muddier than it had been on the way up. We really couldn't believe just how much wetter and more melted things had become than they had been on our way up. It was crazy!
By the time we were within a mile of the trailhead, the rain had pretty much passed. The roadwalk back was enjoyable and at the trailhead, we were able to "degear' and change without getting wet. Once we got in the car and headedout though, it started downpouring! Clearly, we had been very lucky having such a great start, decent conditions on the summit, and good conditions back at the car. We may have been a pair of April Fools to go out with such a poor forecast, but how foolish is it really to get out and enjoy an interesting hike with a great friend?
I took some pics and hope to upload them soon...
Anyway, Sadie and I had originally been planning to do Jefferson via Castle on Saturday but the 90% chance of rain, chance of thunderstorms, and strong winds told us we should do something a bit more sheltered. Since Sadie still needs Garfield and I hadn't been there since August, it sounded like a decent option so that's where we went.
Parking at the gate, we started on the roadwalk and found it to be dry and clear on this warm and sunny morning. I was suprised to find a paved section of that road (anyone know why a short stretch of it's paved?) and was disappointed to find a lot of beer cans on the branches of bushes.
We got to the trailhead pretty quickly and started up. We got warm quickly and a warm wind was blowing so we stopped and shed layers. I wound up barebooting in a tee shirt and shorts! We were going along on clear, dry trail for quite a while and the sun was shining through the trees. We couldn't believe it! A good ways up, the trail got snowy and icy and so my crampons went on. I had just got the replacement clip to fix them in the mail the day before. I had called Black Diamond on Monday and they sent it out free that day!! Not bad turn around from Colorado!
When we reached the summit, we had it all to ourselves! We hadn't seen any cars at the trailhead and no one on the trail. I took off my crampons and put on a fleece. We got inside the foundation and used it as a wind break since the wind was picking up. While it was kinda cloudy, we had views of (most of) Franconia Ridge, Owl's Head, Galehead, and the Bonds. I was really glad because I thought we wouldn't get any views that day. I took some pics and we ate. After eating we noticed that the big black cloud mass that was on Franconia Ridge was heading our way so, we boogied down off the summit. Shortly after that, the storm broke and it started raining. We stopped and I put my hard shell and rain/wind pants back on as well as my pack cover.
We laughed at the two of us April Fools going out on a day with such a horrid forecast, and then we saw them. It was two guys coming up the trail. They said they were headed for the Garfield Tentsite to spend the night. One of the guys said that he hadn't owned a raincoat until the day before when he bought his "water resistant" jacket. It looked like it had stopped resisting a few miles back.We continued down and found that water was flowing much more freely. The snow and ice on the trail was melting more rapidly. Below, the trail was much wetter and muddier than it had been on the way up. We really couldn't believe just how much wetter and more melted things had become than they had been on our way up. It was crazy!
By the time we were within a mile of the trailhead, the rain had pretty much passed. The roadwalk back was enjoyable and at the trailhead, we were able to "degear' and change without getting wet. Once we got in the car and headedout though, it started downpouring! Clearly, we had been very lucky having such a great start, decent conditions on the summit, and good conditions back at the car. We may have been a pair of April Fools to go out with such a poor forecast, but how foolish is it really to get out and enjoy an interesting hike with a great friend?
I took some pics and hope to upload them soon...
