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Just thought (there I go again), but I doubt it that some of you might want to know that someone is trying to beat Aron Ralston to the punch on his 14er winter project. Crazy man!
There’s this new guy on the scene, Hamish Gowans who is a friend of guidebook author Lou Dawson (the first person to ski all the 14ers). He is looking to beat Aron Ralston to the punch in becoming the first person to summit all the 14ers not only solo and in winter, but also in a SINGLE WINTER SEASON. Aron Ralston if some of you don't recall was the man from Aspen who received nationwide attention when he cut off his own arm after being pinned by a boulder in a remote Utah canyon.
As of yesterday….Gowans 10 – Ralston 49. Gowans is falling behind his extremely ambitious schedule. To think that in winter you have shorter days, some of the stuff he’s talking about is crazy! Elbert & LaPlata (no connecting ridge, totally separate peaks) in 1 day is almost as insane as doing both the Maroon Bells and Pyramid in one day OR Crestone, Crestone Needle, & Kit Carson in one day OR his proposed Little Bear, Blanca, & Ellingwood in one day.
He’s not allowing any time to recuperate in between climbs. His schedule is also assuming perfectly clear and safe weather everyday through his proposed 1/21 finish date that he’s already behind on. I think it’s a fatality waiting to happen just to try and beat Aron.
At least Aron's more calculating and won’t put his goal over safety. If he does the Chicago Basin 14ers (Eolus, N.Eolus, Sunlight, & Windom) as well as Sunshine, Redcloud, and Handies during January, I don’t think Aron would have to worry about anyone passing him at a count of 56 out of 59 on his version of the list of the traditional 54.
To date only 2 people have ever climbed all of the Colorado 14ers during calendar winter, but no one EVER solo let alone during one winter season.
There’s this new guy on the scene, Hamish Gowans who is a friend of guidebook author Lou Dawson (the first person to ski all the 14ers). He is looking to beat Aron Ralston to the punch in becoming the first person to summit all the 14ers not only solo and in winter, but also in a SINGLE WINTER SEASON. Aron Ralston if some of you don't recall was the man from Aspen who received nationwide attention when he cut off his own arm after being pinned by a boulder in a remote Utah canyon.
As of yesterday….Gowans 10 – Ralston 49. Gowans is falling behind his extremely ambitious schedule. To think that in winter you have shorter days, some of the stuff he’s talking about is crazy! Elbert & LaPlata (no connecting ridge, totally separate peaks) in 1 day is almost as insane as doing both the Maroon Bells and Pyramid in one day OR Crestone, Crestone Needle, & Kit Carson in one day OR his proposed Little Bear, Blanca, & Ellingwood in one day.
He’s not allowing any time to recuperate in between climbs. His schedule is also assuming perfectly clear and safe weather everyday through his proposed 1/21 finish date that he’s already behind on. I think it’s a fatality waiting to happen just to try and beat Aron.
At least Aron's more calculating and won’t put his goal over safety. If he does the Chicago Basin 14ers (Eolus, N.Eolus, Sunlight, & Windom) as well as Sunshine, Redcloud, and Handies during January, I don’t think Aron would have to worry about anyone passing him at a count of 56 out of 59 on his version of the list of the traditional 54.
To date only 2 people have ever climbed all of the Colorado 14ers during calendar winter, but no one EVER solo let alone during one winter season.