Mt. Sherman-Elevation 14,036 ft.

Here it is. The second 14'er we climbed this summer. This was actually about a month after we did Grey's Peak. Heather's husband Andrew works with a group of people who get together every August and do a group climb. This year we tagged along with him. The actual summit is a little bit further back from the farthest peak in the photo above. But from that point it's just a straight shoot to the summit, it doesn't even feel like you get any higher. You'll see from a pic I have posted later.

This climb was quite different than Grey's. For one, it was much easier. Not to say that it didn't take work, but we climbed it in half the time, and it was not nearly as steep an incline as Grey's so it was a gradual rise. As you can see in the pic above, this was an old mining region. Some of the old buildings are still standing, and water still runs out from some of the mines.

Here's Koa, sticking close by. How odd, eh?

Andrew saying, "Can you stop taking pictures of me and keep walking??"

This is a look back down to the valley where we started. Waaay down there.

Koa playing in the snow!

See how rocky it is? These trails were very slippery. Oddly enough, I didn't fall. I fell coming back down Grey's and actually cracked the face of my watch. But we actually took Koa off leash for this hike and I held onto her collar alot going down, so maybe she steadied me.

This is the ridiculous ridge we had to cross nearing the end of the climb. For the most part it wasn't too scary, but some places were really narrow and those loose rocks made me feel like one wrong step and you'd go tumbling down the back side of the mountain! Koa was a pro. When you read about hiking with your dog they say to assume that your dog will walk twice the distance that you walk. Now I know why. She would run up ahead of us, and then come back, and then run up ahead, and then come back! She is in the habit of nudging your legs when she comes back, so that adds to the nerves. Hence why I held her collar alot.

Looong ridge.

So once you cross the ridge and go up a few more feet, you think you have summited! No cigar my friend. See those people way in the distance? That is the summit. When I got up here and saw the people I just started laughing. I'm thinking, "Are you kidding me? Why can't the summit be right here. This is a good summity spot." So I had to take a picture of the specks in the distance because I just thought it was hilarious! Talk about exact science.

This is a photo from the top! This is actually Mt. Sheridan, which at a measley 13,900+ feet does not quite qualify as a Colorado 14'er.

Me, Peter, and Koa-Elevation 14,036 feet!!!!!!

Andrew decided to stay at the summit a little bit longer than Peter and I. Actually, Andrew had summitted and then decided to head back down to meet up with a few of his co-workers who were still climbing and he summitted again! It was pretty chilly at the top so by that time Peter and I decided to head back down. While we waited for Andrew, Peter caught some shut-eye...

...so did Koa.....

And I laid in the back of my Sante Fe and marveled at the gorgeous blue sky.

Colorado- from 14,036 feet or 5,280 feet, you gotta love it.

Thanks Mom and Dad, for taking the time when Jenn and I were younger to teach us how beautiful this place is. I think that's why I appreciate it so much now. I hope I can do the same for Ella and Blake.

For both of these climbs, Dad, I thought of you the whole way.

I can't wait to climb again next summer!