Antero (14,269),5-16-2007

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 05-20-2007, 10:32 PM

Antero (14,269)
5-16-2007
goldenboy, mbsc

FINALLY the weather has been improving for Colorado with a break in snow storms. The snow has stopped coming, but it's also melting fast with the warm temps. With many nights not resulting in hard freezes, skiing more challenging lines has been difficult this spring. With that in mind, we chose to ski Antero.

I've had my eye on Antero ever since I skied Princeton (my first 14er ski) with Killing Cokes last year. This pic of Antero was taken in the evening from 285.

Goldenboy and I camped the night before along the Chalk Creek road near the Baldwin Creek jeep road. Early in the morning we packed up and gb tried to take his truck as far up the road as possible. The Baldwin Jeep road begins at 9,420 and we were only able to get up to just over 9,700 ft because there was a large snowdrift in the way. This was a pity because after that the road was clear of snow for another 1.5 miles or so.

We walked along the road and encountered the creek crossing at 10,800. The creek was rather high. Goldenboy spotted this icy log and we decided to use that to help us cross. "Break out your crampons! We're going to need it to cross the log". I think he just wanted to make sure he had a reason to use them

After crossing the creek we went for about 10 minutes before having to break out the skins and 11,000 ft. We followed the trail until we saw an obvious gully that was full of snow. We opted to follow this gully up in order to save a couple of miles from the crazy switch-backing trail/road.

While skinning up we saw this great looking peak just to the west of us. It is unnamed peak 13,870. The lines off this are VERY inticing!!!!

The gully lead us to a sub-peak to the south of Antero where we had to cross over a fun little ridge.

There were a few different sets of tracks coming off of Antero. Someone had dropped in (probably the day before) onto the north side and then boot packed back up when they reached the cliff bands. We were fighting some approaching storms, so we opted to ski to the east of the ridge we came up, then follow our gully back down to the west.

We were able to ski right off the summit.

From the summit of Antero we could see the north face of Tabeguache, looking oh so fine!

Goldenboy dropping from the summit, going south but on east side of the ridge.

He decides to make the ridge into a terrain park feature

Some pics from the gully we followed back down, to the west. We found amazing corn there at about 11 am.

(note that he's pointing to the camera!)

When we got to the bottom of the gully we headed for the trail as soon as possible as the snow in the trees was very manky. The snow was a bit more compacted on the trail although sometimes still collapsed on us. We had stretches like this that were a bit thin too.

We were able to ski to 11,000, where we'd put our skins on earlier in the morning.

All in all it was a great day and a fantastic corn ski!

**hairy** · 05-20-2007, 10:38 PM

you guys always have fun...me too....and I especially like the finger point power carve...

**doumall** · 05-20-2007, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

Nice! Your going to enjoy Lake City this weekend, its prime.

**Alpine Dreams** · 05-21-2007, 06:12 AM

Nice work, keep it up.

**hemas** · 05-21-2007, 06:16 AM

Nice.... But why on earth someone named a peak after a finnish lad???

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 05-21-2007, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by hemas

Nice.... But why on earth someone named a peak after a finnish lad???

I don't know why the peak is named "Antero". I bet goldenboy can answer your question later on today though. He's smart like that

**IridePow** · 05-21-2007, 08:42 AM

Nice work!

You guys must be the couple with the most high altitude air consumed this season.

**3DB** · 05-21-2007, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

I don't know why the peak is named "Antero". I bet goldenboy can answer your question later on today though. He's smart like that

I believe it's named after an indian chief, which seems to be the motif for peak-naming in that area.

**KillingCokes** · 05-21-2007, 10:19 AM

Nice work. How's the road looking

**Squirrel99** · 05-21-2007, 10:22 AM

very nice!

**HikeforTurns** · 05-21-2007, 10:34 AM

This peak is a great one. I climbed it in summer, but it would be an awesome ski. It was renamed in 2005 to Cronin Peak, in honor of Mary Cronin, the first woman to climb all the 14ers (sometime in the 20's?)

Originally Posted by 3DB

I believe it's named after an indian chief, which seems to be the motif for peak-naming in that area.

3DB is correct, Antero was named for Chief Antero of the Uintah band of Utes.

By the way, you guys are killin' it. Was this the final Sawatch 14er for you guys?

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 05-21-2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by HikeforTurns

By the way, you guys are killin' it. Was this the final Sawatch 14er for you guys?

No, we still have a few more.

We got Tab on Saturday.

GB and I still need to get Harvard, Massive, and Holy Cross. I need to get Missouri as well. Don't think we'll get all those done this season....

Originally Posted by KillingCokes

Nice work. How's the road looking

I think I said in my TR that the road had a snowbank at 9,700 so we couldn't get above that. The road was largely clear for about 1.5 miles past that. After that there's patches of snow, but not enough to warrent skins. Once you get to the summer TH and cross the creek, you go for about 10 minutes and you'll need skins. The road definitely requires a pretty high clearance 4WD, but your car will be fine KC.

How Antero was named:
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/qpick.php?parmpeak=10
"Named after the Chief of the Uintah band of Ute Indians in the 1880's"

**IridePow** · 05-21-2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

I think I said in my TR that the road had a snowbank at 9,700 so we couldn't get above that. The road was largely clear for about 1.5 miles past that.

Just bring a shovel and start digging.

It might be worthwile KC.

**smitchell333** · 05-21-2007, 10:53 AM

Nice Corn shots!!

We're in prime corn season. I had one of the best corn runs of the year yesterday on Mt Parnassus

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 05-21-2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by IridePow

Just bring a shovel and start digging.

It might be worthwile KC.

Yeah, had we known it was going to be clear for that long afterward we might have dug out our own shovels! At the very least, hike until the creek crossing in shoes, not in AT boots like we did.

**Ireallyliketoski2** · 05-21-2007, 11:09 AM

I'm exhausted after just reading all these TR's.

**Son1cdeth** · 05-21-2007, 11:13 AM

Rockin the pink pants again...solid TR...looks like a fun ski

**KillingCokes** · 05-21-2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by IridePow

Just bring a shovel and start digging.

It might be worthwile KC.

I never bring a shovel when I go in the backcountry, it's too heavy

Hmmmmmm

**goldenboy** · 05-21-2007, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by IridePow

Just bring a shovel and start digging.

It might be worthwile KC.

A dirtbike would be the ticket, you would get to probably 11k with a dirtbike. Not sure how well the icey snow would dig, but maybe chains would be the way.

Great TR, MBSC, that there was some tasty corn, well worth the trip.