It's a Husky Thing - Siberian Husky Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.


A forum for owners of the Siberian Husky.
 
HomeSearchLatest imagesRegisterRegisterLog in
Congratulations Nikita, Archer, and Cheyanne!, our November HOTM winners! HOTM Will Be Taking An Indefinite Break!
Husky of the Month
Congrats Nikita, Archer, and Cheyanne,
our November HOTM Winners!
Husky Cuddles!





Thanks to all for this month's entries!
Forum Rules
1. Here we prefer clarity to agreement. Obviously not everyone is going to agree on a topic; here we prefer to talk out our differences in a respectful manner to ensure mutual understanding and respect.
2. Read the Stickies and Announcements. Each sub-forum may have specific rules which trump the Forum Rules in cases where there may be conflicting information. Read the rules of each board before you post so that you are clear on the expectations of the staff.
3. Respect ALL Staff and Admins. These people volunteer of their time and MUST be respected as well as their word adhered to. They are responsible for maintaining a free, open, clear and organized forum. Anyone found to be openly undermining any official ruling by a staff member will be warned.
4. Signatures: One picture only and no links. Images: To keep the forum looking neat and tidy, we ask that members insert just one picture only in their signatures. The picture should be no more than 200x500 pixels and should be of an appropriate subject, for example, your dogs and their names. Should you need assistance creating an appropriate signature, please PM an Admin and we would be happy to help! This is to ensure that signatures remain a welcome addition to our forum instead of a cumbersome distraction. Links: Hyperlinks in signatures--unless to a personal blog or photo stream of your dogs (like Flckr or Piscasa, for example)--are strictly prohibited. Please PM a staff member with any questions or concerns regarding this rule.
Rescue Spotlight
Our current rescue spotlight is:

Delaware Valley Siberian Husky Rescue!

Top Dog Website Award Winner!

Top Website
for
Siberian

Huskys


Share
 

 Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)

View previous topic View next topic Go down 
AuthorMessage
Polar
Puppy
Puppy
Polar

Join date : 2012-02-25
Location : Castle Rock, CO

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 1:47 am

So with a new job earlier this year, buying a house, getting a second job to pay for the house... I've been pretty busy. Polar and I still go out and hike, I just haven't had time to come and post any photos.

So where to start? I guess I'll just start with our latest adventure. After riding the "people train" at Grays and Torreys the weekend before, I decided to go find a less crowded spot so I won't need to be leashed to Polar and act as her brake coming down the mountain.

I ended up making a grand plan to tag four named peaks around the Herman Gulch area: Pettingell, Woods, Parnassus, and Bard. I measured the distance with Google Map - about 15 miles... "it's totally doable," I thought. Turned out the ruler on Google Map was a bit short...

I really like the Herman Gulch area, maybe because it's one of the very first places I hiked since we moved to CO. So it holds a special place in my heart. But it's not exactly a "less crowded" area, unless you hit the trailhead at 6 am in the morning on a Friday, which I did. Polar and I saw only two people, and by the time we left the trail at Herman Lake, we didn't see another person until we got back on regular trail three hours later.

Getting up Pettingell Peak from the southern slope was pretty mellow. Got to the summit around 9'ish, and descended the way we came up. If I didn't have Polar with me, the ideal way would be to traverse the eastern ridge to avoid loosing some elevation, but it's class 3 and Polar probably can't handle it. Half way down Pettingell my left knee really started hurting on the downhill. There was some weirdness in my left knee years ago when I was rock climbing a lot and I thought I may have pulled something in there one day, but it was a long time ago and I haven't felt anything ever since. I was mad, and a bit concerned, but mostly mad, since I've never had this type of knee pain before. "Should I bail?" I asked myself, "but it's only 9:30! I just got started!" Since my knee only hurt on the downhill and not flat ground or uphill, I decided that I should go on and just avoid going downhill as much as I can.

Great plan.

Two thirds way down to Herman Lake, I decided to traverse across the hillside on a broad ledge I saw on the way up. "To avoid going downhill as much as I can", I told myself. The plan worked really well until I came upon a very loose scree slope I couldn't get across without getting buried first. The choice was to hike down the hill and link up with the regular trail (loosing elevation) or scramble up along a buttress and gain the ridge. Of course I decided to scramble up the buttress, "to avoid going downhill as much as I can". The scramble was class 2/class 3, fairly easy if a bit loose. There were a couple spots that were too high for Polar to climb so I had to haul her up by her backpack strap, but other than that Polar did pretty well.

Once I gained the ridge, I had no choice but to go down. The knee pain returned, but I soon found out that if I go down at an angle with my right foot leading, it didn't hurt as much. I used this strategy for the rest of the trip. Pretty soon I crossed the Continental Divide Trail, and was on my way up and pain free again. Woods Mountain is only 12940 ft, not quite a 13er and a easy and gradual hike over a smaller unnamed peak from the west side. We got to Woods around noonish, and were down in the saddle between Woods and Parnassus shortly after.

At this point I stopped for some water and snack, and checked Polar's paws. To my horror, I discovered that all four of her paws had one small blister each. She was running around all happy, so I didn't even suspect. I brought out the booties from her backpack, and this was only the second time in her entire life hiking with me she had blisters on her paw and had to wear booties. At this point I was very indecisive, should I kept going to Parnassus? Should I bail? The weather is still beautiful, it was only one'ish, we still have plenty of daylight and good weather ahead of us. Well, Polar made the decision for me. She had done Woods Mountain with me the previous year, and know the trail back to the car. I made the move to hike up to Parnassus, but she just laid down and looked at me. I walked on about 100 feet away and looked at her, "you don't want to hike anymore?" she made no move to follow. Oh well, I guess it's time to head home!

On the way back to the trailhead we saw three more people and one happy Golden Retriever,  but other than that it was pretty uneventful. Judging from all the cars parked at the trailhead though, we missed at least thirty or forty people that were hiking to and from Herman Lake.

A few days of icing with cold beer (really... I don't have any ice packs), the knee was pain free again. More rest and more stretching, hopefully the pain isn't going to come back.

Google Track:
http://goo.gl/maps/ET8Dv

Pictures:

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160077




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160080




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160082




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160084




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160085




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160087




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160089




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160092




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160093




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160094




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160098




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160100




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160102




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160103




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160105




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160106




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160109




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160110




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160111




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160116




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160117




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160118




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160119




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160121




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160122




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160123




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160124




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160125



Top of Pettingell Peak
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160127




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160129




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160130




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160132



This is about when my left knee started hurting.
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160134




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160135




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160137



My camera's battery warning light came on at this point, so fewer photos after this shot.
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160141



Overlooking Herman Lake, right before my scramble along the buttress east of the lake.
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160142




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160143




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160144




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160145



Top of Woods Mountain, looking toward the unnamed peak from which we came.
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160146




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160147



Parnassus, so close, yet so far...
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160148




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160149




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160150




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160151



"Dad I want to go home."
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160152



"You really want to go home? No more hiking?"
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160153



"Ok, fine, I guess we are going home."
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) P8160154


Last edited by Polar on Tue Aug 27, 2013 1:53 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : minor additions.)
Back to top Go down
wpskier222
Senior
Senior
wpskier222

Female Join date : 2013-02-11
Location : NYC

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 9:58 am

Amazing pix. That makes me SO incredibly homesick!
Back to top Go down
cmanding
Nutrition Subject Moderator
cmanding

Female Join date : 2010-10-12
Location : Denver, CO

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 10:24 am

I love your hiking posts and pictures!
I'm glad you're (sort of) back. Missed you and Polar!

_________________
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) 41765413
Back to top Go down
simplify
Senior
Senior
simplify

Female Join date : 2012-08-02
Location : Louisiana

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 1:10 pm

So beautiful!

Polar looks so cute with her little booties on.

_________________
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Signat11
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) O8Cmm5
Back to top Go down
jbealer
Husky Stalker
jbealer

Female Join date : 2009-05-29
Location : Denver, CO

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 1:18 pm

great day out in the mountains, i got Parnassus in oct of 2010, we got snowed on!!!!
hope polars pads are all healed up now. poor girl.  and i got one of those bum left knees to, only hurts on the down hill. sucks were gonna just miss you on Elbert, i should have the report up before you go so look for it Smile

oh i also wanted to add that i keep S&J home on anything that i know will be over 10miles, went over that once and i almost had to carry them home, got to keep a good eye on our babies and some times that means turning back before a summit.

_________________
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Iaht10
Back to top Go down
ljelgin
Senior
Senior
ljelgin

Female Join date : 2012-01-29
Location : Broken Arrow, OK

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 1:36 pm

Great pictures.. Polar looks really good in the pictures he is enjoying his hike.
Back to top Go down
Polar
Puppy
Puppy
Polar

Join date : 2012-02-25
Location : Castle Rock, CO

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 2:18 pm

jbealer wrote:
great day out in the mountains, i got Parnassus in oct of 2010, we got snowed on!!!!
hope polars pads are all healed up now. poor girl.  and i got one of those bum left knees to, only hurts on the down hill. sucks were gonna just miss you on Elbert, i should have the report up before you go so look for it Smile

oh i also wanted to add that i keep S&J home on anything that i know will be over 10miles, went over that once and i almost had to carry them home, got to keep a good eye on our babies and some times that means turning back before a summit.
Polar was all healed and bouncing off the wall two days after the trip. She recovers much faster than I do. When Polar and I were in good shape, we could cover 15 miles in a day no problem. But I guess we are both very out of shape now, and Polar's paws have gotten too soft.

Which route on Elbert are you doing? I did the standard south route years ago on my rock climbing trip to CO. I also did Keyhole on Longs on the same trip which I'm really glad that I did. With Polar in tow now, I won't be doing any class 3 stuff for awhile.

But anyway, I plan to take my wife and Polar on the north route on Elbert on this trip, just for something a little different.
Back to top Go down
jbealer
Husky Stalker
jbealer

Female Join date : 2009-05-29
Location : Denver, CO

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) EmptyTue Aug 27, 2013 2:34 pm

http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=elbe2&peak=Mt.+Elbert
this is where we are headed, i did the keystone/loft route up longs, by far my most fav. climb/hike!
when we do class 3 we leave the pups home


_________________
Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Iaht10
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content




Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty
PostSubject: Re: Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)   Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013) Empty

Back to top Go down
 

Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, Pettingell Peak, Woods Mountain (8/16/2013)

View previous topic View next topic Back to top 
Page 1 of 1

 Similar topics

-
» Polar goes hiking: Herman Lake, CO (5/27/2012)
» Polar goes hiking: Herman Gulch, CO (3/29/2012)
» Hiking with dogs~Peak 9- 13,195ft & Peak 10- 13,633ft ~ Colorado
» Long Line when HIking in Woods?
» Polar goes mountaineering. Haba Mountain (17,703 ft), Yunnan, China (9/2-9/4, 2010)

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
It's a Husky Thing - Siberian Husky Forum :: Advice and Discussion Forums :: The Great Outdoors-