Esther, the SHORT version

[AlpineSummit]

The Cliff Notes edition:

Saturday, some flatlander friends and myself climbed Esther; me to do my fall sweep of the herd trail.
There was frozen mud. There was ice. There was 1" of granulated powder.
We were very, very slow. Like snail-poop. I froze everytime I stopped to wait. Arrived on the summit after almost 4 hrs!?! OUCH! Windy, snowy and cold enuff to make me put on my zip-off legs. Roast beef sammich made me colder. Propel: Cold.
3 hrs. down! OUCH! Cold, raw.

See you all after mud season!
Now where's that little fleece blanket w/the pinecones on it? I only put it down a few months ago.

[Rik]

What was your max heart rate?

[AlpineSummit]

Originally Posted by Rik

What was your max heart rate?

low 80's

[judgeh]

4 hours to Esther??? A week ago (in warm autumn weather) we did Whiteface AND Esther in seven hours round trip...and I'm a 54 year old flatlander from the gold coast.

Some flatlanders can handle it.

[joseywalesb]

2 years ago the wifey and I climbed Esther via the brook off the highway going to the top of whiteface. We bushwhacked it, well, actually it bushwhacked us. We're talking a bloodgeoned mess when we got done. It only took us like 1 hr to the summit, excellent views pretty much all the way up, but the conifers killed us. Has anyone else climbed it like this??? from this other way??? What was your experience???

[randomscooter]

Originally Posted by joseywalesb

2 years ago the wifey and I climbed Esther via the brook off the highway going to the top of whiteface. We bushwhacked it, well, actually it bushwhacked us. We're talking a bloodgeoned mess when we got done. It only took us like 1 hr to the summit, excellent views pretty much all the way up, but the conifers killed us. Has anyone else climbed it like this??? from this other way??? What was your experience???

Glad to hear that route hasn't changed in the past few years

[joseywalesb]

Originally Posted by randomscooter

Glad to hear that route hasn't changed in the past few years

Is that where you got your quote from??? lol

[Silverback]

You're still my hero, Bruce.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by randomscooter

Glad to hear that route hasn't changed in the past few years

I used that route in January of 03. Many people used it that winter as word had gotten around that there was a broken snowshoe trail to follow. I remember it as short and steep with tight trees. Buttsliding down through the tight trees was a fun trip! (my wife did not see as much fun in this as I did)

[randomscooter]

Originally Posted by Rik

I used that route in January of 03. Many people used it that winter as word had gotten around that there was a broken snowshoe trail to follow. I remember it as short and steep with tight trees. Buttsliding down through the tight trees was a fun trip! (my wife did not see as much fun in this as I did)

Yeah, just as you described, it makes a fun winter route. I've only used it once in winter, the day Wayne Ratowski finished his 46x46, in late Feb'02. Tried it again the next summer as a possible fast exit... NOT!

[randomscooter]

Originally Posted by AlpineSummit

The Cliff Notes edition:

Saturday, some flatlander friends and myself climbed Esther; me to do my fall sweep of the herd trail.
There was frozen mud. There was ice. There was 1" of granulated powder.
We were very, very slow. Like snail-poop. I froze everytime I stopped to wait. Arrived on the summit after almost 4 hrs!?! OUCH! Windy, snowy and cold enuff to make me put on my zip-off legs. Roast beef sammich made me colder. Propel: Cold.
3 hrs. down! OUCH! Cold, raw.

See you all after mud season!
Now where's that little fleece blanket w/the pinecones on it? I only put it down a few months ago.

Reminds me of the day Jane and I joined Cedarvale to take a couple of her friends up Cascade and Porter... 9, nine, NINE, count 'em NINE, hours. Cedarvale was ready to strangle one of them. But in our case it was a nice summer day. You're a saint Alpine.