Professional stream crosser Pete at his best. What's up with the beanie in July?
The key first gully to split the first cliff band on Thunder.
The entrance to the white gully on Thunder's west face is via the grassy bench to the right of the waterfall.
Heading up grassy benches.
Classic Maroon Bells shot.
Nearing the saddle, although this is the wrong saddle!
Uh, there she blows! We're on the wrong side of mighty Pyramid. We traversed across the right side then up a loose 4th class to the summit.
Darin and Pete on the loose west face below the summit block. Holds had to be cleaned and checked.
Looking down the hairy finish.
Pyramid from Thunder summit.
The "easy" 3rd class way although loose up the south ridge to the summit of Thunder.
Option 1 on our attempted traverse to Lightning Pyramid. Serious exposure and loose junk here. We backed off this.
Options 2 and 3. Downclimb this steep snowbridge or skirt it on 3rd class junk to the right.
Option 4 was to descend this loose gully to the patch of snow below in hopes it wasn't too steep. We raised the white flag.
Bells, Sleeping Sexton, Snowmass, & Capitol.
Wildflowers out in full force.
View from where you leave the West Maroon Creek trail at 10620'. The first gully is obvious to the right of the trees.
Obligatory Bells shot from Crater Lake.
Bells from Maroon Lake. Bad lighting late in the day.
Morning alpenglow on Bells and Sleeping Sexton on way to Buckskin Pass.
Magnificent North Maroon.
Nearing Buckskin Pass and Unnamed 13039.
Darin nearing the crux of 13039. We dinked around for awhile looking for the easiest way without and axe, and this was it. Darin gave me a nice spot.
Easy traverse on tundra to Buckskin Benchmark.
Darin nears Buckskin BM summit.
Unnamed 12940 & 12942 with Pyramid in background from Buckskin BM. Getting to these 12ers was a bit of a chore.
Snowmass from Buckskin Pass.
Elks glory
Pyramid splits the saddle of the 12ers.
The rugged east face of Buckskin BM.
