Hike: The Decalibron

The Decalibron
Kite Lake Trailhead
September 27, 2008

There is only one place in Colorado where you can easily climb three official fourteeners in one short day. The hike is referred to as "The Decalibron", incorporating the names of the four fourteeners (one unofficial) that you will climb along the way: Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross. They are usually climbed in that order, and that is how I climbed them on saturday. The hike itself was Class I/II and was a little strenuous, but overall pretty easy. I started out at 7:30 and returned around 12:30 with a short stop for lunch. I left my camera battery in the charger at home, so I took no photos. It was the only low point of the day.

If anyone reading this has experienced any physical problems due to altitude, let me know what you think of this: while hiking at a sustained height of 14,000 feet for about 2 miles, I lost a bit of vision. It was as if my eyes had "darkened" somewhat. This went on for probably an hour or so. I wonder if this is normal. It's never happened to me before. I had taken ibuprofen about a half hour earlier because of a raging headache on the top of Mount Democrat. I'd also never experienced a headache that strong while at altitude.

***

I remember the sky was clear, the air cold; the shrubby willows were golden; frost clung to the remains of summer's wildflowers. The pink sun slowly moved down the face of Mount Democrat as I began the ascent. My mind and emotions were clear, and my lungs were gladly stinging from breathing the icy air. I remember losing the trail at Mount Cameron and sliding down a large snow bank toward Mount Lincoln, and then hiking along what seemed to be the Spine of the Earth, the mountain falling away to my left and to my right, snow crunching under my boots. I remember the smell of the snow. I swear there is a smell to mountain snow that evokes powerful memories. I remember standing on Mount Bross, looking out over Mount Democrat and Mount Lincoln. I saw tiny figures on the summits and for a brief moment felt transcendental. I remember scrambling down from Mount Bross over the steep scree and talus, falling several times, feeling engulfed by the enormous gully surrounding me. Storm clouds gathered, building into towers above me. I stopped at a waterfall for lunch and spent some time breathing the sun-warmed willows before returning to the trailhead.