Getting stuck and calling SAR on Kelso Ridge, and how to not do the same
And much love to Alpine Search and Rescue!
I never mess up like this on mountains. Those who know me best know that I think and overthink and over-prepare for most things—particularly for hikes. Before I tried to hike Kelso Ridge up Torreys Peak in Colorado, I researched for hours—checking photos, videos, reviews, and guides. Because I had previously hiked the class 3 Sawtooth ridge between Mount Bierstadt and Mount Blue Sky and really enjoyed it, a lot of people told me that I should give Kelso a try. This was a big test for me to see if I was ready to do some harder hikes. I'm sharing this because it's important to share big failures and lessons learned on mountains so that others can learn from mistakes.
Unfortunately, a lot of online information played down the difficulty of the ridge. Maybe the worst advice was not to worry about having to turn around and go back down. It turns out that a lot of people have been getting stuck on Kelso and end up calling for help. I wonder if they were similarly misdirected by some online information downplaying the difficulty.
Also, I’m intentionally not citing the specific comments that I’ve read here, because I don’t want to shame anyone in particular. I just hope to warn future people on the fence about this climb to make sure they’re prepared.
The climb
A friend and I slept in our cars at the trailhead. We started up the trail around 4am on a Friday. By the time we were at the ridge, it was light out. The first few sections are really mild, if you have ever done some tougher class two or climbing. As we continued, I found each section becoming increasingly difficult. Most of the holds were stable, but I didn’t have the frequent broad areas on which to rest like on the Sawtooth. Plus, scree and loose rock made this all harder. We just kept pushing through, climbing, and ignoring the exposure on our sides as we kept going. I was also feeling increasingly uncomfortable, but because of the information online I thought the climb had to become easier. Around 13,000ft up we sat down and rested on a small plateau above the white wall. Looking ahead, a several-hundred foot slope with loose scree over hard rock loomed, and I realized I couldn’t do it. We watched climbers go up and on to the next sections, and it was all just too much.
At this point, I saw I had cell service (and also could have used my Garmin InReach mini 2, a great safety tool) and called the Alpine Rescue Team. I was mortified that I'd made such a foolish mistake, but they were so so nice and encouraging.
It took them a while to reach us, understandably! They climbed up to us comically quickly and helped us down with guidance and ropes. I learned a lot from them and about them too. This team has a delightful passion for emergency management and mountains, in a way that makes you glad that people like this exist. I never would have imagined this could end up an enjoyable experience, but I loved learning about each of them and their work. We talked through how I ended up there, and they really understood and encouraged me to try again. I can't thank them enough for their kindness and saving my ass. If you’re able to donate, they can always use the support and they absolutely deserve it. They are an all-volunteer team that partners with the government, and donations help them continue their work.
Final notes
For years, I had also been worried that I wasn’t pushing myself hard enough. It’s a hard balance when you have 13 autoimmune diseases and apparently four heavy metal toxicities. Although I’m extremely proud of what I have been able to accomplish with everything holding me back, I always want to test my limits and push myself. In 2022, I turned back on Mount Borah in Idaho just before Chicken Out Ridge and also on the Middle Teton in Wyoming in the final 600 or so feet when slanted ledges of scree were too much for me to do while climbing alone. Both times, I think I made the right call. And I think after all of this, I have a better sense of when too much is really too much.
One last thing—we did a lot right. We researched the climb, came prepared with food, water, sugar, layers, helmets, Garmin InReach, and sun protection. We chose that particular Friday because the forecast was perfectly clear all day. These are all good ideas in general, but especially important when you’re doing a climb that has you unsure or uneasy. We came in a pair because I knew I would not be able to do this alone.