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TRIP MESSAGE ARCHIVE
Date: 5/30/08 Subject: Assault of Mt. Princeton - Summer 2009 Greetings to all of you mountaineers and adventurers. We have settled on a week and a place for the '72 assault of Mt. Princeton. We have reserved the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort for July 14-19, 2009, so mark your calendars and save the dates. We'll have more details later, but the resort's website is at www.mtprinceton.com <http://www.mtprinceton.com/>. The resort has a variety of accommodations, and you can make a reservation at any time. For now, we have priority on reservations so that our group will have first choice of accommodations for the time we are there. Several things to note:
If you have any questions, let me know. Merc Morris and I will be providing more information later as we get organized. Have a good summer and I hope to see some of you at Reunions. Bob Attachment: Resort Map Date: 9/11/08 Subject: Think Colorado Fellow mountaineers and adventurers: Now that summer is over, it's time to start thinking about NEXT summer...and hopefully that includes for you a climb of Mt. Princeton from July 14 through July 19. So far, Bagbey, Brockman, Bulle, Foster/Jones, Harris, Macaleer, Massad, Monoyios, Morris, Shinn, Turk, Van Dusen, Walter, Wendell, and Wright have reserved space at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort and Spa. The good people at the resort have been very good to work with; so far, they have generously allowed us to hold ALL of their accommodations for July 14-19. But they have advised that they are now getting many requests for accommodations the week of our trip. So...IF YOU THINK THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME ON THIS TRIP, WE STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU MAKE A RESERVATION IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. This is for two reasons: 1. Right now, as mentioned, you have your choice of all of the accommodations at the resort, as we have an absolute hold on every room, cabin and condo there. However, in two weeks we will let many unreserved accommodations go. 2. You can cancel up to very close to the time of the trip with NO charge or penalty (as time gets closer, we will verify the exact deadline and remind you, but it will be on the order of two to three weeks). So there is NO DOWNSIDE to signing up, even if you are not at all sure of your schedule, number of people, etc. Please email me if you make a reservation (and let me know your probability of coming) as this will help us plan the trip. As previously mentioned, you should plan to be at the resort no later than Tuesday afternoon or evening, July 14, leaving Sunday, July 19; starting Wednesday morning we will have training hikes, and other activities will be available while we acclimatize for climbing to over 14,000 feet on Friday (rain day Saturday). Merc Morris and I plan to be there a day early (no later than Monday afternoon), so if you want to come early and get in another day's hike, let me know and we'll work that into the schedule. Merc went by the resort while in the vicinity this summer and reports as follows:
Merc put together the following summary information on the two nearest towns and other nearby attractions:
Later this fall we'll start sending periodic emails concerning various aspects of the trip. We'll cover what you'll need to bring, how to train, what to expect on the mountain, etc. We'll also be planning our schedule and making arrangements for transportation, safety logistics on the mountain, etc. As we do that, we'll develop a cost estimate and send it along. If you are changing email addresses, or if you receive this at an email address you don't check often, please send me a better address so you can receive our emails sooner rather than later. If you have any questions you want to ask at this point, please contact Merc (merc72@comcast.net or 215-822-9226) or me (bob.wright@bakerbotts.com or 713-229-1237). We'll be glad to try to answer them. Bob [Picture attachments omitted] Date: 12/2/08 Subject: Mt. Princeton update and recommended reading Fellow Mountaineers and Adventurers: Just a couple of things on our trip next summer as we head into the holiday season... Housekeeping Each of you is receiving this message because you are either signed up or are interested in the Mt. Princeton trip next summer (July 14-20). Most of you have made reservations at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort and Spa (see list at bottom of this message; if you think you made a reservation and don't see yourself on the list, let me know). If you have not made a reservation, THIS IS FINAL CALL before remaining accommodations are released to the public for that period. Even if you don't know if you will come, I highly recommend that you make a reservation now because you can always cancel it up to three weeks before the reservation date. By making a reservation now, you will ensure best choice among accommodations. The unused accommodations (with the exception of a few for last minute recruits) will be released this Thursday, Dec. 4. Those include 12 rooms at Poolside, 2 rooms in the Lodge, and 8 small Cabins. To make a reservation, call 719-395-2447 and press 0. Be sure to say you are part of our group. This is for two reasons. First, there is a 5% discount for hotel rooms (none on other accommodations). Second, we need to make sure we know who in our group has reserved rooms. Whether you have made a reservation or not, I'll keep you on this mailing list unless/until you tell me you'd like off; at this point, continuing messages on the climb will be sent only to this list, so if you know someone who isn't on it who is interested in joining up, please have them get in touch with me. Recommended Reading In a few days I'll circulate some information and suggestions on clothing and footwear in case you want to take advantage of some of the holiday sales likely to be going on. In the meantime, here are some suggestions as to excellent books on the subjects of hiking and the Fourteeners that would be well worth your purchase (all are available in paperback on Amazon.com). Consider these your "recommended reading" for the trip. The two books that are generally acknowledged as the best on the Colorado Fourteeners are Colorado's 14ers, 2nd Ed.: From Hikes to Climbs, by Gerry Roach, and Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Vol. 1: The Northern Peaks, by Louis Dawson. Sometimes referred to as "the hiker's bible", The Complete Walker IV by Colin Fletcher and Chip Rawlins is the latest update to a book that has been around a long time for decades and that most every hiker acquires sooner or later. It's a very detailed book on all aspects of hiking and camping, and will answer just about every question you could have about the subject. There are many helpful pictures and drawings, as well. Last but not least, The Backpacker's Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills, by Rick Curtis, is a much smaller guide that is concise and complete and offers very clear and readable information for those who want to know more about the basics: what to wear, what to eat, what to drink, how to hike, weather, acclimatization, etc. (Rick is head of Princeton's Outdoor Action Group, planned and led the 1997 and 1999 Mt. Princeton climbs organized by OAG, and is planning to join us on our climb. He is providing invaluable assistance in all aspects of planning for our trip.) All of these books are at the top of their class and I encourage you to buy any or all of them; I guarantee you will learn a lot that will be useful for the Mt. Princeton trip with any of them, and, if you're interested, a good deal more than that. If you purchase just one book (and you should definitely do that), it should be Rick's book, The Backpacker's Field Manual. More later. Bob Reservations Made: Alfson Ayres Bagbey Barkhausen Brockman Buchanan (Bruce) Buchanan (John) Bulle Crews Curtis Davidson Dayton DeGolian English (Bart) English (Daryl) Ferguson Foster/Jones Hackell Hamm Hammitt Harris Harrison Higgins Hinton Johnson Lawson Levine Macaleer McLean McMorran Monoyios Morris Novakova Packer Prechtel Schneider Shinn Smith Stockmar (day only) Stuart Turk Van Dusen Walter Wendell Wright Date: 12/10/08 Subject: Clothing/equipment suggestions for the holidays (and beyond) Fellow Mountaineers and Adventurers: In case you're interested in taking advantage of some of the current holiday sales, I'm attaching an adaptation of a summary of what you need for hiking apparel and gear when climbing Mt. Princeton that was prepared by the Princeton Outdoor Action Program. SEE ATTACHED FILE. In supplement to the OA material, some of what I consider the important things about clothing and equipment are the following: Clothing 1. Think LAYERS. Use the layering system described in the Outdoor Action summary. Since it was written in 2001, new synthetic materials have been developed that are even more amazing than what was available then in terms of wind resistance, water resistance and low weight and bulk. 2. Do NOT wear cotton. The synthetic fabrics available now give you lots of choice. It is so much more comfortable to wear clothing that wicks away moisture than not. Cotton does NOT wick away moisture. The reason it is important can be explained in the context of Mt. Princeton: there, you will be traveling a long trail in what are likely to be warm temperatures, and you are very likely to sweat (even wearing only the lighter layers you bring on the climb). The higher you ascend, the cooler and windier it will be, and the more often you will need to stop for a rest. Your body will cool down, and if you are wearing moist clothing that leaves wetness against your skin, you are more likely to be uncomfortably chilled as a result. Whether you want to wear shorts or long pants for the climb, you will want to have a pair of waterproof, windshell pants to use if necessary. (The kind that zip all the way down the sides is particularly nice so you can get in and out fast.) I sometimes like to use "convertible" pants -- long pants with a removable lower leg that results in shorts. Don't forget a hat that will protect you from the sun (and, to some extent, rain). For upper body rain protection you may want to think about some of the very light waterproof shells now made with ultralight fabrics (some weigh as little as 10 oz.). They can be expensive, because they use cutting-edge technology, but combined with one of the new water and wind resistant and breathable soft shells for an outer layer (absent a downpour), you will have the best of all possible worlds with very little bulk and weight. Boots Get a pair of boots that are right for the journey and that FIT, and then BREAK THEM IN THOROUGHLY. (See the OA article attached.) Go to an outdoors store and be prepared to spend some time selecting the right boot and the right fit. A knowledgeable salesperson will anticipate that exercise and encourage it. YOUR BOOTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF GEAR YOU WILL TAKE WITH YOU. If your feet blister or have other problems as a result of poor boot fit, your journey will grind to a slow, painful halt. There is no reason for that to happen if you take the time to follow these simple rules. And don't forget that boots will work for you based on how you treat them. Boots that are well-cared for will last for many years and become good and trusted friends. I tend to wear heavier boots on these long-distance, high climbs -- ones that are all leather and provide good ankle support. Some prefer a lighter boot, but I would recommend that whatever you buy, you get a boot that provides significant ankle support. You will be walking and climbing over very uneven terrain, and having the support can minimize the risk of an ankle sprain or other injury. By the way, my friend and law partner and our classmate, Steve Massad (who is signed up to come with us), proved to me several years ago that a top-quality leather boot, properly treated and cared for, is more waterproof than boots with Gore-Tex uppers. The proof was that after several hours of hiking in some marshes outside of Estes Park, CO, where we ended up after a climb that was aborted due to heavy rain, he was the ONLY one in the group who had dry feet, and not coincidentally, the only one who had good, heavy leather boots. I had Gore-Tex boots and my feet looked like raisins they had been so wet for so long. The next day I spent some quality time at The Warming Hut, a wonderful outfitting store in Estes Park, with the folks who had convinced him to buy leather boots in the first place and who know more about boots than anyone I know. After an hour of trying boots I left with a great pair of Lowa's that I have worn on every major hike and climb since. I recommend using the sock/sock liner method suggested by Outdoor Action. I've been using it for years and it is amazing how comfortable it makes your feet on long hikes, even in the middle of the summer. I use nylon sock liners with medium-weight wool socks. VERY comfy all day long. Hydration Bring a hydration system that is right for you. While we will probably have water available on the mountain at various points, you will need to plan to carry at least three liters of water with you (at over 6 pounds, water will be the heaviest single thing you carry). Some people like Camelbaks or similar equipment stashed in their pack. Others prefer water bottles. Some carry those bottles in their pack, and some on their belt with special holders. I use a combination of a two-liter Camelbak and a one-liter Nalgene (non-BPA) water bottle (although last year I used the "soft" bottles now available and I like them better than my Nalgene bottles because they are soft and flexible, as well as lightweight, folding flat when empty). The Camelbak makes it easy to hydrate a little at a time without having to stop for a break, and the bottle serves as my last liter when I've emptied the Camelbak. The problem for me with a Camelbak alone is that I don't know when I am going to run out of water, and I like to know that and be able to ration my remaining water if necessary. But experiment and use what works best for you. Trekking Poles Trekking poles are a surprisingly useful accessory. They can help you with balance, which helps preserve energy. They must be used with care, however, and in some cases must be telescoped in and tied to your pack for moving over terrain where you need your hands free for grabbing onto rocks (such as scrambling that will be involved toward the top of Mt. Princeton). Some people prefer a single pole (which of course is an option if you buy a pair!). I use a pair of ultralites by Leki. Shopping/Learning More Good stores at which to shop include walk-in stores such as REI, EMS, L.L.Bean, and local outfitter stores in your city, and online stores such as the online versions of the foregoing and also places like www.backcountry.com, www.campmor.com, www.mountaingear.com, www.sierratradingpost.com, www.travelcountry.com, and www.altrec.com. I have bought from all of the stores mentioned and they have provided top-notch products, service and advice. Many of these websites have useful information about gear; for instance, REI has a section on its website called "Expert Advice." There are lots of short pieces about clothing, gear, and other aspects of hiking and climbing that will be of interest and I encourage you to take a look at http://www.rei.com/expertadvice. Other online resources, like trailspace.com, offer useful advice articles and product reviews. And be sure to check out Backpacker Magazine at http://www.backpacker.com. It has lots of useful articles and tips and great information about the latest gear. The deals out there right now are terrific. If you're in need of gear and want to get a head start on next year, now would be a great time to go check it out. My last suggestion is that for specific advice and to check out specific gear, go to a good outfitter with knowledgeable salespeople and plan to spend some time asking questions and trying out different gear. There's really no substitute for "kicking the tires." Let me know if you have any questions -- or if you have advice to pass along to the group. More info after the holidays. I hope you have very enjoyable ones. Bob Attachment: Clothing and Equipment with Checklist Date: 3/10/09 Subject: Health, Conditioning and Airports Fellow Mountaineers and Adventurers: Hope you are doing well as we move into March, now just a little more than four months from our climb. I thought I would write to you on three subjects for now: health, conditioning, and airports . And in doing that, I'm pleased to be able to offer some contributions here from our classmates. Health and Conditioning: Val Brackett, who will be with us on the climb and has spent a career in corporate health and safety, volunteered to put a piece together for us on health and conditioning, and I've attached it to this email. It's very important reading; PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. We want to make sure the adventure is fun and safe for everyone. As previously mentioned, the climb will be strenuous because it will involve a long distance (round trip 13 miles), a large amount of elevation gain (5,400 feet) and will take place at high altitude (approximately 9,000 to 14,000 feet). All who plan to do the climb need to be in very good condition, aerobically and otherwise, with no medical issues that could cause issues. In that regard, we STRONGLY SUGGEST that you consult with your physician before you begin any exercise program for the climb, and get a physical checkup and clean bill of health from your physician before undertaking the climb. If it's of interest to you, I can pass along what Merc Morris and I are each planning to do to get ready for the climb. I will also offer the advice of Rob Hamm, as well as a terrific PowerPoint he put together. If any of you have your own suggestions to offer, please feel free to respond to the group. As for myself, I do about 600 miles/mo. of road cycling between this time of year and July. I plan to go snowshoeing in the Colorado Rockies later this week with our classmate and fellow-Mt. Princeton climber, who also happens to be my law partner here in Houston where we've practiced together for almost 34 years, Steve Massad. I also plan to ride in the MS 150 bicycle ride from Houston to Austin in April. Once I get within a couple of months of the climb, I'll start into hikes around town, gradually building up to walking with full pack (20-25 lbs) and boots. I will make those hikes longer as we get closer to the climb, up to 8 miles or so. I'll also do some vertical training--since Houston is flat as a pancake, that means climbing Rice's stadium stairs or my office building's stairs downtown (I usually do the latter because of the heat). I will do the stairs with loaded backpack and boots, and increase the number of floors up to about 125 (it is important to walk down those floors as well as up, because the downhill part of the climb will be tough on knees and legs , much as downhill skiing is). Merc is maintaining his regular running schedule of at least two-three miles every other day (average) . He will increase the time/distance so that he is running for at least an hour every other day the month before the climb (he will be at the beach the week before the climb so the running will be easy, but most definitely at sea level). His daily routine in the last month will include 15-20 repetitions of static squats--back against a door jam/wall legs in a "high" sitting position working up to 90-second duration each. He will also climb some stadium steps with a pack to make sure his legs are up to speed. Our classmate and fellow-Mt. Princeton climber, Rob Hamm, had this advice for a classmate last summer as he pondered coming on our Mt. Princeton trip: I do a daily "aerobic" (4 or 5 days a week): for a half hour to 40 minutes, I sit on a stationary bike, reading. So, I have a "basic level" of aerobic fitness. Going to the mountains, a mountain climb is an extended stair climb with thinner air. And unstable footing. Also, there is this constraint -- you are recommended to "get off the peak by noon", and the reason for this is that rain with lightning starts in the afternoon. That means, depending on where you start, you need to start real early. Some mountain trailheads are at 10,000 feet, others at 11,800. Some are a couple of miles from the peak (without the altitude gain), others are 6 (Mt. Princeton?) or even 10 or 11 (Mount Harvard). Mt Yale was 7. It is important to get acclimated. My usual trip is: drive to Boulder (5000 feet), spend some days and do some hikes or at least exercise. Then relocate to Breckenridge (my extensive experience of Colorado mountains can basically be attributed to the fact that my aunt has a house at 10,000 feet in Breckenridge), spend several nights there, doing some hikes each day. By three days in Breckenridge, ready to do a 14,000 footer. Another thing is that you can get headaches from exercising too much before acclimated. And, the first night at altitude (even "just 10,000") you can have trouble sleeping. Drink plenty of water, and cut back a lot on alcohol. As for the unstable footing, shoes with ankle support might help. The disadvantage is, they are heavier! When I climbed Mt. Yale with James and his friend, we encountered a guy near the top who was having trouble breathing. We all helped him, led by a German "iron man" athlete and his wife, who were physicians. I used the story to put together a lecture, with the help of a sports medicine fellow in our department, on the causes of medical trouble at high altitude. It has a picture of Mt. Princeton. [ROB'S POWERPOINT IS ATTACHED.] What we each do is what works for us; you should do whatever will work best for you given your present condition, your doctor's advice, your location, and what your body and mind tell you. There is no right or wrong approach, but you should use the general guidelines included in Val's article and the articles she cites. Travel Since some of you are undoubtedly beginning to look at plane reservations, you should know that if you can conveniently fly into Colorado Springs, that is the clearly the most direct and shortest route to Mt. Princeton. Denver is the other choice. If you come that way, Highway 285, the southwest route from Denver to Buena Vista, is squarely on the other side of Denver from the airport. It's an enjoyable drive, but getting to the starting point on Denver's west side can be a bear--a look at the map confirms this. If you fly into Denver, take the toll road, 470, from the airport access road, exit at 25 south (all signs state Colorado Springs) and go to Co. Springs, turn right just north of Pikes Peak onto Highway 24 and continue west to Buena Vista. Cross the Arkansas River and at the "Tee" intersection, turn left (south) on 285, and continue to Nathrop, about six miles. Turn right at the signs for Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. We'll be in touch again shortly with more information on other aspects of the trip. In the meantime, if you have any questions about any of this or anything else, contact Merc or me at any time. We're going to have a great time out in Colorado this summer, and look forward to seeing you all. Bob Attachments: Hiking Safety [Note: the size of the second attachment, Rob Hamm's High Altitude Emergency PowerPoint, exceeds PU's upload capacity so you'll have to view it from the original email] Addendum In response to the above, Brian Stockmar suggested the following alternative route from Denver: Locals far prefer taking US 285 over the I-25/US 24 route. Getting to US 285 from the airport is easy and does not involve driving through the middle of Denver on I-25 (or I-225), which is a pain at best and a nightmare at any time near morning or afternoon rush hour. To get to US 285, follow Pena Blvd (the road out of the airport) to I-70 west. Drive about 24.5 miles to exit 260 (CO-470 East), then 5.7 miles to US 285 South. (You will encounter moderately heavy traffic during evening rush hour, if you start after 3:00 pm). Total drive time to the Princeton Hot Springs is a bit less than 3 hours and total distance is 153 miles. Although you may be tempted after tooking at the map to take E-470 Sourth from Pena Blvd, that decision will add several miles and about a half an hour or more to the drive, regardless of the route you select. Here is a map link to help (paste this into your browser): Map Date: 3/10/09 Subject: A Sense of Where You'll Be Fellow Climbers, I couldn't resist the pun above; my apologies to Professor McPhee. While that last e-mail may have taken your breath away, I would like to share some of things I've learned in several trips to big mountains. First and most important: There is a sense of fellowship in the high country that provides an instant reward. It comes from being with friends in a magnificent setting and sharing the outdoors together. Based on our experiences on other class trips, we promise that the camaraderie of a class mini-reunion in the Rockies will make this trip a wonderfully rewarding outing. This is guaranteed: you will be with your classmates in a great place to play. Second and very important: There's no guarantee that any of us will summit. Some days the mountain lets you hike to the top and some days the mountain doesn't. People who climb 14ers tend to be kind of wall-eyed--they’ve got one eye looking at the next step up and the other looking at the sky. If bad weather comes, you don't go out or you turn back and all you can do is say bad things. We file this under "Life is not fair, but lightning is final." More than likely the weather will be fine but if not, there's a hot spring at the base of the mountain filled with classmates.... Last: We a pretty much assured of a great morning walk, whether or not you (or anybody) are able to summit. Starting out for a hike pre-dawn (6:30 AM EDT) is invigorating and fun--you're walking, talking and breathing a little quicker. We will be hiking a road through forested mountain slopes; it will be quiet except for our chatter (wheezing?;>)) and early morning birds. The sun will break above the ridgelines to our east and you can watch the sunlight inch down Mt Princeton's slopes towards us as the sun rises higher in the sky. Daybreak on the side of a mountain is gorgeous. We will make our way easily upward until the trail leaves the road and turns overland to the summit. At that point, the road continues its gentle incline to an old mine and a magnificent overlook of the Arkansas River Valley. Bob and I will be huffing and puffing right along with you. This is a natural part of hiking at these elevations. What we know is that if you keep plugging and chugging, you're probably going to summit, time and weather permitting. Remember the childhood story, "The Little Engine That Could?" Well, it is spot on for hiking a fourteener. There's a lot of "I think I can" in climbing a big mountain and generally if you stay focused (but not oblivious), deliberate and determined, you'll top out if that's what you want to do. The big trade secret is you get there six inches at a time. Some of those steps will be slightly more challenging than others, but they will still be only six inches high. We are looking forward to our mini-reunion at Mt. Princeton regardless of whether or not you decide to try and summit. It will be an experience of place and classmates that's intended to be joined "with one accord." Besides, what’s not to like about a little heavy breathing among good friends. See ya there, Buckaroos. Merc Date: 4/17/09 Subject: Trip Update and REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OK, listen up all you intrepid climbers and adventurers. It’s time for us to get some information from you, as well as give you important details on the upcoming Mt. Princeton trip. Schedule Tuesday: Arrive today and pick up your trip favors (you’ll be able to use them on the mountain, and wear them back home.) We will have a welcome reception (as with all our receptions, beer, wine, and soft drinks are included and other drinks are available for purchase) and then dinner for all. Wednesday: Today is for a training hike or optional activities (see next section below). We will provide breakfast, sack lunches, and have a group reception that evening. Everyone is on their own for dinner so they can be free to explore Buena Vista or Salida, or just relax at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort. Thursday: Same as Wednesday—training hike or optional activities – except we’ll have dinner and the pre-climb briefing afterwards. VERY IMPORTANT -- mandatory attendance at the briefing for all climbers. Friday: Climb Day. We’ll do staggered starts starting at 4:40 am from the trailhead. Sack lunches will be supplied for carrying in our backpacks. At the end of the day, we’ll gather back at Hot Springs for a barbecue dinner and early bedtime. Saturday: While this is the rain day for the climb, if we climb Friday we’ll have a day’s raft trip on the Arkansas River today which we hope you’ll sign up for (it’s an optional activity) that should be a ton of fun. We’ll start late morning, and our guides will provide lunch for us halfway through the trip. Total trip time including lunch, will be about six hours. I’m also looking into the possibility of a 1/2-day trip. (You will sign up for this separately with the outfitter; price is $77.65 per person for the full-day trip, which includes a group discount and free wetsuit/boot rental thrown in should you want to use those.) Of course, the other optional activities are also available. We’ll meet up back at the Hot Springs for a reception and then our last dinner. Sunday: All depart. Optional Activities for Wednesday and Thursday Of course, we are convening early for the important purpose of acclimatization. That gives us more time together as well as more time to explore what’s available to do in the area. Plan to participate either Wednesday or Thursday on a training hike which will be somewhat strenuous. There will be several routes through some beautiful areas that are easy to navigate but will take about 4 to 6 hours to complete and ascend 2,000-3,000 feet. and return. The hikes are highly recommended for additional acclimatization and equipment checks (learning how heavy water is; how much you are likely to drink, whether or not you are blister prone and field research on processing nature's call in the wild--details, details). There are several upsides to the training hikes and one of them is that participation reduces any anxiety about hiking at altitude For the anticipated majority that want to take off one of the two full days before the climb and explore what there is to do, I’ll provide specific information and pricing in the next email on at least the following optional activities: Horseback riding (from stables located at Hot Springs) Mountain biking Rock climbing Kayaking Fly fishing ATV/Jeep rental Golf Zip line (fly across Lost Canyon) Relax and read book In addition, of course, you’re free to just kick back and enjoy Hot Springs or go to Buena Vista, Salida, or other nearby points of interest—or make up your own hike (sure, go ahead and climb Mt. Yale for bragging rights forever more). Cost Our tentative costs are estimated at $425 per person attending, whether or not they climb. This is a maximum estimate based on our anticipated overhead. It is likely that this cost will decrease once we know how many people are actually going to come on the trip. This fee covers the reception and dinner, with beer and wine, on Tuesday; breakfast and box lunches on Wednesday and Thursday; the Thursday pre-climb dinner; box lunch and reception/BBQ on Friday w/ beer and wine; breakfast and final reception dinner on Saturday w/ beer and wine. Also included is the cost of trip favors; pre-climb briefing and ascent coordination by Rick Curtis and other miscellaneous overhead items. This cost must be paid in cash by the deadline below to reserve a place in this special class adventure. For those of you who live in Colorado and will only be participating in the climb and the reception afterwards, we will prorate the expense to 1/5 the estimated cost. There will not be other prorations. We will trim costs as closely as possible and any surplus funds will be returned to the class treasury. What happens from here? FIRST: We need to know whether you still plan to come, and if so how many will be in your party. Please fill out the attached form and RETURN TO ME BY APRIL 28. IF YOU CAN NO LONGER MAKE IT, PLEASE EMAIL to let us know. SECOND: By May 15 I’ll provide you with the final per-person cost and the documents you will need to fill out and return. THIRD: By May 31, we will need your check plus a waiver and indemnity signed by each participant (which we’ll provide). So that’s it. Please fill in the form below and return to me by return email or by fax by NO LATER THAN APRIL 28. Thanks. As always, Merc and I are happy to answer any questions you may have. Bob Office Phone: 713-229-1237 Home Phone: 713-523-4560 Merc: Office/Home Phone: 215-822-9226 Addendum on Backpacks One of you asked a question about what kind of backpack to bring. For a Fourteener, you should have a backpack with 2,000-3,000 cubic inches (33 to 50 liters) of volume to hold your clothes, water, first aid items, food, water, camera and other gear that you want to take up the mountain and back. It should be a pack that has an internal frame that is not only available in different sizes but is adjustable for your torso. Try several out; they fit differently and have different characteristics. It is important to get the fit right; you will be carrying it a very long way on your back, so be kind to yourself. (Note: Do NOT bring a hydration pack or a school backpack and expect that to fit the bill; they are too small to do the job. Daypacks of the sort mentioned above will have internal pockets for hydration systems such as CamelBacks, though some people prefer to carry those systems on the outside of their packs anyway.) Attachment: Room reservation schedule as of 4/15/09 Date: 6/5/09 Subject: IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ AND TAKE ACTION Greetings, Intrepid Mountaineers and Adventurers: Four very important things to act on NOW: 1. Cost -- is down to $380 per person from the $425 originally estimated. Please send me a check at the address below for those in your group made payable to Princeton University Class of 1972 as soon as you can, as we have already made cash outlays and will make more in the next week or so based on our numbers of committed people. In any event, we need to have all checks in by no later than Friday, June 26. 2. Release and Indemnity -- is attached. Please print out one copy for each person in your group, have them signed and then either fax, scan and email or mail back to me using the contact information below. These must be executed in order to participate in the trip. They likewise need to be delivered by Friday, June 26. 3. Optional Activities -- have been scouted out and a list is attached. It is a collection we've made (mostly through Merc's efforts) of fun and interesting things you can do with your spare time on the trip. Remember, we'll have about 6-hour practice hikes Wednesday and Thursday, which will start reasonably early but not too early in the morning, and you should plan to participate in at least one of those. Please sign up on your own for these optional activities, or feel free to coordinate with others coming if you'd like to make arrangements together. Many of these were recommended by Mike Kissack, the owner of our outfitter, American Adventure Expeditions. I recommend that you sign up sooner rather than later in order to be sure the time and date you want is not booked up. 4. Saturday Raft Trip -- is for all of us and should be a great final day's activity to finish off a great week. You must call and make a reservation and pay individually. I've done this trip and it is loads of fun. It is the Brown's Canyon trip --see www.americanadventure.com/browns. Cost for our group is discounted 15%, so you need to CALL 866.927.7238 rather than register online and be sure to mention you are with our group. Our price with tax (8.75%) comes to $77.65 per person. Wetsuit and raft shoe rentals are free to anyone who would like those items (normally $6.00 rental). 50% of fee is due on reservation and the rest is automatically charged one week before the ride. Normally, that is the last cancellation date. However, Mike has agreed that if we cancel due to the hike being postponed by rain to Saturday, we will each get a full refund less a $10 admin fee. NOTE THE FOLLOWING from Mike as of this morning: This is a rationed day in Brown's Canyon, meaning the Park rations the number of boats allowed through the section on this day. Having limited availability, our spots will fill up quick. We have plenty of space as of right now, but just let the group know that the sooner they contact us the better. Finally, good luck with your training, and be sure to break those hiking boots in by wearing them on extended outings for at least two to three weeks before our hikes. It's really no fun being hobbled and brought to a standstill by a bad blister (and it WILL hobble you if you get one), but the good news is it's entirely preventable. As always, if you have any questions please get in touch. See you in 5-1/2 weeks. Bob Baker Botts L.L.P. 910 Louisiana Street Houston, Texas 77002-4995 Tel: 713-229-1237 Fax: 713-229-7737 bob.wright@bakerbotts.com [Attachments omitted] Date: 6/17/09 Subject: SEVERAL MATTERS OF NOTE Fellow Mountaineers and Adventurers: Here are several items of note with now only four weeks away from the climb: Website I am very pleased to be able to tell you that we have added a link for the Mt. Princeton trip on the class’s website -- princeton72.org (if you forget the address, just Google “Princeton Class of 1972” or similar phrase). It’s located on the left side of the page under “Class Information”. This will hopefully be very useful. There you will find:
1. The Alumni Directory at Tigernet (http://tigernet.princeton.edu) 2. The Directory on the class website (under “Classmates” on the left side of the home page). Note that to use this directory, you must log in at the home page, and to do that, you need to register and set up a username and password. I highly recommend that you use the Class website directory, and that while you are at it, you review and update your profile. It’s a great way to tell others who are coming on the trip more about yourself and your family. This is a very underutilized resource and we have a good opportunity to show the rest of our classmates how to make good use of it. If you have not logged on before, we have worked with Al Glosbrenner to make it easy for you. Your user i.d. is your first initial and last name (no spaces) (Jesse and Diana, yours are each your full first and last names), and your temporary password is tiger72. Volunteers Needed My wife, Sallie, is not planning on doing the climb, but has volunteered to help check people in at the trailhead when we depart on the hike in the wee morning hours. However, she needs a companion helper. We would also like to have a blister station one mile up the trail, and if there were one or two volunteers who aren’t hiking who would be willing to man that station, it would be very helpful. (They can be given a ride by truck to their post.) If anyone in your group is not hiking but would be willing to help out with these activities, please let me know. PAW Merc advises that PAW is going to give our trip coverage, but what it is really interested in is video from the trip. Lots of us will have videocams, but if you are a real videographer and would be willing to take charge of this facet of the trip, please let me know. It would be great to produce a nice piece for the PAW. Stargazing, Anyone? Here’s a detail worthy of note: Brad Walter is an accomplished amateur astronomer and is driving from Austin so he can bring his telescope (a powerful 18” truss tube Dobsonian). He has his own “backyard” observatory and website -- www.mcmahanobservatory.com. He also uses the observatory of the Central Texas Astronomical Society. According to Brad: “Our club observatory is a member of the Whole Earth Telescope, which was started by UT and the McDonald Observatory and is now run by the University of Delaware Astroseismology Research Center. We do joint research with UT on white dwarf stars. UT develops theory and we help out by observing some of the “brighter” white dwarfs, although none of them are visible to the naked eye.” And a couple of times a year he gets to play with the smallest telescope at the McDonald Observatory as a volunteer assisting the UT Astronomy Department. So those of us who want to do some serious stargazing are in for a treat! Reminders
Bob |
