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[TR] Eldorado Speed Climb - Sub 5 hours RT 8/23/20


off_the_hook

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Trip: Eldorado Speed Climb - Sub 5 hrs RT

 

Date: 8/23/2007

 

Trip Report:

I speed climbed Eldorado Peak in 4:58 roundtrip. I started at 8:03 am, summited at 11:06 am, and was back at the car just after 1 pm (3:03 up, 20 minute summit break, 1:35 down). This was my fourth time climbing the east ridge route in the past five years so I knew the tricks of doing the approach fast (unlike Lemah Mountain the following day).

 

Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time

Eldorado Parking Lot (2,160 ft) : 0 / 0 / 08:03

First Talus Field (4,000 ft) : 39.53.45 / 39.53.45 / 08:43

Cross Stream [small Waterfalls] (5,000 ft) : 1:10.54 / 31.00.91 / 09:14

Ridge Pass (6,150 ft) : 1:33.56 / 23.02.03 / 09:37

Eldorado Glacier (6,500 ft) : 1:59.28 / 25.31.69 / 10:02

Base of East Ridge (7,800 ft) : 2:30.52 / 31.24.78 / 10:34

Arrive Summit (8,868 ft) : 3:02.57 / 32.04.74 / 11:06

Depart Summit (8,868 ft) : 3:23.16 / 20.18.66 / 11:26

Base of East Ridge (7,800 ft) : 3:40.34 / 17.18.32 / 11:43

Eldorado Glacier (6,500 ft) : 4:02.34 / 22.00.23 / 12:05

First Talus Field (4,000 ft) : 4:37.54 / 35.19.56 / 12:40

Eldorado Parking Lot (2,160 ft) : 4:58.43 / 20.49.53 / 13:01

 

I was a bit too pumped for this climb and 10 minutes into it my head was spinning and I had to take a break against a tree. I toned it down after this and once I got to the boulder fields I found my rhythm and felt great thereafter. Lesson learned - don't start out too aggressively!

 

I was shooting for around 6 hours, but a very fast descent of the Inspiration and Eldorado Glaciers opened up the possibility of a sub 5 hour roundtrip. I knew it would be very close, so I picked it up down the boulder fields and the final section in the woods.

 

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Some marine clouds made for nice views.

 

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Global warming has manifested itself on Eldorado as the famous knife-edged snow arête has melted into an easy plateau. I remember having to descend slightly from the snow ridge to the summit rocks and now those rocks are the high point.

 

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Pickets from Eldorado

 

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Gear Notes:

Axe, crampons. This was my first climb in La Sportiva's Exum Ridge trail runners and they had excellent traction on the boulder fields and steep trail.

 

Approach Notes:

In good shape.

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