Chris Anthony Adventures : Mt. Of The Holy Cross, Colorado 14,005 ft

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Mt. Of The Holy Cross, Colorado 14,005 ft

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Chris Davenport's 14ers project website

05-30-2006

Chris A. joined Chris D. and Eric Warble and Carl Cocchiarella for a two day adventure, to summit and ski the Mount of The Holy Cross during Chris Davenports 14ers project (www.skithe14ers.com)

Pic 1
Tigawon road is closed to motorized vehicles till June 20. The team needed to be innovative with how they would get from Minturn up the Forest service access Tigawon road to the Half Moon Camp ground and trail head begins. Thus the rig you see above. This was about a 9 mile trek uphill utilizing granny gears.

Pic 2
From the trail head the team hiked for about 1.5 hours to Half Moon Pass on the North side of Notch Mountain.
- Dawn came quick on top of Half Moon Pass. Looking East at the Ten Mile Range.

Pic 3
Chris Davenport & Chris Anthony around 5:45 AM. Behind them the New York Range.

Pic 4
From the west side of Notch Mountain Looking at Holy Cross 6:30 AM. The team's route took them from Half Moon Pass on a contour line around Notch Mountain and through boulder fields and the steep rocky west wall of Notch. This was completed with ski boots on. (Their approach would take them to the base of Holy Cross directly - behind the tall tree center picture.)

Pic 5
9:00 AM: Carl on the ascent up Holy Cross.

Pic 6
10:00 AM - Carl with Eric below, on the final few hundred yards of the ascent up the Cross Couloir. Below and in the distance is the Bowl of Tears lake. On the horizon, the Continental Divide.

Pic 7
Eric Warble took this image looking up the Cross Couloir at around 9:45 AM. He is looking up at Carl, Chris A. & Chris D.

Pic 8
On the Summit 10:30 AM. Chris Anthony, Carl Cocchiarella, Eric Warble and Chris Davenport. For Chris Davenport this was number 45 of the fourteeners he has skied since January. It is history in the making. For Carl it was his third winter descent in the last 20 years of the mountain. For Eric and Chris A, this was their first winter descents of the Cross.

Pic 9
11:00 AM: Looking down the Cross Couloir before the team dropped in.

Pic 10
2:30 PM: Chris Anthony back at the spring that was strategically located at the optimum spot for replenishing of hydrants on the west side of Notch mountain. The climb out was not picnic in the ski boots and warmer temperatures.

Pic 11
This is a very good few of the North Face. The Cross Couloir is not visibel here.

Pic 12
This image is a mid winter ariel photo. It gives a very good perspective of the line skied.

Go to Chris' Blog at RealVail.com