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The last time I had done two separate 3,000' ascents in one day was some time ago on Tabeguache and Antero in 2001. It was high time to do it again so I could get out by Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday. I arrived back at camp at 10:40 a.m. after Sunlight Peak and the weather appeared to be holding up. I ate fresh fruit and stretched my legs before heading out again. Surprisingly, I felt better than when I started out up the trail to bag Sunlight. I did not have to stop to breathe at the dreaded steep portion of trail. On the right, the highest peak on the right is Windom Peak, to which I muttered some silent nonsense while eyeing it on the trail above my campsite. I made much better time than earlier in the day, reaching Twin Lakes in less than an hour-and-a-half.
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At about 500' above Twin Lakes, it was nice to contemplate that each step will be a novel step, a new, untravelled step for myself, as opposed to the repetitive work to arrive at the high snowfield between Sunlight and Windom I visited some hours ago. Why do I do this? For the most part to finish the way I want to - on my terms by my rules and logic. Why not like everyone else? I must admit, I have to do something to set myself apart (as egoistic as it appears) - rules are an arbitrary way of doing so, plus, it is an interesting twist on "two in a day". Now then, the clouds are building to the West and North, and I must hurry to attain the saddle to ditch my lighting rod "trekking poles". Running shoes were indeed a precious commodity I had indulged in for this particular peak. My feet were already sore from my boots used on Sunlight (photo on left shows Sunlight from above Twin Lakes).
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I stand the poles up firmly in the snow and begin the assault on the ridge at 12:45 p.m. after crossing snowfields and abandoning the soon-to-be-dinner-for-marmot poles. The photo makes it appear that weather is OK, but real trouble lurks to the Northwest - in the opposite direction of the photo. The ridge goes by quickly, and I pass a pair of climbers at 13,600' I eyed about 45 minutes earlier traversing up toward the ridge at 13,200'. The clouds seem to be staying in place, and I am so close now, it doesn't really matter what the weather decides to do. The scrambling begins, but ends up being easier than anything else I've done in recent memory. This owes a lot to my "finish the list now" mentality and saving the "big bites of s__t" for last. I traverse a few spots of snow along the way and the summit is in view a few hundred feet above. I am surpised not to be huffing and puffing, not pacing the same rate I normally would. I wonder what effect this may have on tomorrow morning's planned excursion up Mount Eolus.
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The last dozen feet appear in a form somewhat similar to Sunlight Peak, with the split gap in the rock before the summit block. I am satisfied to have reached the top without the weather interfering. It is now 1:25 p.m. and I must head down. Even easier than the ascent, the descent fades quickly into the basin above Twin Lakes. I arrive at the junction concurrent with the beginning of the West Ridge to find only one trekking pole standing upright. I guess I underestimated the vindictive power of these ferocious beasts in beaver costumes. It is only a matter of how quickly I want to descend now; now that the snow fields have been crossed and exposure to lightning is no longer exaggerated. I take my time returning to camp, feeling twinges of stiffness on the steeper sections of trail below the kneecap. Mount Eolus will be served for breakfast tomorrow morning.
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