Shavano, Tabeguache

Aug. 9, 2001. I had camped near Blank Cabin at 9800 ft., the finish of Nolan's 14 at the base of Shavano (14,229 ft), and was awakened by a herd of cattle walking past my tent. I met with Ginny LaForme, John Robinson, and Dennis Herr. At the start of the climb, a sign warned:

Warning: It will take you 12 hours of daylight to climb to the summit of Mt. Shavano and back.

Of course, we were also climbing Tabeguache (14,155 ft), which is connected to Shavano by a 3/4 mile long saddle that descends about 500 ft. Our total climbing time was about 5 hours, including 45 minutes each way to Tabeguache and back from the summit of Shavano. The snowstorm on the return climb didn't help.

Climbing Shavano in the fog.

Ginny and me on the summit of Shavano, before heading for Tabeguache.

Climbing the rocky ridge to Tabeguache.

(Left) John, Ginny, and Dennis on Tabeguache. (Right), me in the center.

Returning back over the summit of Shavano in a snowstorm.