Super Black Death

Yesterday, I decided to do something insane.  It's called Super Black Death.  Although I didn't die, it was the most challenging thing I've ever done.

Here's the challenge:  You have to summit seven specific peaks and hike back into base camp within 24 hours-- all with a pack on your back.  That's 27 total miles of trail-- including the very long and windy Tooth Ridge Trail-- from the last peak to base.

Peak #1 Comanche Peak
11, 303 ft.

Peak #2  Mt. Phillips
11,736 ft.  

Peak #3  Big Red
11,020 ft.  

The first few peaks were fine.  We woke up at 3 a.m.on the porch at Cypher's Mine (the nearest camp to our first peak) and left at 3:45 a.m.  The crew included me and some fellow trading post employees, Dave, Madelyn, and Evan.  I packed light-- only my sleeping bag, rain gear, food, and six liters of water.

Sunrise from Mt. Phillips at about 5:20 a.m.

Summit of Mt. Phillips in the early morning.  

Dave (left) and Evan (right) consult the map on the top of Big Red.  

Peak #4  Bear Mountain
10,662 ft.

Peak #5  Black Mountain
10,889 ft.  

Peak #6  Shaefers Peak
9,413 ft.  

On the way to Bear Mountain we lost the trail.  We were never "lost", but in the time between Big Red and Bear Mountain we consulted the map a lot.  Luckily we stayed on track, even though we bushwhacked the distance.  When we finally found the trail, we had to bushwhack up Bear because it has no trail to the summit.  As we were about to descend and head towards Black Mountain, we ran into a ranger who was hiking alone.  Our crew total increased to five.  

View from the summit of Black Mountain, Baldy Mountain in the far distance.  

Five feet on the Black Mountain geographical marker.  

Descending Black Mountain, Tooth of Time in the distance.  

Dave and Madelyn on the summit of Shaefers Peak.  Almost to the Tooth.  

Ascending Black Mountain was steep, but doable.  Everyone says Black is the toughest peak on the trek, and on the way down I found out why.  The steep and seemingly never-ending descent was tough enough.  But there were two more peaks before heading back to base.  And the hike to Shaefers was a long and trying one.  Then came the Tooth of Time.

I'd hiked the Tooth five times prior to Super Black Death-- twice this summer.  It's not too difficult of a hike. The shortest and most familiar of the seven peaks, the Tooth seemed like an easy walk to wrap up the trek.  Wrong.  It seemed as though God wanted to make the last peak as difficult as possible.  

Peak #7  Tooth of Time
9,003 ft.  

First, it began to rain.  Thunder and distant lightning soon followed.  As I got my rain gear on, I thought to myself, do I climb this final peak and finish Super Black Death, or get struck by lightning in the process?  All my safety training thrown aside, I continued rock by rock.  Giant boulders separated me from the top and as I was half way up, it started to hail.

The thunder sounded like it was right next to me.  I jumped.  And as I approached the apex, I saw a rainbow in the distance.  The sun peered through the clouds and the hail almost stopped.  I soaked up the moment (as my socks soaked up the rain) and with another clap of thunder, I quickly descended down the ridge.

Around 9 p.m. I snapped this photo.  The entrance to base camp.  

The rain eventually stopped.  I was wet.  So was my pack.  But it was only three miles till the end.  And I don't know how I did it.  It was either the adrenaline from my Tooth experience, or the thought of the day being over.  

But we all made it-- and with seven hours to spare.  Yes, we beat Super Black Death in 17 hours.  And no, I don't plan on doing it again.  This was the most physically and mentally challenging task I've ever accomplished.  I don't regret it-- it was quite amazing and rewarding. I thought I knew about perseverance before Super Black Death.  Now I actually do.  

Bird Under the Freezer

A few days ago, a bird decided to hide under one of our ice cream freezers.  Some Scouts were concerned, so they told me about the situation.

Without hesitation I turned the job over to Jeremy, our resident zoologist.  He's a junior zoology major, so I figured he'd be able to deal with the bird.  And he did.

Hiking with Crew 715-G

The morning after I saw "Captain America", I left with some fellow staffers (Dave and Ryan) to meet up with 715 G, my crew from back home.  The cooler hanging from my pack is full of ice packs, a gallon of cookies and cream ice cream, and Otter Pops (the Western United States' version of freeze pops).   The crew was shocked that 1.) I met up with them, because I told them I wasn't going to and 2.) I brought cold things for them to enjoy.  

It was great to hike with them for three days-- they went to the same places I went three years ago when I came to Philmont for the first time.  After hiking from Pueblano to the last camp on the itenerary, Ponil, the guys enjoyed root beer at Ponil's cantina and went on a horse ride in the morning.  Their scheduled bus into base camp was at 2:45 p.m., which would provide little time to check out and take care of equipment before chapel services and campfire.  

I found out there was an 11 a.m. bus into base.  If there was enough room, we could make it back earlier.  So the crew decided to try.  The horse ride went longer than expected, so at 10:15 a.m. the crew booked it back to camp to finish packing up.  (They had strategically packed most of their gear after breakfast).  I told them to get to the bus as quickly as they could; I would try to find and hold one of the buses.  

Some didn't believe they could make it in time, but I did.  The hike from their campsite to the bus turnaround was a little under a mile.  I hiked ahead and to my surprise, there was an empty bus getting ready to pull out.  As the driver put the bus into gear, I sprinted to the window, told her the situation, and she agreed to wait 15 minutes for the crew to catch the bus.  

Ten minutes later, the first of eleven yellow shirts appeared in the distance.  We got the bus.  They made it.  And it was meant to be-- the bus number was 59, our troop number.  What an awesome ending to the trek.  

Late that night, the crew departed for Denver.  They had to catch an early flight in the morning.  All understood the awesomeness of Philmont and will undoubtedly want to come back.  Philmont will do that to you.  

Captain America

A week ago, I tagged along to Taos with about 20 other trading post staffers.  They had been planning to see "Captain America" for a while, and now it was time.

It was a great way to spend the evening, although we didn't get back to Philmont till the early morning.  The movie proved entertaining and was a true underdog story.

I'm not really one of those superhero-obsessed moviegoers, but I'm excited to see "The Avengers" next summer, when all the superheros come together and save the world.

Wal-Mart

If you need something and need it cheap, Wal-Mart's the way to go.  And sometimes it's just good to get out of base camp.  At Philmont, we have some options.  

Distance wise, the Wal-Mart in Taos, New Mexico is closest.  But getting there requires driving a long and windy mountain road, which adds more time than it should.  Usually takes an hour and a half to get there.  

North of Cimarron and Philmont is Raton, New Mexico.  Raton has a K-Mart and is only 45 minutes away.  But if you're patient and have a little extra gas money, you can keep north on I-25 and cross into Colorado.  

Miles from the New Mexico/Colorado border is the City of Trinidad.  Trinidad's home to the nearest Wal-Mart Supercenter.  Yeah, that's right-- a Wal-Mart with groceries.  Only an hour away, this Wal-Mart has grown to be my personal favorite.  It's got the best prices, selection, and shortest travel time.  

PhilFiesta

Last week, the trading post (like every other department on the ranch) held the annual PhilFiesta.  It's basically a department party, complete with good food, crazy activities, and entertainment-- both planned and unexpected.  Our PhilFiesta was held at my boss Shelley's house.  

We had steak, potatoes, pasta salad, a variety of vegetables, and cobbler for dessert.  

 

Our staff enjoyed frisbee, swinging, and trampolines to name a few elementary activities.  But that's what it was all about.  Celebrate the staff, the summer, and Philmont.  

Monsoon Season

It's officially monsoon season.  No official declaration or anything but I think after this storm and other similar storms, it's safe to say the monsoons have come.  They roll into camp in the afternoon, last an hour or more, and leave.

There's still "Extreme Fire Danger Everywhere" as the signs say all over the ranch.  All this rain just gets soaked into the ground.  We still need more precipitation.

Melman

I work with a guy named Corey.  We at the store call him Melman-- a nickname given by me because of his resemblance to the giraffe from the movie "Madagascar".

Melman works in the warehouse, so naturally he doesn't get to spend much time on the sales floor.  This is Melman's first attempt at making an ice cream cone.  No script, just how he is.

Kiss Night

A few days ago, we held Kiss Night at the snack bar.  (The band, of course).  Ryan, the manager, and clerks Martin and Evelyn, made shirts and bought makeup.  They embraced the theme pretty well.

One adult advisor came in and asked "What's the significance of kid's night?"
Someone corrected him and  said it was Kiss, the band.  He still didn't get it.  He's what you call "ignorant to the eighties".

Management Appreciation DInner

I attended yet another dinner for being part of management.  This time it was for the whole ranch.  Menu: bison steaks, tuna steaks, burgers, pasta salad, loaded baked potato, and cheesecake for dessert.  I don't even like cheesecake, but it was delicious. 

After we ate, it rained.  Hard.  And it was sunny outside too.  Weird, but that's New Mexico for you. 

Crew 715-G

After spending a late night with Harry Potter, I slept in till 9 a.m.  It felt good.  (Although I woke up in an oven of a tent).  

That day, I met up with Crew 715 G, my other troop contingent from Erie.  They spent a couple days in Colorado Springs before driving to Philmont.  

This crew got a great ranger-- Craig-- who took them into the backcountry for training the first days of the trek.  Everyone was excited to hit the trail, adults and Scouts alike.

One of the crew members sprained his ankle on day 1.  He spent a few days recovering in the health loge before returning on the trail.  I haven't heard from them since, but I'll meet them on the trail this weekend.

Before the crew departed for Six Mile gate, all the crew members got themselves Sharpie tattoos-- for Troop 59 and Crew 715-G.  

Harry Potter 7.2

The wait is over.  Time to finally see Harry Potter 7.2-- the finale.  I'd never been to a midnight showing before, so even before we got in line, it was exciting.  

First, we went to get something to eat at Taos Pizza Outback.  I had a calzone as big as a pizza itself-- the others in our two-car convoy had pizza.  

After the filling meal, we rested in a nearby park.  I planned on napping before midnight, but it didn't work out too well.  Football sounded like a better option.  

As the sun set, we departed from the park.  We had leftover doughnuts from the night before, so some in our posse gave them away to a group of homeless people.  The plan failed-- they were diabetic.  

And then it came time for the movie.  Trading Post staff alone made up the first two rows in the theater.  We had to wait in line for a little over an hour, but it was worth it.  It was great to witness the end of the Potter legacy among friends.  

First of all, I would've liked to see part one of Harry Potter 7;  it would've been continuous and easier to follow.  It was fast paced (as was the second part of the book) but a great movie nonetheless.  

I always hate when people critique movies.  What's the point? Are you going to make a better one?  No, so just enjoy it!  I sure did.  

Taos Night

The night before the Harry Potter debut, I and some compadres decided to head into Taos to get tickets.  A number of staffers had purchased their tickets online, but I wanted to be sure to attend the midnight showing.  

What started as a simple task, turned into quite a night.  Next stop was Baskin Robbins.  

Then Albertsons, a grocery store.  We discovered bargain baked goods-- a common practice among grocery stores that want to get rid of the day's bread, doughnuts, etc.  So we each pitched in and purchased over 2 dozen doughnuts for $4.  We had a feast on the display lawn furniture outside.  

Inventory

Jean, the warehouse manager, has commented numerous times on the amount of beverages we currently store in the warehouse.  We've never had so many.

So far, we've sold over 1,100 Australian root beers.  I've bumped up my orders every week, most recently from 14 cases to 16.  Other products have a similar effect, like Peace Tea, Stewart's old fashioned soda, and anything that screams Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper.

Health Inspection

Health inspection.  I knew one was coming up, but nobody knew when.  Some clerks probably think I'm micromanaging and picky when it comes to cleaning.  But that's alright-- I passed inspection with flying colors!

The only thing we needed was a thermometer in one of the ice cream freezers.  

Crew 714 B-1

A few weeks ago, my blog was posted on the Mercyhurst College website.  One of the summer employees on campus noticed my blog and saw that I was working at Philmont-- the same place her dad and brother were going for a trek this summer. 

So yesterday, I met up with Crew 714 B-1.  They're from the Cleveland, Ohio area.  And Adrianne's brother and dad made sure to stop by and say hello.  It was good to see a fellow Laker.   

Joe, Adrianne's brother, created a blog to document the crew's excursion.  To read the crew's blog, click here.  

Management Dinner

A week ago, I and the other managers from the trading post enjoyed a nice steak dinner at my boss' house.  Loaded baked potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, Caesar salad, and, of course, succulent steak.   It was a nice break, compared to the monotony of my usual daily schedule.  

Shelley has a trampoline for her two boys.  As the managers were taking turns jumping, I noticed Jason-- a usually stoic and unhappy manager, attempting to loosen up.  

Hanging Out with the Crew

I had the wonderful opportunity to hike with one of two crews from the French Creek Council back in Erie.  This crew was mostly made up of Scouts from Troop 59, my troop back home.  

So when I told them that I couldn't hike with them the week they were here, they were understandably disappointed.  But I ended up getting a couple extra days off last week and surprised them at their next stop: a camp called Clark's Fork.  

Together, we saw the sun set on the Tooth of Time, Philmont's infamous 9,003 foot rock face.  It was a long day of hiking, but the view was worth it.  

We woke up the next morning and descended the ridge line back to base camp.  Early morning hiking is the way to go; we started at 5 a.m. and made it to base camp around 8 a.m.  

And they all made it without injury or illness.  Sounds like a 10-day miracle to me.  The other crew from the French Creek Council wasn't as lucky-- on their last day, one of the Scouts went down with the heat and an adult advisor blew out his knee on the top of the ridge.  But they too made it in the end.   

Fourth of July

We decorated the Snack Bar for the Fourth of July.  It looked so good!  I also put together a 8.5 hour playlist of American music-- anything from John Phillip Sousa's "Liberty Bell March" to Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World".

In celebration of the holiday, we loaded up the ice cream machine with vanilla ice cream and dyed one side Patriotic Blue.  The other side was Revolutionary Red.  Together, they made a very American twist.

Business was up that day, and a day later (July 5), we broke a record for the second time this season: highest sales day in the Snack Bar's history!

Best Vacation Ever

My brother Matt, our friend Dom, and I embarked upon an epic adventure in Colorado Springs.  

First, we hiked around Garden of the Gods, an amazing city park full of natural landscapes and unique rock formations.  

Then we got a glimpse of our next stop-- Pike's Peak-- through the rock.  The day was partly cloudy, but we figured we'd give the summit of Pike's Peak a shot. 

We took a train up-- on the Cog railway.  It was scenic and got progressively colder as the ride went on.  

But it was worth our few-hour journey.  The top was amazing, all 14,110 feet of it.  

The next day, Matt, Dom, and I went rafting in Clear Creek-- the same creek Coors Brewing Company gets it's water to make its beverages.  Anyway, I'd never been whitewater rafting in a creek before.  It's quite exciting and consistently action-packed, given the creek's narrowness.  

While we were in the area, we decided to take a tour of the Coors Brewing facility in Golden, Colorado.  Matt got free samples.  I had root beer.  

The next morning, we headed to Seven Falls, a natural attraction near Garden of the Gods.  

Matt and I went exploring and found an eighth waterfall.  (I wonder if they knew about that one.)

And off we went, into the wild blue yonder-- all the way to the United States Air Force Academy.  

The cadet's chapel was magnificent, complete with a modern, aeronautical design.  The inside was just as amazing as the exterior.  A promenade filled with bronze models of historic Air Force planes was located nearby.  We checked out those too.  

 The adventure wasn't complete without an encounter with the police.  Matt was pulled over by the only cop car in Cimarron, New Mexico (just outside of Philmont).  I warned him, but he didn't listen.  45 in a 35... cost him a light donation to the Village of Cimarron.  He wasn't too happy.

But neither of us were not happy to end our most excellent vacation.  But all things end eventually, and work and other visitors were calling me back to Philmont.  Nonetheless, it was one of the best vacations I've ever had.