James Peak

In the wake of Sam's wedding, the time was ripe for celebrating Billy's return to the western frontier. It felt only appropriate that in celebrating his return to the motherland, we head into the high country. Our destination: the fabled St. Mary's Glacier and James Peak (in the James Peak Wilderness).

In times of old, this permanent snowfield has covered most of the hills surrounding St. Mary's Lake; enabling year-round ski turns for the young and young at heart. However, the two-for-one judo chop that was this year's heat wave and utter lack of recognizable precipitation had laid waste to the area's namesake by the time we arrived. What our research had suggested would be an abundant snow field that crawled with bearded backcountry fanatics was actually better described as a late-summer alpine wonderland... which, when given the choice between that and cleaning the apartment, I think we made the right choice.

What? This is usually a skiable feature?? ...I'll need to come back in a better snow year with a serious attitude.

Another look at the face from the north side of the lake. Even using our "if you get two turns in, it counts as a viable run" rule, this doesn't seem like ideal ski conditions.

If I had been less impulsive and more calculated in my wedding proposal, I would have taken Gigi here for a nice picnic. 

We took the short jaunt up the snowfield (there was a conveniently placed foot trail carved into the valley next to it, when conditions were too slick). At the top we found a suitable feat of strength for our first conquest.

Billy proving himself worthy of our adventure.

Yours truely - also crushing it.

Once our glacier pull-ups had been performed, we high-fived the high-fives of kings. The glacier seemed to agree that we were worthy of our day's adventure, and opened up to reveal a blue subterranean world of mystery.

The cavern cut out by moving water. The camera doesn't catch how radiant the blue light was that came through the ice. The chunk on the top-right corner was closer to the true color. It looked like you could walk down at least 100 meters but with the sun rising higher in the sky and the possibility of more hikers coming up the snowpack, this seemed like a poor choice to explore. One day, perhaps.

Once we topped out of the gully, the snowfield recedes and hikers find themselves walking along a high-alpine plateau of sorts. We had to cross this before coming to James Peak proper.

Taken from the side of James Peak, looking south across the tundra. We crossed the tundra coming from photo left. The hike across the tundra was easy and calm. I would recommend this area for a picnic (if the lake wasn't enough awesome for you).

Taken from higher up the peak. The flat spot you see peeking out above the ridge is where we walked. The glacier lies just on the other side of the plateau on the right side of the hump (left of the encroaching trees).

Taken from a shoulder along the way. Contemplating our humanity in this veritable salon of the gods.

[insert awesome summit photo here!]
Caption: We took a summit shot, but the main focus was our summit beer. Rather than taint the mountain majesty's memory with synthetic cookery, I've opted to encourage the reader to use his/her imagination. You'll understand when you're older. You're welcome.


To the south of James, there were four or five large bodies of water. Another group we met on the summit claimed to have made their approach up and around this water. Seems legit.

We followed an out-and-back route, so imagine the hike again but with brighter sunlight for post-summit images. Also, there were a LOT more day-trippers on the glacier on our way down. They must have gotten a bit slower start this morning than us. Slackers.

Our photographer, Jeffrey, at the base of the glacier. That beautiful face tells it all - look how much fun we had! ...They're so cute when they're that age.