Denver Seminary

This is a view of Mt. Shavano from the east side of the mountain. Take note of the interesting couloir on the side of the mountain. This couloir is called the Angel of Shavano. The Sawatch has another couloir with a religious theme on the North end of the range called the Holy Cross.

The hike started in earnest well before sunrise to get a jump on the weather. This picture was taken near the tree line. The surrounding views from this vantage point were stunning.

Once above tree line the weather deteriorated quickly. In the middle of this frame is my climbing partner on hands and knees. The winds were approximately 50 mph and blowing small pieces of ice. It’s as if you were in a media blaster. Hiking became difficult from this point forward. A decision was quickly made to summit Shavano only and leave Tabeguache for another day.

Nearing the top

Voila! The Wayward Bottle on top at 14,229 feet. In addition to the strong winds you could see a band of snow approaching from the East. So, after a few quick pictures, a retreat was in order.

What’s the quickest way off a mountain? Yes, you guessed it...a glissade. I read the Angel of Shavano provides one of the finest glissades in the state. Let me just say, I think whoever said this was right. I can not tell you when I laughed so hard. I felt like a kid again. What fun. Click on the very brief video below and see a glissade in action.