Hiking in Colorado - Mount Sopris

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The Author on top of Mount Sopris
(with Capitol Peak in the background and the camera facing South)
New Personal Best Time for Climbing Mount Sopris
CARBONDALE, COLORADO ( August 24, 1996 ) Steve Fry claimed a new personal best time for climbing/hiking to the top of the East summit of Mount Sopris (el. 12,953 feet). With his body trembling from the lack of oxygen after running the last 100 feet or so, an independent observer (Mike Bair of the Golden Bair family of Glenwood Canyon, Colorado) at 10:17 a.m. recorded the time of Steve´s arrival on the Summit of Mount Sopris - exactly 2 hours and 55 minutes after leaving the trailhead near Dinkle Lake. Locals stated that this is quite an accomplishment as this hike covers about 4800 vertical feet in elevation gain over 5 miles of rocky trail.

Steve's hiking partner and coach on this trip was not able to reach the summit after falling ill at the 12000 foot level. "I was counting on Tommy to push me to the top in a record time as he is typically much better at elevation than I," said an exhausted Steve. "I still think that maybe Tommy was just pretending to not feel well so that I could prove to myself that I could independently accomplish my goals." The record setting attempt on the summit of Sopris has been planned since the two hikers reached the summit in 3 hours and 12 minutes last summer. "Now that I have this under my belt maybe I can start to slow down and appreciate the hikes for what they really are. No more pushing my body to the edge just for a summit."