TR: Geezers Do Roper's Route Chapter 6, 8/4-13/2016

[balzaccom]

We take our company on a car camping trip every year. And every year it's the old folks who get out and hike, while the younger ones are more likely to hang by a lake or take life easy.

So we have developed an acronym for that phenomenon: OPKA.

Old People Kick A$$

[mcgenes]

I really enjoyed your report. Reminds me of a time when I met an 80-year old lady on the trail out of Pine Creek. She was finishing a 5-day trip with her son, and he looked the worse for wear. She was all smiles. OPKA!
Marnie


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[Bluewater]

Thank you for your photos and detailed trip report. I went through this route, although in the opposite direction, earlier this summer and it's nice to relive it back at home.

I almost took the variation you took along the east ridge of Conness but mainly due to a navigation error. I was unsure if the alternate would work so I ended up dropping back down to the route described by Roper and climbed the steep section uphill. There were a few signs of other people taking the same route, but it was steep in some sections!

That tedious talus on the northwest side of Sky Pilot Col seemed endless! . . .and there was a large talus canyon that doesn't really show on the map. I ended up taking a 'short cut' high on the south side of the approach that fortunately lead right to the snowfield at the base of the final chute. I would have much rather been going downhill near the top of the pass:)

Looking forward to the next installment.

[Bluewater]

I can relate to your experience on Stanton Pass. I was climbing up those class III ledges on the south side and the was surprised by the amount of exposure. They were at an angle that made it hard to get much traction and I remember thinking (possibly out load, I was by myself:), " I wouldn't want to go DOWN that"!

Thanks again for your TR, it makes me homesick for the backcountry

[giantbrookie]

What a wonderful adventure and inspiration to younger couples such as me and my wife (57 and 56). Well done. We will do our best to be capable of doing a trip like that when we reach your age. I should add that the majority of my college-age geology students would not be able to keep up with you two.

[Cross Country]

I am really impressed by what you did. I could never have done that at 68 and probably not at 65 either.