Jacob and Josh Gately saw the storm brewing from the top of Mount of the Holy Cross. The brothers from Lee's Summit had just reached the 14,005-foot peak in the Colorado Rockies, known for the iconic snow-filled cross scratched on its northeastern face. It was Saturday, October 13, and light snow began to fall.
The thin Colorado air had made the final 1,500 feet a wind-sucking struggle. Every 20 seconds, the Gately brothers stopped to breathe.
But they had conquered the mountain.
Jacob and Josh snapped pictures to prove it — Josh with his unshaven mug pressed next to the U.S. Geological Survey's seal, Jacob in his tie-dyed thermal underwear.
Ominous dark clouds obscured the panoramic view. They couldn't see wilderness or other mountains in the distance. Jacob guessed the snowstorm was a half-hour away. The temperature was 15 degrees and falling. They knew they had to move quickly. If they waited too long, the boulder field they had just passed through would be too slick with ice to climb down.
Josh, 24, was visiting his younger brother in Colorado Springs, where 23-year-old Jacob had spent the past three months installing a copper roofing system at Colorado College's new performing-arts center. Josh had picked Holy Cross — a challenging climb both physically and navigationally — from a book of hikes and trails.
Jacob was an experienced hiker with an adventurous streak. He had always been the first to try any outdoor sport. At his grandparents' house at the Lake of the Ozarks, Jacob would go tubing, water-skiing, boogie-boarding and air-chairing. He had been hiking Colorado's backcountry since his 18th birthday and spent weeklong vacations in the northwestern corner of the state.
The night before, the brothers had set up camp on Half Moon Pass. They knew a snowstorm was coming, so they planned to climb Mount of the Holy Cross early Saturday, before the weather turned. After reaching the top, they would return to camp, tear it down, hike out and spend the night eating pizza in a hotel room 30 minutes away in Leadville. Sunday, they would sightsee in Colorado Springs, and Monday night they would fly back to Kansas City.
At daybreak, the Gatelys downed a breakfast of energy bars and tea. They packed a couple of water bottles and some energy bars, leaving most of their gear at the campsite. Jacob stashed a water purifier in his daypack. He left his cell phone behind because he wasn't getting a signal.
Jacob wore a stocking cap on his clean-shaven head, blue jeans, a hooded raincoat, thermal underwear and a fleece shirt. Unlike his brother, who was wearing hiking boots, Jacob wore just a pair of tennis shoes.
"That would just kill my feet," Josh said.
Jacob shrugged off his brother's observation.
Jacob's clothes didn't stop him from scaling the mountain. They hiked up a trail that gave the brothers glimpses of the snow-filled cross. There were three other camps of hikers on the mountain that day, and they were all on their way down when the brothers were heading up. Jacob and Josh made it to the top at 2:30 p.m., about an hour and a half behind schedule.
On top of the mountain, Josh noticed a stone marker engraved with a woman's name. Michelle Vanek was a 35-year-old mother of four who attempted to climb the Mount of the Holy Cross on September 24, 2005. Thirsty and exhausted, Vanek sat on a rock and urged her hiking partner to finish without her. When he returned, Vanek was gone. A seven-day search with dogs, helicopters and more than 700 rescuers and volunteers failed to find a trace of Vanek. The mountain had swallowed her.
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I felt like I was reading an eighth grade book report. Is this writer a part-time intern or is that really the best KC can do?
I felt like I was reading an eighth grade book report. Is this writer a part-time intern or is that really the best KC can do?
I think the writer could have added a few paragraphs about mountaineering safety because it might save a reader's life someday. Even the basics of how to dress, what essentials to carry. Jeans and sneakers?! These guys made mistake after mistake. Splitting up, dropping his pack, zigzagging and panicking. Almost comical, really. If he didn't have a lighter, he would be dead. I wonder if they learned anything from this. I've seen people up on Rainier who strolled an hour up the trail from the parking lot in dress clothes with their designer dogs-- clueless about how fast the weather can change and the trail can disappear. I see people on the trails - they must assume their day hike will go smoothly because they have no packs with them. I've seen people crossing a glacier without axes and without being roped up.
Guardian angels must be working overtime. I'm with Mike- The stupidity endangers the rescuers.
I think the writer could have added a few paragraphs about mountaineering safety because it might save a reader's life someday. Even the basics of how to dress, what essentials to carry. Jeans and sneakers?! These guys made mistake after mistake. Splitting up, dropping his pack, zigzagging and panicking. Almost comical, really. If he didn't have a lighter, he would be dead. I wonder if they learned anything from this. I've seen people up on Rainier who strolled an hour up the trail from the parking lot in dress clothes with their designer dogs-- clueless about how fast the weather can change and the trail can disappear. I see people on the trails - they must assume their day hike will go smoothly because they have no packs with them. I've seen people crossing a glacier without axes and without being roped up. Guardian angels must be working overtime. I'm with Mike- The stupidity endangers the rescuers.
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