Links: : Start : Frank's : Fort Collins : Pawnee Buttes : 4th of July : More 4th of July : Jimtown/Bar-K : Fort Morgan : Scott and Patty's
You can enlarge the photos below by clicking on them:
Over twenty-five years ago I climbed Pawnee Buttes with Bill and Scott. I did fine going up, but on the way down the 30 feet of hand and foot-holds, I froze up, hyperventilated, and couldn't move. Since then I have been too afraid to climb it. But this time Frank brought along a rope. It wasn't a "climbing rope" but just a normal rope with a loop on the end that you could put under your arms. I'm not totally convinced that Frank could have held me if I had fallen or if I would just have dragged him to his death too, but it gave me the confidence to finally conquer the buttes again. — Nancy
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| Getting ready to hike in. | Just after the rattlesnake "rattled" us. | |
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| A horned toad or lizzard | Getting into the canyons and gullies. | |
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| Looking back at the first butte. | ||
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| Walking on top of these ridges was a lot | scarier than these pictures make it look. | This is looking down on some ridges. |
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| This is the 30 foot section of hand and foot holds. | Kristen used the rope too. | Nancy and Kristen waiting to stop shaking. |
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| Bill and Allan coming over the top of the30' section. | ||
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| All safe and sound. | Still more climbing to do. | On top! |
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| The wind started to pick up on top. | Bella made it with some help from Frank. | Notice the wind farm in the background. |
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| Eating mangoes. | "Frisbee-ing" the mango peels. | |
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| Allan opens a celebratory beer to share. | ||
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| Frank coming down. | Walking out. |