John Kirk completes Fremont County

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John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Alyson Kirk » Sun Jan 19, 2014 8:51 pm

I wanted to congratulate my husband John for finishing Fremont county today! His finish today on Bear was a typical Fremont awful, scrub-infested nightmare from 8,500. It made me think how happy I am that he's done with this county and I have to ask myself if I'm really going to come back to Fremont alone and finish off the rest..

Up next JK? Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo? Unfortunately, these counties have their own little nightmares waiting...
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby John Paul » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:38 am

WOW that's 165 peaks dating back to 2003 making it 19 completed CO counties for John Kirk! Nice on the strong finisher day with 6 rankers! Nothing like swimming through the scrub brush of all those 6ers, 7ers, & 8ers! San Juan looks close too. Absolutely enjoyable watching y'all go at it!
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby ChrisRoberts » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:15 pm

Nicely done John, Fremont certainly looks like a tough group of peaks.
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby mikeofferman » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:22 pm

Congrats John! You are knocking off those counties! Larimer is going to be your closest soon!
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Steve Knapp » Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:02 pm

Sweet, I knew it was only a matter of time before you got this done. Congrats John. What did you think of this wonderful county? Other than a totaled truck and a few scrub/cactus scratches, not too bad? I'm glad we could join up for some of these, back when the finish looked far away.

Aw, Alyson you make it sound like those peaks suck! :-D I came to enjoy the list over time, in a weird sort of way. Especially once the Gribble Mtn quad was done. And yes, I'm sure you'll be back. Only 66 to go, you could finish that in a few long winter days. Watch out for the lions though. They are hungry this time of year. :wicked:
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby lukePlumley » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:41 pm

Steve Knapp wrote:Especially once the Gribble Mtn quad was done. :wicked:


Haha, I just climbed that one today! :twisted:

Congratulations John! Some of the finest bushwhacking in CO is located in Fremont County!

lp
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Alyson Kirk » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:01 pm

Steve - Are you ever going to hike again? I need a partner for some Fremont repeats!? 8)
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby dhgold » Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:00 pm

Congratulations John. Finishing Fremont takes a lot of want to.
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Brian Kalet » Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:15 am

Congrats, John!

Alyson Kirk wrote:Up next JK? Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo? Unfortunately, these counties have their own little nightmares waiting...

The next full moon is on Valentine's Day. I know of a certain 13 mile hike through cactus in Pueblo County that would make for a very romantic evening!!

Alyson Kirk wrote:Steve - Are you ever going to hike again?

21 days into the year & no peaks; must be his new year's resolution!
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Ryan Kowalski » Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:33 am

Big time list there John! Congratulations! I've been dinking around with the Fremont list for awhile, cherry picking peaks I think look interesting. There is a great deal of scrub/cactus down there but a good deal of great terrain as well so I imagine I will continue going back. Any highlights? Ones to avoid?
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Alyson Kirk » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:00 pm

Brian -

"The next full moon is on Valentine's Day. I know of a certain 13 mile hike through cactus in Pueblo County that would make for a very romantic evening!!"

I know of the hike you're talking about. I think you should repeat the hike with us and bring Becca along so she can enjoy the same romantic evening? Come on, double date! :rofl:
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby kirkmallory » Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:48 pm

Congrats John! That looks like a challenging list.
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby John Kirk » Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:15 pm

Thanks...

I really had my doubts about carrying out the work this county requires early on. It became a go-to place for avoiding bad weather/snow and over 4 years the list became doable. Tricky access for a number of them.

Any highlights? Ones to avoid?


The Good:
Anything above 9.5k. Below that, the scrub proliferates down to 7k. Nasty Juniper makes up for most peaks lacking scrub. I could probably fill a bathtub with all the debris that ended up in my clothes and pack.

The Bad:
7780 http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=5474 Cactus is still in my foot after nearly a year.
Crown Point http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=3245 Long or Nasty scrub - take your pick
8498 http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=4728
9509 http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=3611 yes, scrub on a 9er
All 8ers on Jack Hall Mountain Quad. Or any 8er in the rest of the county for that matter.

The Ugly:
Lookout Mountain http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=4716 Not advisable in the dark in gale-force wind
Most of the Gribble Mountain Quad, especially 8220.
Table Mountain http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=5763 Only peak I've had a shotgun pointed at me on (on state land to boot).
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby MikeRodenak » Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:21 am

Congrats John! Sounds like an adventurous county! Impressed that so many people on this site have gone through the pains of finishing, you are hearty souls 8)
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Re: John Kirk completes Fremont County

Postby Steve Knapp » Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:22 pm

I like the good/bad/ugly info. Too funny about any 8er in the county, and yes 8220 was a true joy to climb. I had nearly forgotten about the gun toting ATV, what a great time that was. Don't forget about the never ending gulch on the east side of N and S Twin, that was cool. Cactus in your foot for a year, ugh. Did you guys ford the Arkansas on 7780? That really added to the enjoyment of that peak for us. :disturbed:

Alyson, ha ha of course I'll hike again. But it has been a while huh? One kiddo has volleyball games and one has basketball nearly every Saturday. We have ski passes at Loveland too and have been tearing it up there, trying to be a good dad/husband and make up for all my absent days climbing peaks. They grow up so fast and are fun to be with. I have to get them on more peaks, especially Austin who does like it. I'll definitely have to join up with you again someday, though Fremont county repeats might be a stretch, ha.
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