Mt. Elbert
Matt Moniz and Cam Dudiak
Under cool skies, Matt and the team made it up Mt. Elbert, the second highest point in the contigious US, in about seven hours. The elevation gain on the eight mile round trip was 4,700 vertical feet on the North Mt. Elbert Trail. The team was joined by Joel Gratz, team meteorologist and expert in mountain weather. Joel has been huge asset on all the peaks however this was his first opportunity to climb with the team. Weather is the single greatest element that can affect a climb and Joel’s accurate forecasting has been critical to the team’s success. In addition, the team has been receiving a crash course in meteorology! Also joining this climb were two of Matt’s best friends, Sam Kirk and Cam Dudiak.
So if you have been paying attention, you will have noted a pretty impressive feat just happened. Three of the US and North America’s top peaks in eight days: Denali, highest peak in US and North America at 23,230 ft; Mt. Whitney, highest peak in the lower 48 plus California at 14,505 ft and Mt. Elbert, second highest peak in the lower 48 and highest in Colorado at 14,443 ft. Nice work, team!
