Starting in the middle...
Last Saturday, I climbed Mt. Princeton (14,205') with Amber. It was a repeat climb for me, but a new one for her. It was an important one for her because she had tried to climb it in May of '03, and been turned back by spring snow. So guess what...
This time we encountered fall snow! This time, however, we pushed on. The snow flurries eventually cleared. We reached the summit just before noon, and enjoyed warm sunshine at the end of the hike. With four previous fourteeners under her belt, Amber's confidence was high enough to succeed this time (with a bit of help).
At the same time, Trisha and Ted climbed nearby Mt Yale (14,204'). They had dropped us off at the Princeton trailhead, and picked us up later in the afternoon. They, too, had to brave snow squalls and slippery rocks. Not the conditions we would have liked, but a great day of accomplishment for all of us.
That makes five fourteeners each for the kids, and twenty-two for Trisha. (I'm still holding at 27.) Next, we will try Mt. Harvard on the 16th. The forecast is pretty marginal, but we're going to give a try all the same...