"Tasting Bear Meat" (Descending from the Sawtooth Before the Storm, Includes a discussion of 'Draws' and how one uses them as escape routes)

A exhausting descent down a draw as a Storm enfolds Mount Bierstadt.

Tasting Bear Meat

"As for getting down, we shall see," Sandro replied,and added mysteriously: "The worst that can happen is to have to taste bear meat." Well, we tasted bear meat in the course of that night, which seemed then very, very long..."
The Periodic Table by Primo Levi

The reader then learns from Primo that tasting bear meat is an hard passage over a peak and a bivouac without food in the heights with your feet stuck in your backpack while your shoes freeze solid in the snow. In other words it is a terribly hard descent that tests your courage and endurance and in so doing, nourishes your spirit.

So my Dear Steemit Explorer Friends, after 12 hours of hard hiking and climbing we have made it nearly to easier ground and looked back in relief...only to discover the Sawtooth beginning to grow dark! A mountain storm is not something you want to be in if you can at all help it especially in the Rockies (see my earlier post about doing the [map recon] () for this trip.
There isn't going to be any rest, in fact the pace must increase! It's bear meat tasting time...

But lets take a quick look at the map and think on the matter of escape routes. Mount Evans, with it's paved road leading from the summit, is out of the question. So it's time to head down the draw.

Mountains have many topographical features with distinct characteristics that make them either more passable to the overland navigator (such as a saddle between mountains) or extremely dangerous (such as a cornice). One must become familiar with them and what opportunities or perils they present.

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Anatomy of a Draw

Here is a part of the larger scene with that important detail-the escape route. I just met a friend this morning that mentioned the name of this geographical feature. It is called a "draw". Unlike a valley which slopes up on two sides, a draw slopes up on three sides (black arrows and down on one (the long blue arrow). The direction of downward slope is basically perpendicular to the ridge. It pays to learn some mountain anatomy and carefully apply it when looking at topographic maps during route planning.

Of course, we have some less desirable choices. This crag for example; even to rappel from this crag would be very difficult even impossible. We would need many meters of rope and would have to descend in multiple pitches.

not like this!

The ground seems to be deceptively close here doesn't it? But those little pools there are large lakes 100 meters across at least. This is the sort of place that makes climbers happy they have knotted the ends of their ropes- if you run out you don't just fall off. There is sometimes a sense, after being enmired in terrain out west, of saying " Oh whatever, I can just get on down there. Friends of mine have told me of being lost in such places and being told by Rangers of many who perished in the area they were forced to stay the night.

Not like this either.

Fortunately, we can see the high mountain plain and the draw that awaits! Even in the dim light, we can see that it is going to be much easier to begin to climb down. The wind is beginning to rake across from the northwest.

Breaking out!

The plain in shadow

the draw. It's time to get there!

As I moved down the wind began to pick up and I began, for the first time, to feel quite cold. Mountain wind has a very strange quality- as it runs over you it actually wicks heat out of through tiny gaps of your clothing. My mountaineering jacket did as it was designed to do because it's sleeves,waist and hood are all designed to seal tightly over my body when it is needed. It was getting actually a bit sunny over the draw but when I looked at the path of the storm I realized that this was not comforting news! The storm had wrapped around the range and dropped down directly to Mount Bierstadt.

It is getting brighter here but it is actually not good news. It's wrapping around to strike the mountain directly!

the storm dropping down!

As I descended the draw it began to get quite steep. However, unlike the notches back east where you have to get right down among the rocks of the gully because the sides rapidly become cliffs, the steep walls of the draw were actually easy to move over. I had to move carefully though because I was still far above the floor of the draw.

Heading down with hope.

Down the first third of the draw. It turns out to be much more manageable than some of the notches back east. But it's much longer!

It's much less stormy down here!"

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Sunset

The sunset was an incredible blend of dusky hues with bright blue and gold glory! Even though by this time I was almost
staggering from fatigue, I had to stop and take these pictures.

Growing dark and quieter in the heights.

Beauty is always worth it, everything you can give. Even if you will be hiking out for hours longer, even when you will sink up to your knees in black mud as the willows tear at your cheeks and eyes. Even if you must fall on the ground in exhaustion to rest with a heart beating more than 100 beats a minute (it that will not slow down until your truck reaches Georgetown because of the low oxygen no matter what you do).

Whether you are gazing into shining eyes beside the sea or squinting to stormy peaks with exhausted glittering eyes of your own it is always worth it.

And with that thought, finally we're heading for home!

(In my next post I would like to tell of Pika, my small furry heroes, that kept me company on the long climb down.)

And so, I will pause for now as we rest for a moment. Soon it will be time to move swiftly through the Dreaded Willows.
There are paths now and much of the water is frozen but in the fading twilight and following dusk the best way is
up to move as quickly as I could letting your feet find the path of least resistance.

Breathe deeply though. We are still high in the mountains at 11,600 feet.

I do update my posts as I can ( and reception issues can make it quite difficult at times) please return frequently. And of course, please upvote and follow me for more adventures. I emphasize practical application of the experience I have gained in my rambles so far, high altitude and otherwise, sharing what I have found to work and what might help you get home safely.

Your comments are very much welcomed and they give me the opportunity to share more ideas and learn from you as well- because that is how travellers learn, from other travellers...even when that sharing happens shouting in a raging wind.

(These pictures were taken with the Canon EOS 70D a right and proper battleship of an SLR. Weight at dawn: 1 pound.
Weight at Dusk: 15 pounds. I use an 18-55 mm lens that came with it and it works just fine. An 11-16 wide angle would also be very good. I use carabiners to lock it to the front straps of my pack and my hiking poles to steady it in low light. Be sure to keep it clipped in at all times because if you leave it somewhere up here it is too exhausting to go back and get it. )!