Last year, I attempted KC North Ridge twice.

The first time, I was so exhausted after a crummy night's camping sleep that I decided to bail at sunrise. I knew I could return in a week and do it as a day trip.

The second time, I camped at one of the spots shortly before the trailhead and got up early (3 am maybe?). Made good time to waterfall above Willow Lake but from there to the Outward Bound Couloir took longer that I thought, and, oh by the way, I somehow went up THE WRONG COULOIR.

After fighting through what seemed like 50 miles of boulder hops I had to go back down.

I then realized that if I continued I would be coming down Challenger in prime electrical storm time. While I think it would be kinda Mr. Wizard, weird science cool to experience buzzing poles and axes and such, I'd just as soon skip all that.

Life got in the way and I finished 2024 unfulfilled in terms of KC. (and Challenger, for that matter).

So, Monday was unfinished business fixit day. I got to waterfall before sunrise, filtered water, spoke with a couple good fellas passing by to climb KC and Challenger's standard route.

I planned to arrive at OB couloir at first full sunlight, so as to not do the sketchy parts with a headlamp.

Now, I have heard people describe "about an hour from the waterfall to the OBC".

I think maybe these people are, like, Olympic Decathalon Gold Medalists.

Or at least Silver.

I'm truly not the fastest hiker out there, but the times I hiked from trailhead to waterfall it took me on average 3 1/2 hours, which I don't think is crazy slow.

Leaving from the waterfall about 4:45 am, I went left at the little sign saying Challenger patrons to the right and Upper Willow Creek Basin patrons to the left. After a while there is not much of a trail, and trying to be eco-conscious I hopped on the little rocks to avoid killing alpine grass that took 1000 years to grow, and later avoided knocking over spider webs between rocks that some hard working spider probably gave up his whole night for.

You know that picture on the Kit Carson North Ridge route description page? The one where it says to stay below the cliffs until you pass that big wall on the right?

That big wall on the right seems to never get any closer. That joke about, "scientists have discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are actually really small, they are just 8 feet away".....I wish. That wall must be the size of a medium galaxy.

Finally I passed the wall, and headed up into the OB couloir. Again, slow going. Sometimes I would boulder hop a ways only to find a 20 foot drop with no good way down and have to backtrack. I wasn't entirely sure what was the best place to turn right to head up the "grassy ledges".

Grassy ledges sounds so innocent. Like where English Gentleman drink tea.

I found them a little treacherous. I wasn't always sure I was in a reasonably safe place, what with ledges only a few inches deep and with day-ruining drops over the side.

At long long last I made it to the actual real and genuine North Ridge! A dream come true!

I thought the climbing was exhilarating and fun. Just scary enough but not too scary. Like, many spots where a fall would be fatal, many other where a fall would be seriously bad, but if you have the mind set of constant 3 points of good solid contact (and, sometimes, 4!) there is no good reason you would fall. Like leaning over a balcony but holding onto something.

I always remember that Alex Honnold said he doesn't ever think morbid thoughts while climbing like how high he is or how far he must go, but he thinks, "next handhold...next foothold..." If it works for him it can work for me and you. This has served me well.

Some have mentioned a "bailout rock ramp" near the top. I saw it. Looks like a rockslide off the cliff if you ask me.

The top was lovely. No other souls around, spectacular views all around.

Now on to Challenger.

I had downloaded a GPS track of someone's successful climb and looked at pictures of The Avenue from many angles so I wouldn't go down the death gully but still at times felt as though perhaps I wasn't going the right way. It did not look like I pictured it. It actually was the the right way.

Then, helped along by my long journey from waterfall to ridge, I had my first experience with...an electrical storm at 13,500 feet above sea level!

The storm started EARLIER THAN PLANNED, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE! I had the hare-brained idea to wait until after the rain (more like graupel that pelted then melted) to put on my pricey investment of ultra warm and waterproof clothes. Bad idea to wait.

I suppose I am brave in certain situations more than others. Being wet, hypothermic, battered by little ice pellets was the backdrop to my experience of bright flashes and deafening thunder. I did not feel brave here. "Stop!! Make it STOP!!" was all I could think. I just kept saying it has to end sometime, "probably in about an hour".

It did. I was unscathed, and feeling pretty dapper in my waterproof warm outfit. And, as the storm passed, and the forecast was for no more rain or, more importantly, lightning, for 24 hours, I decided to live out my fantasy of sleeping on a 14er. I felt "vaccinated" against more bad weather.

I found a cozy spot sheltered from wind and watched the sunball slowly sink and become replaced by the big ol' moonball. Every imaginable vista could be seen in the infinite varieties of lighting.

The peacefulness of the mountaintop (I was actually about 13,900) was unparalleled. I would fall asleep and wake up after 45 minutes a little cold; probably should have taken the down jacket.

The little people in the little cars way down below!

The majesty of the sunrise- they tell me I am color blind but I could see about 50,000 shades of every color (maybe people not color blind see 50 million?)

The morning walk off Challenger was difficult- maneuvering down a steep scree slope and occasionally losing the trail (it becomes more obvious about half way down).

All in all a very good experience!