Before the new news, here's the old news! The first picture here is from Mount Stanley, part of a 4 summit traverse that ended at Vasquez Mountain. Starting from the top of Berthoud Pass, one walks along the continental divide and clears two unnamed peaks, which I called "Spirit of 707" and "Mount Bruplex." It was VERY windy out and I snapped this picture right before my camera blew over. Yes I was wearing headphones to block out the wind and I was listening to John Linnell's State Songs. 
This second shot is, well, about all I saw on Mount Ouray. It was a fogged in mess, with visibility getting to 30 feet once in a while. Above 12,800 ft. I saw nothing except the rock in front of me. This is the summit at 13,970 feet (though my GPS read 14,004 ft! Hmmmm!) The storm front that moved in that day ruined the weekend for any good hikes, so I sat at home and twiddled my thumbs. Now for the upcoming week:
* The push to finish the hikes is on! I'm going for Blanca, West Spanish, Golden Horn, and Cross Mountain Monday-Friday, then hoping to get Uncompahgre and Storm King peaks this weekend. A day's rest and it's off to Crested Butte to get East Beckwith, Treasury, and West Elk Peaks. The final 5 summits will be Eureka Peak and Mount Adams in the Sangres, Belleview Mountain in Aspen, then Longs and Alice in the 'Park to finish the book! I have an option on Geissler Mountain should I decide to do a hike off of Independence Pass.
* For those who donated to peaks that have been cut: I'm picking good replacements. Melissa P and Paul L: Sheep Mountain is now Cross Mountain! It's "right across the street" from Sheep, but it's a better climb with a stunning view of the fabled Lizard's Head! Heh! Kim and Brian: your new summit will be the Golden Horn! And for the Lucians, I've traded out Longs Peak for Nimbus, as Nimbus is off the list (since it shared a ridge with Lead Mountain, a hike in the book-- too close!) As for Tom and Kim and John and Karen Dziezynski & family: the humiliating costumes will take place on whatever peak has the fewest people around! Debbie S and "Chili Dave" will probably have their items brought up the Sangre Peaks. Oh, and for good luck-- Aunt Edith's cat collar will be heading with my up Mount Blanca, since Sleepy Cat Peak has recently been sold (!) for private land use.
Those still on target include Senior Mysterioso on W. Spanish and Gram B's photo on Mount Alice.
* The hikes should be done no later than September 13, which is a little later than I would have liked but bad weather and a few car mishaps haven't helped! As it is, many of the peaks I got up were pushing it when it came to crappy weather.
I want to thank all of you who have helped me stick it out through the campaign, even when things got really rough. I'm excited to finish things up in the next 2 weeks and get on with the writing of the actual book!
