Buckskin, Mount (LoveBuck Traverse)

elevation: 4,226 m.	height gain: 100 m. (from Loveland Mountain)
area: Alma,Colorado,USA	map USGS 1:24,000 Alma, CO 39106C1 & Climax, CO 39106C2
2017-May-07

Ref: 14ers.com
		Starting the traverse to Mount Buckskin's two summits.
Hike: RT 5.5 (includes Loveland Mountain); 1.0 up from Loveland Mountain. From the top of our first objective, we noticed poor weather moving in. The connecting ridge to Mount Buckskin isn't particularly long but the weather seemed to be changing rapidly. Since T-storms were in the forecast and we were losing visibility west of us, we started to feel a sense of urgency. We wanted to ascend both peaks of Buckskin so we hiked at a fast pace and didn't stop often. As we closed in on the first (true) summit, Tim saw a flash in the distance. We rushed to the peak and had a quick discussion about continuing to the other peak, which we were both convinced was the higher summit at the time; it certainly looks more predominant. The winning argument was that if it got dire we could get off the ridge, hence we carried on to the western peak. Tim's pace was ablaze, I couldn't keep up and I was nervous as hell... Needless to say, we made it there in record time! I took just a couple of pictures before thunder chased us down the mountain. From the summit, we basically took a few steps onto the north-eastern slopes and executed a mad glissade all the way to the basin below. By now, there was lightning and thunder. Tim was running ahead of me, I could see him postholing every other step and I also suffered the same fate. We saw another climber that was retreating from the mountain as well, we joined with him a little further down on the snowbound access road. The interesting fellow had plenty of climbing experience. I almost fell over when he said he was Seano on the 14ers.com website; damn, he had commented on some of my posts, what a small world!
		Tim sets a blazing pace.

		Trying to keep up! Picture courtesy of Tim Best.

		The snow on the ridge was pleasant to walk on. Picture courtesy of Tim Best.

		Going to the second summit.

		Looking back on the first (true) summit and Loveland Mountain.

		Standing on the NW summit with Mount Tweto (left) and Mount Arkansas in the background.

		Kuss Peak, Mosquito Peak and Treasurevault Mountain (L to R).

		Southern Mosquito Range.

		Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross (L to R) to the north-east.

		View north towards the Climax Mine with McNamee, Traver Peaks and Democrat's west slopes on the right.

		Chased off the summit by thunder and lightning.

		Losing height quickly with a long mad glissade.

		Going as far down as we can before considering a break.

		On safer ground, Tim prepares lunch while there's a lull in the storm.

		More lightning as we resume a speedy exit.

		Glissading when we can.

		A look back at the LoveBuck Traverse, we barely squeezed it in...
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