Six Pack of Peaks: Sitton Peak
10/18/2020
Out & Back
Miles hiked: 10.0 miles
Elevation gain: 2,037 ft
Total elevation: 3,273 ft
Pairs well with: water, seriously
Elevation chart created on Alltrails.com
Dehydration [noun]: the loss of fluid from your body, usually resulting from dumbassery on a mountain in the desert.
Oh Sitton Peak, more like Suck-a-Fat-One Peak. It was the unofficial first peak of our journey into the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. We decided to jump start our new hobby of peak bagging early prior to registering for the challenge in 2021. We got a late start and arrived at the trailhead a little after 8am. Sitton Peak is in the middle of Cleveland National “Forest” (it’s a literal desert). The last quarter mile to the summit was a scramble where we had to use our hands to climb, not hike, the trail. I slipped and slid on my ass the whole way back down the scramble, trail etiquette be damned, move and get out of my way ‘cuz I am coming whether you let me or not. Ran out of water shortly after noon in 90+ heat with at least three miles left to go. I was dehydrated, overheated, and at risk of an adult tantrum. Jake and Leinie would get ahead just enough to still see that I hadn’t died but fast enough to try and get cell service if I passed out. Spoiler alert, I did not in fact pass out or die but I was in a ripe mood upon getting to the car and swore to never enter a desert again in my life. I was ready to give up hiking, mountains and outdoors. Give me a couch and xbox for my weekends for the rest of my life. In my defense the article I had read for prep rated this hike at easy-moderate and recommended 2 liters of water. Complete, utter bullshit.
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Our faithful trail doggo leads his humans up the tallest peak in Colorado, Mt. Elbert.