Mount Antero has become the Blodget Peak of the Colorado 14ers! For those of you unfamiliar with Blodget Peak, between Jenny and I we have attempted to make it to the summit 5 times and to date it eludes us. Let me also remind you that Blodget Peak is only about 1500ft elevation gain. Antero is about 4800 ft elevation gain and that is starting at 9400 ft in the little town of Alpine. Just a little bit different elevation profile but as elusive as Blogdet to say the least. The unattainable summit unfortunately for me was due to Bella getting severe lacerations to both of her rear paws during our ascent. At about 13,000ft I noticed blood on rocks and my initial fear was that Tully had opened up the artery she tore a month ago on her foot. Instead it was Bella. We had no option but to keep going up to crest the scree field we were on but that meant we had to descend for every step we took up.
It took a nano second to decide the best option was to abandon our summit attempt and get Bella down as quickly as possible. Bella is not the leanest dog anymore so my attempts to carry her did not last long. With six mile to hike down, she was on her own for about 5 of them. Every step was slow motion for her and with both rear paws shredded, each one laced with what I can imagine was unbelievable pain. The granite above treelline is almost like it has shards of glass imbedded so unbenonced to my booted feet, each step she took was tearing her pads to shreds. The great dog owner I am took 4000 ft of climbing to notice!!!
Bella with about 3 miles to go! What a trooper.
Long story short we made it down in about twice the time it took us to get up. I took Bella to the vet today and after 8 stitches to her feet and depbreeding of all four paws, she is now sleeping and high on pain meds. Between Tully severing an artery, me taking a face plant on my mountain bike, and Bella being a trooper on Antero, Jenny is the only one holding down the healthy fort. That is for the best carrying our baby and all! Jenny is in Nashville at Sarah Montgomery's wedding but I am starting to think that she won't let me or our dogs out of her site when she gets back! Again, probably for the best!
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