Play-in atop a 14er (Mt. Sherman)

Cellists of all ages and ability levels are invited to join us as we summit Mt. Sherman (http://www.14ers.com/photos/peakmain.php?peak=mt.+sherman), one of the easier 14ers in the Rocky Mountains, via the Southwest Ridge (http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=sher1&peak=mt.+sherman) route. Friends and family are also invited along for the 14,000ft concert (and to help carry supplies—they will be handsomely rewarded with a cello concert at the top!), and non-BCP cellists are welcome as well.

Moderator: Psyche Dunkhase (http://www.psychedunkhase.com/)

Porter: Abram Herman (http://www.roadtoelcap.com/)

If you want to play and are unsure about whether you can carry your cello up the hike, we will try to have enough extra helpers that you can trade off carrying the heavy stuff, so don’t let it dissuade you! At the same time, we are hiking a 14er—you must be in good enough shape to hike about 2.75 miles each way (5.25mi total), with 2,100 feet of elevation gain, and hang out above 14,000 feet for a couple of hours. There is the possibility of altitude sickness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness), so we will have a spare car for anybody who isn’t able to make the whole hike (meaning you won’t have to wait for the rest of us if you don’t make the summit).

BCPers, please forward this to your other cello friends, as well as any friends and family who may be interested in helping with the hike!

Non-BCP cellists please send me an email if you are interested in participating: info[a]bouldercelloproject.com.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/494200384013592/?source=3&source_newsfeed_story_type=regular

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BASIC INFO:

Routes, trip reports and photos of Mt. Sherman can be found at: http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=sher1&peak=mt.+sherman (http://www.14ers.com/photos/peakmain.php?peak=mt.+sherman)

This is 5.25 miles round trip, so it will be a little over a 2.5 mile hike each way. We will be recruiting friends, family and volunteers to help us bring supplies, food, water, chairs, stands, etc. so cellists can carry their cello. We can also rotate carrying cellos among volunteers if you are unable to carry your cello by yourself.

The longest recorded time to hike Mt. Sherman is 4 hours, but we expect it will only take two hours. Gemma will most likely take 4 hours, so don't worry about getting to the summit quickly! ;)

MEETUP & DRIVING:

We will be meeting at 3:30 AM at the Mammoth Parking Lot just off I-70 at the Morrison exit (click here for directions (https://www.google.com/maps/preview?ie=UTF-8&gl=us&hq=mammoth+parking+lot&hnear=0x876b816f5cdd72b7:0x9e905dfaf1d0ce97,Lakewood,+CO&daddr=U.S.+40,+CO+80401&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&geocode=FTbGXQIdza26-SnZLPeUWoNrhzGa6Nh_bYDPJQ&cid=2724537507367151770). Yes, 3:30 AM is early! Yes, it will be worth it when you’re playing your cello on top of a 14er!

Colorado is famous for afternoon thunderstorms, so we need this early start to ensure we can have our play-in and be off the summit before any potential lightning comes in.

We will figure out carpooling once we arrive at the rendezvous point above. We do not want to take up too many parking spots at the trailhead and AWD/4WD vehicles are a must, so if you have one and don’t mind driving, it would be a big help!

INCLEMENT WEATHER:

This event may be cancelled due to inclement weather. We will send an email the day before the hike to let everyone know if this event is a “GO!” In case of bad weather, the alternate date will be July 19th.

GEAR:

Things we need:

• Folding chairs that work for cello playing (tall enough, no arms, etc.) and are ideally lightweight

• AWD/4WD vehicles for the drive

• Volunteers! To carry extra food, water, clothing, chairs, cellos, etc.

If you have access to any of the above, please let Gemma know so we can start a tally! You can email her at gemma[@]bouldercelloproject.com

For the event day, all participants should bring (at a minimum):

• Sunscreen (SPF 40+)

• Enough high-calorie snacks for the day (including salty ones)

• A nice, packable lunch to enjoy at the summit

• Sunglasses

• Hat

• Warm layers (e.g. stuffable down jacket/fleece for top, pair of pants for bottom)

• Waterproof rain gear (top and bottom)

• Headlamp/flashlight

• Small emergency blanket

• (optional) Trekking poles, if you want them

• A cello, if you want to play on top! (Remember, we’ll be hiking 5+ miles, so you’ll want a case with solid backpack straps…)

We will have a large first aid kit for the group, as well as binder clips to hold your music down, and trash bags for covering cellos in case of unexpected moisture.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

1. Eat a hearty, protein filled breakfast the morning of the hike (e.g. granola with nuts and yogurt; breakfast burrito with eggs, beans and lean meat), and drink plenty of water from the moment you wake up.

2. Bring plenty of high calorie, high protein, high fiber snacks, such as granola bars, trail mix, nuts, etc. Bring some salty snacks, too, in case your body needs more electrolytes.

3. Bring a tasty lunch for the top—a delicious sandwich, maybe. Something to look forward to!

4. Bring plenty of water, depending on your experience, you may need anywhere from 2-5 L.

5. Make sure you protect yourself from sun exposure, since the sun is stronger at high altitude: sunscreen (SPF 40+), hats, sunglasses, etc. are a must.

6. Wear synthetic, non-cotton, wicking clothing (cotton gets wet when you sweat, then cools you down fast…too fast!).

7. Bring warm layers, and a backpack big enough to store your food and any layers you remove on the mountain.

8. Wear really good shoes with ankle support and non-cotton socks—wool socks work well.

9. Bring toilet paper in case nature calls.

10. Bring a change of clothes/shoes for after the hike, and a plastic trash bag (to store muddy shoes)—leave these in your car.

11. Bring a camera, have fun, and push yourself, but not too hard! There's plenty of time to take breaks as we go; we’ve left plenty of time for the hike.

14. Fingerless gloves—in case it's chilly, these will be very helpful when playing cello!

13. Get plenty of sleep the night before, even with the 3 AM start. Try to wear yourself out and get to bed by 6 PM the night before; you will need a lot of energy to hike with a cello!

ALTITUDE SICKNESS:

Since we will have some people who do not hike regularly, there may be a few that won’t make the summit due to altitude sickness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness). This is usually not a big deal, they just have to descend from altitude, but we will keep a few cars partially empty in case anyone needs to head back early due to altitude sickness.

Beth H. will also be waiting in her car (light green Subaru with BCP sign) with extra water, supplies, etc.

MUSIC:

The music selection is tentatively listed below. We will email everyone the music once it is finalized.

-St. Anthony's Chorale

-Yesterday

-Eleanor Rigsby

-Medallion

-Whispering

-Home on the Range

-Rondeau

-He's a Pirate

We will provide large binder clips to hold down your music.

PHOTOS, VIDEO RECORDING & A WORLD RECORD!?

This is a special event so we will be taking lots of photos and videos, and we may submit this to the Guinness World Book of Records if we get enough cellists to the summit, so be sure to practice the music beforehand! ;) We may schedule a rehearsal before the summit day, time permitting.

SIGN UP:

Please sign up here or send us an email, and we will send you additional information regarding the hike as we confirm details.

----------~~~~~***!!WARNING!!***~~~~~----------

Make no mistake about it—14ers may be challenging and even DANGEROUS, so please be careful! BCP, the organizers and participants in this activity are not responsible for any injuries or damages to persons or property that may occur. By signing up and participating in this Meetup, you are accepting full risk and responsibilities for whatever may occur during this event, and you waive the right to any claim against BCP, the event organizers, or other participants.