Acknowledgements by Jerry Cates |
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Some may be able to claim full credit for their successes. I know full well that I cannot. Above all, my sweet wife Janet has been my greatest inspiration. If my life is ever accounted worthwhile, she will be the reason why. For the good sense to realize this, I owe my mother, Charlcie Q. Cates, from whom I also received an inquiring mind and a love for the natural world. My two sons, Patrick and Andrew, are both partly responsible for getting me to the top of Longs Peak. Patrick was there on my first attempt, going all the way to the Keyhole at the age of 9. He held his own while his dad got altitude sickness. Andrew hiked with me to the Boulderfield in 1998, when he was 27. Both of us were turned back by bad weather, but we were already defeated by the thin air, so bad weather was a blessing. Andy intended to come along on the fourth attempt, but surgery earlier in the year ruled that out. These men inspired and encouraged me, in more ways than one, to make it to the top. E. Allen Reichard, an old and valued friend who lives in Austin, came along on my 2nd attempt in 1985. We did it as a lark while our wives went shopping in Estes Park. A late departure doomed us, and we only made it as far as Peacock Pool before turning back. Even so, it was a lot of fun and served to keep the dream of reaching the summit alive. Failing to summit in 1978 led me to read everything I could find about this mountain. For the benefit of those who read this account, a list of some of these books, along with a brief review, is provided on a separate page. The rangers on Longs Peak merit a special acknowledgement. These people are dedicated, hard-working men and women. Every person who sets foot on the Longs Peak trail owes them a debt of gratitude. It would be a grave injustice to gloss over the influence of the park rangers on Longs Peak. Many of these men and women came here to fulfill a life-long dream. I was privileged to get to know several who fell in love with Longs Peak when they were young, and planned their retirement so they could spend the best years of their lives as rangers on this mountain. The spirit of the first ranger, Jack Moomaw, still lives there, scripted on its surface by the trails he surveyed and built. Every trail has been improved upon by the rangers who came after him, if only by their footprints going to or returning from a rescue mission. I still owe one particular Longs Peak ranger a steak dinner... It goes without saying that errors and omissions in this chronicle are mine, alone. Back to Introduction ... The Longs Peak Trail Head... Longs Peak Menu ... Bugsinthenews ... Books About Longs Peak |
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