Dave first climbed this route 24 years ago. It'd be my first. The first ascentionist (John Otto) spent who knows how much time in the early 1900s drilling holes by hand and then pounding pipes into them. Using this fixed gear, Otto summited in 1911. He wanted to fly an enormous U.S. flag on the top so the folks of Fruita (nearby town) could see. Even with these drilled holes (many of which are now filled in and all pipes are gone) it was mind-boggling that he did this work. He was a daring man for sure.
We had a great time climbing the tower. We spent a fair amount of time on the summit admiring the view. Plus, there were beautiful desert cactus blooming which was a extra treat.
Hiking out, we engaged in what would be known as the "Great Hat Debacle". When we stopped on the approach for Dave to snap the photo of me at the base of the tower (see photo above), I put down my pack and on it, his favorite 20+ year old Boreal baseball cap. In my exhausted state, I failed to pick up the hat when we walked to the base of the climb. About five minutes later, at the base of the climb, I asked "where's my hat?" Horrified, Dave ran back to where were were and hunted furiously for it. It had disappeared. And that was odd because there was no wind and almost no people around. The hat just couldn't have disappeared like that, but it apparently did.
He was pretty unhappy about this turn of events.
On our way out, we again searched the area for the thing. We looked high (in case someone found it and hooked it in a tree) and low, but it was gone. Baffling. So we started our long hike out. I was crafting the letter in my head to Boreal:
Dear Boreal:
I need to secure a circa-1980s blue Boreal baseball cap with velcro enclosure. A hat that is seriously sun-faded and has dirt and sweat stains would be a bonus. PLEASE tell me what I can do to acquire such an item. I will pay ANYTHING.
Yours truly,
Callie
I wondered if I could find one on Craig's list. Or Ebay. Maybe I'd just contact John Bachar and beg. Gack. I couldn't believe I'd lost his prized possession.
About half way out, Dave passed another hiker. As I approached the hiker, I asked "Did you happen to see a baseball cap?" He said "yes, what did it say on it?" I responded "Boreal". He said he'd certainly seen the hat, it was (or had once been) dark blue, with a velcro closure WAY OVER THERE. He was pointing to a point that was easily over a mile past where we had stopped to climb.
WTF?
Clearly in the moments between leaving it on the trail, and Dave running back to get it, someone happened by and picked it up and carried it INTO the canyon more than a mile before setting in on a rock in the trail.
Any reason for someone doing this escapes us. It was super hot, we were tired, and only about 2.5 miles stood between us and his hat (if it was really over there). I sat in the shade of a juniper tree, and Dave RAN all the way back to see if he could find it.
While he was gone, I worried it wouldn't be there. Happily, only about what seemed 30 minutes later, he returned with his hat in hand.
I'll protect that hat like it's a child from now on.
After cooling off at the truck, we packed up and drove home. It's always nice to leave for a trip, and it's always nice getting home.
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