Now – May 27, 2015
Chris Davenport (Hist’93) and Aspen ski mountaineers Christy and Ted Mahon made history this spring by summiting Colorado’s 13,824-foot Jagged Mountain and skiing down: They are the first (and so far only) people ever to climb and ski all the Centennials, Colorado’s 100 highest mountains.
The Centennials comprise the state’s 53 14,000-foot and 47 tallest 13,000-foot peaks. Tackling the 13ers alone took the team three years.
Jagged Mountain (pictured), their final challenge, was also their toughest. It required hiking into the heart of Weminuche Wilderness — Colorado’s largest wilderness area — a trip that took four days on trails buried in snow, mud and downed trees, before climbing steep rock faces with ropes.
After a brief celebration at the top, they skied down and into history.
Davenport is no stranger to such feats.
In 2007, the two-time World Champion skier became the first person to ski all of Colorado’s 14ers in less than a year.
Photography by Chris Davenport @steepskiing; facebook.com/chrisdavenport