How to Climb Kelso Ridge

What one of Colorado's striking and dramatic trails can teach us about preparedness and expectations.

Breaking Away from the Standard Start

Dawn broke over the long ridgeline leading up to Mount Edwards, which made up the eastern wall of the deep valley. The whole place felt like a tucked away Eden, full of gentle snowmelt streams, lush undergrowth, and gorgeous wildflowers.

We couldn’t see the sun itself. But its glow lit up the opposite mountain faces i…