Traversing the fist Bowl

The diagonal of the trail ahead is more visible and San Luis's peak emerges once again.

San Luis is listed as one of the "least technical" or "easiest" of the Fourteeners to climb.  The above view is typical of our day, but as you can see in the distance, we spent most of the 12-14-mile round trip on either side of the timberline (12,000').

At 0' (sea level), the average oxygen content of the air is 20.9%.  At 10,000', it's 14.2%.  At 12,000'--13.2%, 13,000'--12.7%, 14,000'--12.2%.  So on average, Mike and I breathed just over half the "normal" level of oxygen we were used to for most of our hike.  Add to that the level of our fitness at the time (well below average), and you get several moments of shear agony, as well as several discussions regarding our potential to die of a heart-related issue because we were in such a remote area.