Guy in the Sky: Bart Deferme standing atop 14,025-foot Pyramid Peak in front of the Maroon Bells. Photo: James Dziezynski
Climbing all of Colorado’s14ers is as much about soul as it is body. The act of ascending over 50 peaks (anywhere between 54 and 58 total, depending on whose definition you follow) will have moments of bliss, hardship, exhaustion, elation—and even a bit of enlightenment. It will take you across the far reaches of the state, from the friendly, rolling Sawatch Peaks to the crumbling, craggy Elk Range. You will enter the realm of the mountain goat and the black bear. You will watch storms rage and marvel at the delicate tenacity of alpine flowers. The world will lay before you in an infinite field of stars or condense itself to the blinding white snow crunching under your boots. And chances are you’ll make unforgettable memories with the friends (and dogs) with whom you share the journey.
For those about to begin your quest—and for those who are close to completing the 14ers—here are some tips on how to bag these summits.
Getting Started: The Magic Number 14
For those who have not yet begun hiking 14ers there’s no better time to get started. The prime hiking season begins in early June and can last into mid-October, so if you are getting serious about undertaking the 14ers, I propose a modest start: bag 14 14ers in 2012. It may sound a little daunting at first but with a little dedication, even those completely new to the mountains can knock off a “Colorado Dozen” in one hiking season.
For those in the Denver metro area, good news: there are plenty of 14ers within a 2–3 hour drive (and if you’re not in the metro area, chances are you are even closer to the big peaks!) Most of the top 20 highest peaks in Colorado are class 2 adventures, meaning they are non-technical trails that are well marked and easy to follow. Plus it’s possible for most reasonably fit people to grab multiple summits in a single outing.
Here’s a list of 14 great starter 14ers to begin your quest: Greys Peak and Torreys Peak (usually done together in a single day), Quandary Peak, Mount Sherman, Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, Huron Peak, Mount Evans, Mount Bierstadt, Mount Yale, Mount Shavano, Tabeguache Peak, Pikes Peak and Mount of the Holy Cross. Some of these summits have long trails but all featured well-worn trails, non-technical terrain and are relatively close drives.
After getting to the top of these peaks, you’ll have a good feeling if you want to go for all the 14ers or just enjoy the occasional day out. A few words of advice for new peak baggers: start early (6 a.m. is a standard start), dress in layers and stay hydrated. And one more humble suggestion: don’t start with Longs Peak as your first 14er. Even though it attracts huge crowds, it’s one of the harder 14ers and some of the exposed scrambling can be unnerving. You’ll get there in time!
Stuck in the Middle?
For those who are stuck at around 25 or so, chances are you’ve done most of the class 2 terrain and many of your summits are either far away or require tough scrambles and route finding. Do not be discouraged. Remember that none of the standard routes on the 14ers get into class 5 territory. But do some craging anyway. Getting out rock climbing will help you read rock so that the class 3 and 4 routes will be much more obvious—and it gets you used to the dizzying exposure. Also, be sure to check the great forums at 14ers.com, where it’s easy to find like-minded hiking partners to share the journey. Once you tune into the buzz of 14er excitement from fellow hikers you will be reinvigorated.
Closing the Deal
I had a friend who had three 14ers left and decided to climb just about anything else because he didn’t want to fun to end. I reminded him the journey never ends: after the 14ers, go for the 100 highest. Try for the 600+ 13ers. 1,000 Colorado summits. And so on. It’s an amazing accomplishment to stand atop all the 14ers but in many ways, it’s just the start. 2012 is a great year to complete the 14er quest and embark on new adventures. In the words of Colorado climbing icon Jonny Copp, “Make your own legends.” The mountains are waiting for you.
—James Dziezynski is the author of Best Summit Hikes in Colorado, and writes the Colorado Mountain Air blog at elevationoutdoors.com.
