Colorado's 14ers

[Lactate]

Hope everyone is enjoying the long-awaited nearly summer-like weather this weekend!

 

I have a trip planned to Colorado July 1st through 5th. My climbing partner recently bailed, so I'm trying to find people to hike/scramble with while I'm there. I'd love to bag a few of the 14ers.

 

I heard that there may be some folks from Colorado on this board. If so, and you're interesting in doing some climbing the first week of July, let me know. Otherwise, does anyone have any other recommendations for how I might meet up with climbing partners for my trip?

 

Thank you so much for any suggestions!

 

Jared

[AlpineK]

I'd try and pick some 14ers as far away as possible as you can from Denver. Hordes of people out looking to hike/scramble the 14ers can be really thick close to Denver. It's worse on a weekend too.

 

I remember one weekend going in to climb a route on Mount Meeker right next to Long's Peak. Meeker is not 14, but you need to use the same trail approach. Folks on the trail were a mile deep. trying to race and scoot around the slow masses was tricky. We got yelled at a couple times because we didn't say, "passing," on the trail. It's hard to say, "passing," 50,000 times.

[Alex]

Even though you're looking for partners, you can do almost all of the 14ers solo, they are mostly just hikes. Feck has a good suggestion though, the further away from large population centers, the better. Also, if you are used to Pacific Northwest approaches, even the "long" approaches for some of the 14ers will be cake: always on roads or good trails, with no bushwacking.

 

A great place to go and get a set is Sangre de Cristos, where you can get Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak, Humbolt in one go from camp, and Kit Carson nearby.

[AlpineK]

Yeah, you don't need a partner for all but a couple. Creston Needle is the only one I can think of where you actually have to do real climbing. In that case it's really easy climbing.

[Lactate]

Thank you so much for the tips! I'm trying to get a feel for how much snow I'll have to contend with. Should I bring an ice ax and crampons?

 

And yeah, I'm used to doing things like Dragontail in one day. How does the difficulty of Dragontail compare to the difficulty of some of the 14ers in Colorado?

[JoshK]

Dragontail in a day is more effort/vert than most any of the 14ers. Aasgard pass and the small glacier above it are also more "technical" than anything you'll find on the 14ers, by and large. The only aspect that you may find harder is the thinner air, but for somebody in shape, you'll acclimate quickly. Just drink lots of water as you hike, and try to summit at noon or not too much later - afternoon t-storms are the biggest objective danger.

[Lactate]

Thank you all so much for the warning about the thunderstorms. Definitely not something I would have forseen on my own.

 

So for those who have done some of the 14ers, here is my question: If you could do two (and only two) peaks (without technical rock climbing), which would you chose?

 

Thank you!

[Dechristo]

The Crestone group.

 

 

Bagging the Blanca Peak group (w/ Little Bear & Ellingwood, all three over 14k) in a day is a good challenge, too.

[Bad_Goats]

I did Lincoln, Bross, Democrat and Cameron in a day (all 14ers) from Breckenridge. It was a fun loop - certainly not technical.

[Bad_Goats]

Check out 14ers.com - great site with good info. Definitely pay attention to the beta about access roads - some would be rough in a rental.

[Alex]

With skis (if there is snow, doubt there will be enough now...), Elbert and Massive. Without skis Crestone group - Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak, and Humbolt.

[trumpetsailor]

Many of the routes will see enough people on them, even mid-week, that you might find that soloing isn't a big deal. As above, 14ers.com has more information than you'll want. There are tons of primo routes. In addition to the suggestions in the Sangres (the Crestone rock is great), consider heading into Chicago Basin, perhaps on the train, for Windom, Sunlight, and Eolus. Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre are sublime. If the weather favors things, playing ring around the cirque for a climb of Holy Cross, with a night at the Notch Mtn. shelter, is a religious experience.

 

For more solitude than you can find on the 14ers these days, go thirteener hunting. 13,849 and 14,000 aren't terribly different numbers.

 

Aim to summit at or before noon (or earlier) to avoid storms - you can always dally on the summit.

 

Roach is, in my opinion, the best standalone guidebook.

 

Given that plenty of sweet ski descents are still going on down there, I suspect that you'll have the opportunity to climb snow if you wish to do so. I'd definitely bring my ax/pons down unless doing so was a huge headache, but I might not opt to bring them on the route. (Well, actually, I'd be trying to ski, but that's a different story.)

 

[egaibrev]

Wetterhorn/Uncompaghre are two of my favorites, but pretty far from Denver, along with eolus/windom/etc. The SW ridge on Sneffels is also great. The San Juans are some of my favorite mountains in CO, but they are a long way from Denver, so may not be an option depending on how much travel time you have.

 

Closer to the front range, many of the scrambling routes are significantly less traveled and worth consideration. The west ridge of Quandary is fun, and La Plata also has a long and wild ridge scramble. Mt Massive is fun if you tag all the summits (5ish), spending most of your day above 14k.

 

The Sangres are good suggestions and very scenic, but some take pretty sturdy vehicles to get to-- make sure to check out the approach details.

 

I agree with the recommendation re: the Roach guidebook. He also has a guidebook to the high 13ers. The Gore range, near Kremmling/Dillon is spectacular and less travelled and would be worth checking out if you decide to go the 13er route.

 

 

[trumpetsailor]

The Sangres are good suggestions and very scenic, but some take pretty sturdy vehicles to get to-- make sure to check out the approach details.

 

Apologies in advance for the thread drift- you can get to the Crestones with a low-clearance 2WD by getting permission from these friendly folk to cross their land (did it in '06) and head in from the West: http://www.manitou.org/MF/mf_index.php . It's beautiful in there. I believe some of the Kit Carson trailheads are 2WD accessible, but it's been a long time. Getting to the Blanca group requires a longer walk.

[mr.radon]

I've done all but six. If I had to do two, do Capitol and North Maroon. No 14'er in CO is technical. Only six are Grade 4.

[Lactate]

Thank you all again! Excellent point about the rough roads and my tender rental vehicle. I've been spoiled by my Subaru, which can handle almost anything.

 

Does anyone know of a climbing forum like CascadeClimbers specifically for Colorado?

[matt_warfield]

mountainproject.com adopted the CO climbing forum and it is fairly complete but is oriented toward technical climbing.

 

Nothing is really like cc.com, however, for so many reasons.

[mr.radon]

Also, about access roads, when I lived out there I had a VW rabbit and a LeBarron convertable, I got to ALL trailheads without problems. When I visit to climb I rent sub-compacts and have never had an issue with trailheads. Even did Engineer Pass with a rental one year. Non-4X4 rental I might add. It didn't save any time via driving around though.

And to clear up, the easiest route up a CO 14'er never exceeds 4th class.

Pick up a 14'er climbing book. They have one now that has a topo and route description. Gerry Rouche I think is his name.

[musky333]

Lactate, check out Summitpost. It has a forum specifically for Colorado.(Though not as classy as this post)

[MtnClimbr]

Hey Jared, I was just going to put up a post just like yours!

 

I will be in CO the week of June 22-28 for work. I might be able to sneak off for a day of climbing as well. I am typically in CO just about every month for a week or so, but my work is coming to an end down there... I climbed Mt of the Holy Cross last summer. Great climb, pretty easy class 3 to the summit.

 

Anyways, if you can make it out there to climb on the 27 or 28th, let me know, we can meet up (I'll have a rental car). I was thinking something around Aspen, since thats where I'll be working (Capitol, Maroon Bells, other?). If not, I'll just find something to solo. Have fun!

 

-Brian

 

Edited June 18, 2008 by MtnClimbr

[MtnClimbr]

Roach is, in my opinion, the best standalone guidebook.

 

I agree totally. I use "Colorado's Fourteeners" every time I'm down there...

[dbconlin]

Has anyone gotten to South Colony Lakes basin without 4x4? Unless they have improved the road/trail since I lived there (in the basin for the whole summer of 1998), I doubt most 2wd vehicles can get there.

 

While the easiest route up Crestone Needle is 3rd class, you really have to do the Ellingwood Arete - a lot of 4th class (about 2,000 feet) with great exposure and a few 5th class moves - highly recommended, but I've always had a rope and a partner.

 

I would also highly recommend Longs Peak and/or other non-14er peaks in Rocky Mtn. NP.