Feasible options for 1st 14er climb

[ramangouda]

Hi,
I am visiting Denver from Sept 13- Oct 2 and have 2 weekends (Sept 19-20 and Set 26-27) available and I wanted to try my first 14er. I can only do a day hike, starting early in the day preferably on Saturdays The only thing is I don't have a car with me currently (though I can rent one if needed). I wanted to check if the hiking veterans would have advice for me on which 14er would be feasible for a 1st timer and also from a logistic (public transport or ride share if easily available) point of view.
I have climbed 8000-9000 feet climbs comfortably in the past and usually go hiking in Boulder every time I go to Denver.

Appreciate all the help.

Thanks

[huffy13]

Grays and Torreys combo, Bierstadt or Evans will be the most logical ones based on their vicinity to Denver. Grays and Torreys is an easy combo hike and is very popular. Bierstadt or Evans by themselves are supposed to be easy (haven't done them but looking at the difficulty list, this is my understanding) but trying them as a combo is Class 3 with lots of exposure for a first timer. Quandary is also a great hike for a first timer, but is a longer drive from Denver. The Decalibron loop is also pretty easy, but is a pretty long drive from Denver. A lot just depends on how far from Denver you are willing to venture, but G/T would be my suggestion.

[Cruiser]

The path of least resistance would be to rent a car Friday afternoon and then drive up to Guanella Pass early Saturday morning to have a go at Mt Bierstadt. Huffy mentioned some other quality options as well, but Bierstadt would be the easiest peak for your first 14er in terms of proximity to town, a manageable trail, and plenty of company.

These 14er trailheads aren't really accessible by public transit though I'm sure, with some advanced prep, you could arrange a ride share to one of the busier peaks on a Saturday morning if you were really averse to renting a car. That said, if it was me, I'd just have Enterprise pick me up on Friday after work and then drop the car off to them Saturday afternoon when I was back down the hill from my hike. 1 day's rental plus gas should still be pretty inexpensive as long as you're not renting at the airport.

[appleseeds]

Grays and Torreys is an easy combo hike.... Bierstadt or Evans by themselves are supposed to be easy....

There are no easy 14ers. Some are comparatively easier than others, but don't assume they will be easy. Having said that, I third the suggestion for Bierstadt.

[Scott P]

I would also recommend trying Bierstadt, Grays, Torreys, or Evans of you are looking for some of the easier 14ers around Denver. Acclimatizing does help and even coming from Denver yo can feel the altitude. Doing a few hikes in the 9,000 to 11,000 foot range can make climbing a 14er much more pleasant.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are no easy 14ers.

I don't want to cause a big stir, and am not trying to attack your viewpoint, but by definition that is not true. By definition, all Colorado 14ers are easy by their standard routes. Those ratings are clearly defined and are there for a purpose.

That doesn't mean that all people (and maybe not even a majority) will find them easy; it just means that they are defined that way. The same is true about other outdoors sports. A new skier may find skiing greens difficult, but that doesn't meant that they aren't defined as easy. Ratings serve and important purpose. If the phrasing is changed to "I don't consider any of the 14ers to be easy", that would be a much better statement then just saying that "there are no easy 14ers".

In my opinion, it is very arrogant and egotistical to try and change the definitions and is a pet peeve of mine. (Which doesn't mean that I am claiming to be a great climber; I actually don't do any climbs rated difficult).

Rather than difficult or easy though, it's best to look at the conditions, YDS ratings and definitions, and elevation gain. Those factors are much more meaningful than just saying easy or hard.

[peter303]

Most public transit from Denver are two buses and a bike, which can take half a day. If you had lots of time you could try these.

1) Quandry: Greyhound or Bustang to Frisco, free bus to Breckenridge, road bike to Quandry
2) Castle: Greyhound or Bustang or Amtrack to Glenwood, RFT to Aspen, road bike to Castle road.
3) Maroon Bells (not recommended due to dangerous rocks for beginners): Greyhound or Bustang or Amtrack to Glenwood, RFT to Aspen, Aspen bus to Highlands, bus to Maroon Bells. I recommend East Maroon Pass hike only.
4) Elbert and Massive: Greyhound or Bustang to Frisco, Lake County Bus to Leadville (rush hour only), mountain bike to Elbert/Massive trail head
5) Pikes Peak: Greyhound or Bustang to Colorado Springs, local bus to Manitou Springs, Barr trail (I am not sure if this works)

Easier 14ers with paved or graded roads to trailhead (cheaper economy sedan rentals)
1) Mt Evans from Summit Lake
2) Bierstadt from Gunella Pass
3) Quandry
4) Elbert or Massive (some graded gravel road)
5) Yale from Cottonwood

[huffy13]

Grays and Torreys is an easy combo hike.... Bierstadt or Evans by themselves are supposed to be easy....

There are no easy 14ers. Some are comparatively easier than others, but don't assume they will be easy. Having said that, I third the suggestion for Bierstadt.

OP stated he had hiked before, so the assumption was made that easy is a relative term and understood. Maybe I should have stated "By 14er standards, they are easy."

[appleseeds]

A new skier may find skiing greens difficult, but that doesn't meant that they aren't defined as easy. Ratings serve and important purpose. If the phrasing is changed to "I don't consider any of the 14ers to be easy", that would be a much better statement then just saying that "there are no easy 14ers".

Good point.

[ramangouda]

Thank you for the information. I guess starting early (~5 AM) should be a good idea. Another question: are hiking poles absolutely necessary ? And is it advisable to do a first 14er solo ?

[Tornadoman]

No, hiking poles are not necessary, personally I don't use them. As long as you do your research and do a popular 14er on a weekend you will not be alone, so going solo on those peaks should be ok, in my opinion. Just know your limitations and be willing to turn around if you aren't feeling well.

[peter303]

Thank you for the information. I guess starting early (~5 AM) should be a good idea. Another question: are hiking poles absolutely necessary ? And is it advisable to do a first 14er solo ?

It will be dark until 6:30-7:00AM those weekends, so you will need a headlamp to start at 5AM. The thunderstorm season generally ends sometime in late September when it is below freezing every night. So you dont have to feel as rushed. But still pay attention to the weather just in case. It could be in the 20Fs at dawn and when you go above treeline. And it could be in the 80s at the trailhead in the afternoon like this weekend. So you want hat and gloves warm shirts and wind jacket you can put on and take off as temperatures warrant.

Hiking poles are a matter of taste. Older people with weaker knees tend to like them. If you havent felt the need to use them already, they probably arent a big priority.

[Cruiser]

Peter nailed it. Bring a head lamp and get moving early with a couple of warm layers on if you want to get ahead of the traffic and enjoy some of that fantastic early morning light. Skip the poles unless you really enjoy using them. Don't worry about being solo as the will be plenty of company on the trail. Look out for a thin veneer of ice covering some of the rocks if you start early in the morning. One good slip and fall up there can really put a damper on an otherwise great day.