Taking Your Kids up a 14er

FAQ and threads for those just starting to hike the Colorado 14ers.
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VegasinCR
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Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by VegasinCR »

After spending the last six and a half years in the flatlands, we're finally moving back to Colorado! I'm excited to get back to the mountains, it's been too long. I also want to get my almost 6 year old son into hiking, hopefully one day climbing up 14ers together, which brings me to my questions. For those of you who have kids that hike/climb with you, how did you get them ready, and more importantly, how did you know that they were ready to tackle a 14er?
joeygoat9
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by joeygoat9 »

Former 14er hiking kid here - my parents started taking me on little local hikes when I was 5 or so just for fun. We slowly worked our way up in length and difficulty as I got older. I did a 12er when I was 8 and I think that's when my dad said he wanted to take me up a 14er. Next summer it happened - we did Huron peak when I was 9. In the 9 years since then I've done probably about 25 14ers with both of my parents. They don't like anything above easy class 2 so I do most 14ers with friends nowadays.

The biggie is just don't force your kid to hike if he/she isn't into it. I loved hiking from the beginning; my siblings, not so much, and that's just how it goes. Best of luck to you guys.
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M_Dundee
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by M_Dundee »

We started out with National Park hikes at 11 months (carried up Angels Landing). A little older and able to do the Jr Ranger program in the National Parks where he had to get out and hike to earn the badges. Then when school age we added in Scouting so he had peers to experience the outdoors with and learn skills. He earned the Hiking merit badge by climbing 14ers. In the Denver area is a group within the Colorado Mountain Club called the Colorado Wilderness Families. This group goes on family campouts where mostly elementary school kids and younger can meet to hike and have fun in the outdoors. At age 8 he hiked his first 14er, Mt Sherman, where had all of the mine equipment as distractions. As incentive to climb the 14ers we visit the Trailhead in Buena Vista after successful trips to purchase the individual 14er pins. A few years later he decided that he needed to have all of the 14ers climbed before college. Now we are off this week to climb the 14ers around Lake City to get his completion list into the mid-30's.
peter303
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by peter303 »

Intermediate altitude hikes, say at 11K to 13K, should feel ridiculously easy when you are ready for a 14er. I try to do about three of these in May-June when conditioning for a summer 14er. There is easy access to such hikes on passes like Loveland, Independence, Trail Ridge, Guanella, etc. Colorado residents have the luxury for spreading out conditioning hikes over several weeks, while visitors may just have time to do them a day or two in advance of a 14er.
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rob runkle
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by rob runkle »

I took my flat-lander (Ohio) son and daughter up Huron when they were 6 yo and 8 yo. We were on a family vacation in Durango, so it was just a day trip, and we did not have to design a complete trip around trying to get up a 14er. We all made the summit

My son has always been strong at endurance. At age 3 we were hiking the trails around our house, for miles at a time. My daughter had the advantage of being a few years older.

On Huron, I was prepared to carry a kid on my shoulders, if needed. I did end up carrying my daughter a little on the ascent. And, my son finally pooped out hard at just below the summit. I carried him the rest of the way up, and for a mile of so on the descent. As others have mentioned, I was very conscious to make sure that they had a fun time. Even if they thought it was a little bit hard, I didn't want them to hate it, and not want to do it again.

Overall the kids did great. Exhaustion was the primary complaint. My son had some nausea at the summit, but that cleared up when we got down a few thousand feet.

The following year, we planned a 14er specific trip. My son stayed home, the nausea was still fresh in his mind. But, by daughter came. We did Bierstadt and Sherman. My daughter finally made a summit 100% on her own two feet, on Sherman. To this day, Sherman is her favorite, and she would repeat it every trip, if she had the choice.

Last year, was our third trip, and both kids came again. We all made Evans and Democrat. This time, I carried no kids the whole trip. Honestly, both of my kids are now over 70 lbs, and I'm not sure I could carry them up a 14er anymore; not without some serious calf burn.

We are coming out again in August, and both kids are coming. My youngest just turned 7 yo, and he is not ready yet. When my middle son was 6 yo, we would hike 4-6 miles flat land, and you barely heard a complaint from him. My 7 yo is done after about 2-3 miles. Then, we wants to be carried. He still needs a few more years. So, it really depends on the child.

***

Some things I learned along the way. Personally, I wouldn't have taken my kids so young, unless I was prepared to carry them, if needed. If I wasn't prepared to carry them, I would have definitely started out with some lower elevation stuff to test them out. They had both done up to 7 miles at sea level prior to the first trip, but nothing at elevation, other then short walks around Durango/Silverton (less than 2 miles).

Keep a good eye on your kid(s). Watch their demeanor, speech and skin tone. My daughter will give verbal warning when she feels bad; she doesn't hide discomfort. But, my son will drive himself into the ground. Neither of them ever got to the point of looking badly, except my son on top of Huron, when he was feeling nauseous; and looking a little green. That definitely snuck up on me. If it hadn't happened literally on the summit, we would have turned back.

Feed and give them plenty of fluids. Last year, we did a 13 mile hike up Mt LeConte in the Smokies. My initial estimate was that they probably wouldn't make the whole thing. That would be the longest hike ever for them, and although it was at lower elevation, it was still 3000 feet of gain and drop. They did make it and actually did great, and still had energy at the finish. I noticed on that trip, that if I kept them fed, they would show clear boosts in energy, and also demeanor. It was more obvious at lower elevation, because they would really only get tired and cranky, when they needed food or fluids. Where, at higher elevation, that is masked by being tired all the time, due to elevation. They have to eat!

I saw in another post about kids getting excited about the mining stuff on Sherman. I definitely agree with that. Another thing that motivates my kids, is seeing wildlife, and also domestic animals on the trail. If I can guarantee that my kids can pet a dog every mile or so, I would have no problems motivating them to the summit and down. So, I actually seek out the more crowded peaks with my kids. That way, they have more chances to see doggies along the way.

Kids are SLOW... Be prepared to go slow and very patient. It has honestly been good for me to do this with my kids, because I get to experience the mountains at a completely different pace. Having said that, I adhere to a strict 530 am start time, when I'm with the kids. That is not an Alpine start, by any means, but the mountains that we are doing don't warrant alpine starts either. In the past, I might flex into the 630-700 time, when it is just me.
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Markwise
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by Markwise »

Great topic. Great questions. Great answers already.

When starting my kids it felt like a combination of my instinct in knowing them and their ability as to when they were ready, and couple that with them showing an interest themselves in pulling off a big hike up a mountain. If the kids aren't into it that makes things overly difficult. So encourage them on with some easy hiking to start and then you and they will see when that time comes, probably sooner than later, that they're ready for something bigger.

I found in preparing them for a particular hike, like that of some of the easier 14ers, there wasn't much gear needed for the kids other than proper footwear and basic clothing. With mine it was about letting them carry something, but keeping it light and simple. When we started my 4 year old he had one of those fun little REI kids packs and he just carried a hydration bladder with about a liter. I carried everything else but I wanted him to at least be able to sip water and get the feel of constant hydration. I think I may have supplemented more water for him at some point or I'd let him drink out of one of my bottles. But if you help the kids figure out good amounts of hydration and fun nutrition that's the key elements of prep we looked at.
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j babu
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by j babu »

Lots of good advice above.

My son started going up 14ers when he was about 6. He was absolutely excited, and nearly ran all the way up Belford. On the way down, he was so tired, I literally had to catch him from stumbling off the trail by the back of his pack. On top of LaPlata, we were wet from willows in the south cirque and then got snowed on atop the talus ridge, and bailed. He was cold. My daughter is three years older, and is less motivated than her brother, but she enjoys bringing a friend or walking with me and not feeling compelled to race as fast as her brother, and sometimes even stops below the summit satisfied with her effort. We also camp without climbing peaks or backpacking too, mostly so as not to burn them out.

Maybe this is obvious, but I think the most important thing about taking kids (or anyone depending on you to "guide") is to follow their lead. Travel at their pace and be prepared to turn around at any point. As long as the goal is to foster a familiarity and love of the outdoors and not to bag peaks, it's easy to let them reach their own goals in their own way.

Also, special treats from dad's pocket do wonders when faces look tired! Trail games can be invented to keep little legs marching forward, too.
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Markwise
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by Markwise »

One more tidbit I forgot to mention above: I have at least observed with my kids on almost every summit attempt we've made together, they do so much better on the descent than the ascent. The mental (and physical) challenge of climbing and more climbing really wears on them on the ascent. But they often dance like antelope on the way down with that exhaustive climbing burden gone. They also seem to do better when there is scenery and wildlife (or anything for that matter) to break up the physical monotony of the trail. Long miles of trudging through treeline don't go so well.
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JQDivide
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by JQDivide »

Lots of other threads on here about hiking with kids...

Search for the "14ers Bingo".... Gives kids a list of things to look for on the hike.
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jimwei
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Re: Taking Your Kids up a 14er

Post by jimwei »

I just took my five years old twins to Mt. Ida last week. Not a 14er but at almost 13k and 2k of climbing, it's the longest outing of their lives. They grumbled here and there as usual especially on the ascent but they were super excited in the final stretch of the summit. I had a big bag of gummies in my pocket that I dish out periodically which helped a lot and we played different kind of games to help pass the time.
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