Your First 14er

[ker0uac]

First time above 10k was Stok Kangri during my beatnik years. I woke up as the sun was reddening, and that was the one distinct time in my life, the strangest moment of all, when I didn't know who I was - I was far away from home, haunted and tired with travel, in a cheap hotel room I'd never seen, hearing the hiss of steam outside, and the creak of the old wood of the hotel, and footsteps upstairs, and all the sad sounds, and I looked at the cracked high ceiling and really didn't know who I was for about fifteen strange seconds. And then I went climbing. When I got scared of falling, someone said to me, "you can't fall off the mountain, you fool", and that was the best mountaineering lesson ever.

[yaktoleft13]

First attempt was with my wife and a group of friends on Yale 6 years ago. I went up in jeans, a t-shirt with a midweight winter jacket as my only layer, no gloves, and Nike Hyperdunks that I wore for basketball at Wash Park so there was no grip left. It was a grey, drippy day. We made it to the saddle, said "yep, close enough, it's not like we're ever gonna want to do another one", and turned around. I was miserable the whole time. Summitted Quandary a couple months later with some coworkers, still hated it. Following year, did Elbert. Didn't hate it, but didn't love it. Then some friends and I did antero as a night hike and summitted as the sun was coming up. That was a revelation.......

[cedica]

When I got scared of falling, someone said to me, "you can't fall off the mountain, you fool", and that was the best mountaineering lesson ever.

Time to go back, Jack. Just the thought of that mountain waiting 60 years for you must be unadulterated pain. https://www.sierracollege.edu/ejournals ... rouac.html

[ker0uac]

I always wonder what's in store for me in the direction I don't take.

[PJ88]

After I moved out here a few years ago some coworkers asked what I did for fun and I mentioned I had gotten into hiking since living in Colorado. They asked if I had done any 14ers and I laughed and said I probably would never do anything like that. Well, I started thinking about it and said I would give it a shot the next summer. Did plenty of research and decided to try a 13er first because, 13ers have to be easier than 14ers right? Trudged up Sniktau in mid-May postholing the entire way up to the ridge. I had a blast and decided to shoot for a 14er later that summer. Climbed Quandary on a Wednesday in August and it had me hooked. Only issue I ran into was my water bottle falling out the side pocket of my pack on the way down and bouncing into the bushes where someone had decided looked like a good spot to heed nature's call. I still am embarrassed to admit that I couldn't bring myself to pack it out and left the water bottle there. Learned how important water is that day and the importance of bringing a couple plastic bags on future climbs.

[rijaca]

Pikes Peak sometime during the summer of 1970.

[shapovalovm]

First 14er was Whitney in August 2018. We didn't really choose it, it is just a "thing every hiker in CA has to do". That, and Half Dome. Managed to snag a permit on 2nd attempt. Living at sea level, we had to first camp at Horseshoe Meadow, then go up Consultation Lake and only then summit and go back down.

First CO 14er was Quandary 5 weeks ago. After CA 14ers that felt like a walk in a park.

[ker0uac]

Pikes Peak sometime during the summer of 1970.

b.c. or a.d.?

[Chicago Transplant]

First one hiking was Grays (followed shortly after by Torreys) in June 2003. Came in from Chicago and went up the Southwest Ridge route from Chihuahua Gulch. I picked that route because I had been up skiing in Summit County and thought approaching from Summit County made the most sense. Drove the rental sedan to the bottom of the road and promptly sat out a thunderstorm before packing in to an overnight camp somewhere near treeline in the 11,500+ range. The lower creek crossings had been an issue, but boots managed to dry back out enough before the next morning. As I was getting ready in camp a small brown thing was in the trees and freaked my city slicker self out enough that I dove back into the tent thinking it was a bear. It was someone's chocolate lab.

Packed up camp and my loop would not take me by it, altitude was tough near the top and I had a little headache but decided to keep going for Torreys. Was surprised by the amount of people seeing as only the pair with the dog had been on my side of the mountain. Descent of Torreys' SW ridge was loose but worked out okay and I managed to willow whack back to the road. Not wanting to cross the creek twice on the way out after getting the boots wet the previous day, I instead stayed on the east side and hugged the trees before having to boulder hop back near the lower crossing. It avoided the marshy meadow but probably should have just gotten the boots wet, those boulders were tough with the big pack.

I definitely made that trip way harder than it had to be!

First summit was actually Pikes, when I was 16 months old, via the Cog.

[Hiking_TheRockies]

My first 14er was Bierstadt. I was 9 at the time, my father and I were planning to go hike Mt. Evans. When we were driving up at 6 in the morning, I noticed a road sign saying that the Mt. Evans road was closed. It turned out the road to the Evans Trailhead was closed that day, so my dad drove to the Bierstadt trailhead instead. It was a great day, no clouds, and about 500 people because it was Bierstadt in the middle of August, but it was awesome to stand on the summit. Still one of my favorite memories. I'm sure that my 9 year old self who was absolutely winded by the end of the hike would be surprised that he would do Torreys and Grays, Quandary and Longs Peak over the next 2 summers!

[MtnHub]

My first was Longs. Kind of like nyker, I have always been an avid, strong hiker and hiked extensively in many of the National Parks. But I guess I was pretty naive and thought climbing to a peak was not actually 'legal' -- at least in National Parks. The Park literature all stated "Stay on the Trail" so I didn't think you were allowed to go off trail to hit a peak.

In 1992 I was again taking long treks in RMNP, but a day before we were ready to leave for home I read in some Park news magazine how many 100's of people climb Longs Peak every year. I thought to myself, if that many people can climb it, I surely could too. So on a whim, I planned to climb it the next day with little or no real preparation. I didn't doubt my ability to hike 15 miles with significant elevation gain as I routinely did stuff like that on trails, but I was completely ignorant of what was actually involved in climbing a peak like Longs. Fortunately I had a perfect weather day and no other issues, but I climbed it as a complete novice. A few years later in 2005 I discovered 14ers.com and it completely educated me and changed my life (thanks, Bill!!)

[rijaca]

Pikes Peak sometime during the summer of 1970.

b.c. or a.d.?

B.K.