Best 2 Day 14'ers

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daveyboye
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Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by daveyboye »

I am looking for a good 14'er or two that I can do an enjoyable 2 day backpacking trip. I'd prefer nothing in the San Juan's as that is too far of a trip for me. I would also prefer a trail that does not have an extended leg on a 4x4 trail. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
Aphelion
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by Aphelion »

Literally any 14er in the Elk or Sangre de Cristo ranges.
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NatDog
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by NatDog »

I think the Sangres are great for backpacking trips. Kit Carson/Challenger from Willow Creek, the Crestones from Cottonwood Creek, and Ellingwood from South Zapata Creek would all be enjoyable two-day trips that avoid 4x4 roads.
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by daveyboye »

Aphelion wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:10 am Literally any 14er in the Elk or Sangre de Cristo ranges.
I climbed Snowmass last year in late May which was very enjoyable. I've also hiked Mt. Blanca like 10 years ago but just didn't enjoy the long 4x4 road.

Looking for a 10-20 mile loop.
ultrarunningkid
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by ultrarunningkid »

Zapata Creek TH over Ellingwood on day 1, if you feel good you can bag Blanca.

Camp around lake Como, then day two you can either bag Blanca, or Little Bear before returning back over Ellingwood and back to the TH.

Gives you a lot of options and the Zapata trail is usually pretty sparsely populated.


TH is rough 2WD. I made it up in a Buick Century without thinking much about my line.
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sunny1
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by sunny1 »

How about any combination of Belford, Oxford, Missouri via Pine Creek trail?
It'd be on the upper end of your mileage specs, may have to adjust summit goals based on time and mileage allowance.

There are trip reports on the site you can review.
Here's a sample to get you started: https://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=18849
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
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ncxhjhgvbi
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by ncxhjhgvbi »

Backpacking up to Horn Fork Basin and doing Harvard/Columbia would fit the bill as well. Beautiful area and the upgraded Columbia trail is great!
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SchralpTheGnar
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by SchralpTheGnar »

There aren’t really any loops round these parts
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by ltlFish99 »

+1 on the kit carson/ challenger from willow lake recommendation.
I thought longs from black lake was quite beautiful.
South colony lakes looked like a great place to camp.
One of my favorite places is snowmass lake.
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mtree
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by mtree »

Harvard/Columbia would be awesome! A gorgeous area for camping.

As others mentioned, Challenger/Kit Carson from Willow Lake.
The Crestones... either side.

Here's one not on the radar... and it can be a car-camp. Blanca, Ellingwood, Little Bear (any combo or just one), but NOT camping at Lake Como! Instead, we camped in the desert below. VERY cool at night. Of course, we had a full moon, clear skies, and gorgeous late September weather. Not another soul in sight. A campfire with coyotes yipping and howling in the night with the peaks all aglow was trippy as hell!
- I didn't say it was your fault. I said I was blaming you.
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SchralpTheGnar
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by SchralpTheGnar »

Although I once did loop up and over MHC from tuhare lakes up and over down into cross creek, that was pretty loopy, backpacking over the summit with an overnight pack was a first and last experience for me.
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Re: Best 2 Day 14'ers

Post by SchralpTheGnar »

mtree wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 4:31 pm Harvard/Columbia would be awesome! A gorgeous area for camping.

As others mentioned, Challenger/Kit Carson from Willow Lake.
The Crestones... either side.

Here's one not on the radar... and it can be a car-camp. Blanca, Ellingwood, Little Bear (any combo or just one), but NOT camping at Lake Como! Instead, we camped in the desert below. VERY cool at night. Of course, we had a full moon, clear skies, and gorgeous late September weather. Not another soul in sight. A campfire with coyotes yipping and howling in the night with the peaks all aglow was trippy as hell!
that's the spirit world for sure
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