FAQ and threads for those just starting to hike the Colorado 14ers.
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peter303 wrote:Bierstadt doesnt have a trailhead sleeping option unless you sleep in your vehicle. And with up to 500 people climbing at all hours of the day and night, the trailhead parking lot is quite noisy.
Both the Georgetown and Grant approaches have established forest campgrounds a few miles from the trailhead, if you are lucky to snag one with hundreds of competitors. The Grant side has some dispersed camping in addition.
500 people, especially mid week would be a hell of a deterrent for me for trip #2. I hope that is only for a few of the more popular (easier) mountains and not all of em! Crowded I can get (NYC) with an hour ride southward.
Biscut wrote:500 people, especially mid week would be a hell of a deterrent for me for trip #2. I hope that is only for a few of the more popular (easier) mountains and not all of em! Crowded I can get (NYC) with an hour ride southward.
Well, none of the 14ers (at least on a summer weekend) are what I'd call a wilderness experience, but, yes - there's a pretty big range. Bierstadt and Gray's and Torreys are definitely the worst - being so easy and short and so close to the major metro areas. Longs is almost as bad. But, to be fair, think of how crowded Pinkham Notch, for example, is already; now imagine that Mt. Washington was 14,000 feet tall, but that the trail was only about half the length and elevation gain, and Boston was only an hour away. Add to that the fact that, per-capita, there are probably quite a bit more people at least casually interested in outdoor activities in the Denver metro area than in the Northeast. Well, you get the picture...
Biscut wrote:500 people, especially mid week would be a hell of a deterrent for me for trip #2. I hope that is only for a few of the more popular (easier) mountains and not all of em! Crowded I can get (NYC) with an hour ride southward.
Well, none of the 14ers (at least on a summer weekend) are what I'd call a wilderness experience, but, yes - there's a pretty big range. Bierstadt and Gray's and Torreys are definitely the worst - being so easy and short and so close to the major metro areas. Longs is almost as bad. But, to be fair, think of how crowded Pinkham Notch, for example, is already; now imagine that Mt. Washington was 14,000 feet tall, but that the trail was only about half the length and elevation gain, and Boston was only an hour away. Add to that the fact that, per-capita, there are probably quite a bit more people at least casually interested in outdoor activities in the Denver metro area than in the Northeast. Well, you get the picture...
I sure don't have any delusions of solitude or legit wilderness experience. Me being me, I am totally going against what I'd normally do (I initially wanted to do Holy Cross in late October for my birthday). But, CO is totally new to me; I'm solo; and this is is the wiser and smarter way to start off my CO 14er's......I've already done as good as I can in limiting my danger (I have 3 young kids) and left DH mtb as my last and only (almost: still do a few solo but low grade ice climbs) outlet.
As bad as the White's an get, I've found a ton of solitude as well as minimal hikers on even the major mts by just being early and going midweek. Weekends are full of "those" people.....IMHO just don't belong on a mt. I've heard RT 70 is rough and impossible on weekends; but I've also heard you CO people are pretty nice, fun, and easy to be around. Looking forward. Getting close now!
Biscut wrote:As bad as the White's an get, I've found a ton of solitude as well as minimal hikers on even the major mts by just being early and going midweek.
The midweek part is definitely true here as well. Also, hiking/climbing anything that's under 14,000' tall. It's amazing how once you drop below that magic number, the crowds just vanish...
Biscut wrote:I've heard RT 70 is rough and impossible on weekends
It's not actually that bad in the summertime. The worst is the winter weekend ski traffic, when everyone is heading out pretty much the same time to catch the start of the lifts, and almost all the resorts require you to take the same road. In the summer, people tend to spread out a little more both in time and space.
Anyway, sounds like you have the right attitude -have a good trip!
With the current conditions I'm reading about, looks like I'll be bringing along a much more substantial list of gear. There seems to be some pretty blustery conditions in the higher elevations.
Crowded I can get (NYC) with an hour ride southward.
