Thoughts on 14ers from Out-of-State Folks

[12ersRule]

^

Accurate, but I'm usually in a major funk by Sunday afternoon in anticipation of the work week. Especially if I happen to be on I-70 or I-25.

You should try retirement. It's much better than working full time.

Sean Nunn

That would be truly amazing. Colorado ain't cheap, that's for sure.

[Hiker Mike]

I have read that after 2 days you are pretty much as adjusted as you are going to get unless you stay for several weeks.
However, my experience is that I feel better after 5-6 days I do after 2. Maybe I start sleeping better. Maybe it is psychological. I am not sure.
Try it both ways and see what works best for you.

Sean Nunn

I would certainly agree with you about acclimating better after 5-6 six days. Heart rate and breathing at altitude is much better for me.

Mike

[seannunn]

^

Accurate, but I'm usually in a major funk by Sunday afternoon in anticipation of the work week. Especially if I happen to be on I-70 or I-25.

You should try retirement. It's much better than working full time.

Sean Nunn

That would be truly amazing. Colorado ain't cheap, that's for sure.

You'll get there. Just keep eating the elephant.

Sean Nunn

[Steve_P]

I'm in east TN and have done all of my CO peaks while living here- it's ~1400 miles to Denver. It took me ten years to finish the 14ers- which I "fell into" by accident and had no plan of ever completing until 6-7 years in. I'd drive out every summer and stay 2-3 weeks when I was doing the 14ers. I think the most 14ers I did on one trip was ten, but these were easier ones with lots in the Sawatch; on a slow year, maybe only 6. And I did some repeats along the way as well.

Start on the easy stuff and slowly work up to more difficult. Having a partner is great, especially if they've already done some more difficult peaks than you.

[Strider29]

I live in CT and visit CO once per year, usually around Labor Day, though I went in July this year to get Culebra. Typical trip is 7-10 days and I average 6 peaks per trip. I've done most of them with a friend of mine who's also from CT. Unfortunately for me, he finished up last year, so looks like I'll be doing the last 11 solo. I plan my trips meticulously, and always include rest/weather/travel days and multiple options if/when things don't go to plan. It's nice to be able to stay in one place for the entire trip, but it's easier said than done. My typical trip involve 600+ miles of driving, and sleeping in 3-4 different places - hotels, dispersed camping, back of the rental car - whatever makes the most sense schedule-wise. I'm hoping to finish in 2026, but 2027 might be more realistic due to the way the last 11 are spread out, plus I'm saving Maroon for my finisher and thinking of making it a one-peak trip.

[NE2007RLTW]

From Omaha, I come out 1-3 times a year. I stay usually for a week or 2, once 3 weeks. Attempted 1-9 peaks each trip. I would say it took 10 summits before I really knew what I was doing, but I did do the Sawtooth on my 3rd climb.
I started in 2007 at age 29. I did really well at first. Every time I started hiking I summited. But the last couple of years I found myself in a rut. Maybe it's due because I'm 46 now and age is catching up with me. I have 38 summits, and now know that I will never finish. But I've tried to get a couple more but have failed the last 2-3 years. I never made it out of Chicago Basin for the Windom Group. I recently made it to 12,200 on Humboldt, and just didn't care to go any further. Another climb I left my vehicle for 20 minutes and decided to head back and sleep in. Others I just don't want to get out of bed. Tomorrow I plan to drive to a TH to climb Monday, and I do not know if I really want to do it like I did 3-17 years ago. I've thought about retiring from 14ers for a couple of years and I think this will be my last year. They seemed to have turned into work and not recreation like it should be.
I planned on having a goal of at least 30 summits as a flatlander. At 38 summits, I made it, plus I think that many for a flatlander is pretty damn good. I still plan to come to CO to relax, but maybe leave out the long hikes. I've learned lots, and also know what works for me isn't for others. I car camped at the TH almost all my summits just to get that 1-3am start to avoid storms, baking in the sun, carry less water, and to catch the sunrise on the summit. I'd get back and others would be starting at 11am or so. Look at the sky! It's going to storm in the next hour or 2!
I'd like to thank Bill for this site, and all the others that helped over the years. I still made mistakes but not as big of mistakes as I would have.

[Gulf_Coast_Hiker]

I'm in east TN and have done all of my CO peaks while living here- it's ~1400 miles to Denver. It took me ten years to finish the 14ers- which I "fell into" by accident and had no plan of ever completing until 6-7 years in. I'd drive out every summer and stay 2-3 weeks when I was doing the 14ers. I think the most 14ers I did on one trip was ten, but these were easier ones with lots in the Sawatch; on a slow year, maybe only 6. And I did some repeats along the way as well.

Start on the easy stuff and slowly work up to more difficult. Having a partner is great, especially if they've already done some more difficult peaks than you.

Great job, Steve_P. That's real dedication and appreciate the effort. I have met some hiking friends in CO, so that has helped the last couple years! I run some races in TN, there are some beautiful trails there for sure!

[Gulf_Coast_Hiker]

From Omaha, I come out 1-3 times a year. I stay usually for a week or 2, once 3 weeks. Attempted 1-9 peaks each trip. I would say it took 10 summits before I really knew what I was doing, but I did do the Sawtooth on my 3rd climb.
I started in 2007 at age 29. I did really well at first. Every time I started hiking I summited. But the last couple of years I found myself in a rut. Maybe it's due because I'm 46 now and age is catching up with me. I have 38 summits, and now know that I will never finish. But I've tried to get a couple more but have failed the last 2-3 years. I never made it out of Chicago Basin for the Windom Group. I recently made it to 12,200 on Humboldt, and just didn't care to go any further. Another climb I left my vehicle for 20 minutes and decided to head back and sleep in. Others I just don't want to get out of bed. Tomorrow I plan to drive to a TH to climb Monday, and I do not know if I really want to do it like I did 3-17 years ago. I've thought about retiring from 14ers for a couple of years and I think this will be my last year. They seemed to have turned into work and not recreation like it should be.
I planned on having a goal of at least 30 summits as a flatlander. At 38 summits, I made it, plus I think that many for a flatlander is pretty damn good. I still plan to come to CO to relax, but maybe leave out the long hikes. I've learned lots, and also know what works for me isn't for others. I car camped at the TH almost all my summits just to get that 1-3am start to avoid storms, baking in the sun, carry less water, and to catch the sunrise on the summit. I'd get back and others would be starting at 11am or so. Look at the sky! It's going to storm in the next hour or 2!
I'd like to thank Bill for this site, and all the others that helped over the years. I still made mistakes but not as big of mistakes as I would have.

I think the theme you've pointed out is that one really has to be very dedicated and want to finish all 58. The worst thing to do is go out and do something that your heart really is not into. That feeling of why am I doing this can tell you a lot. Major respect for completing 38 so far. Thank you for the honest feedback. As I have said previously, I know I probably won't get all 58, but I will do what I can to up my total. I also like the photography opps plus it's training for the race I do each year in September. Cheers!

[dr_j]

From Omaha, I come out 1-3 times a year. I stay usually for a week or 2, once 3 weeks. Attempted 1-9 peaks each trip. I would say it took 10 summits before I really knew what I was doing, but I did do the Sawtooth on my 3rd climb.
I started in 2007 at age 29. I did really well at first. Every time I started hiking I summited. But the last couple of years I found myself in a rut. Maybe it's due because I'm 46 now and age is catching up with me. I have 38 summits, and now know that I will never finish. But I've tried to get a couple more but have failed the last 2-3 years. I never made it out of Chicago Basin for the Windom Group. I recently made it to 12,200 on Humboldt, and just didn't care to go any further. Another climb I left my vehicle for 20 minutes and decided to head back and sleep in. Others I just don't want to get out of bed. Tomorrow I plan to drive to a TH to climb Monday, and I do not know if I really want to do it like I did 3-17 years ago. I've thought about retiring from 14ers for a couple of years and I think this will be my last year. They seemed to have turned into work and not recreation like it should be.
I planned on having a goal of at least 30 summits as a flatlander. At 38 summits, I made it, plus I think that many for a flatlander is pretty damn good. I still plan to come to CO to relax, but maybe leave out the long hikes. I've learned lots, and also know what works for me isn't for others. I car camped at the TH almost all my summits just to get that 1-3am start to avoid storms, baking in the sun, carry less water, and to catch the sunrise on the summit. I'd get back and others would be starting at 11am or so. Look at the sky! It's going to storm in the next hour or 2!
I'd like to thank Bill for this site, and all the others that helped over the years. I still made mistakes but not as big of mistakes as I would have.

About those early starts, if your trips are flexible with dates, maybe go a bit later in the season when the thunderstorm risk is less? I don't have to drive quite as far as you do, but clustering peak after peak gets tiring, and turns it into a chore. I definitely got to a point a few years back where I overslept a few alarms and just stepped back and did something different for the day, or for a few weeks. Even with my favorite hobbies (which is not this), I fall in and out of love, and there is too much of a good thing sometimes.

[nyker]

Spring outings are good too if you're ok with doing them with snow/mixed terrain. The lower chance of T storms gives you a little more time to get them done, important when coming from out of state where acclimatization is always an issue where you are probably moving slower on the first few hikes in/up.

The very early starts, i.e. where you want to start climbing at or before 2am/3am can be hard on your body, since backing into this, if you're staying in town, it's usually a 30-60m drive to the trailhead or more meaning when waking up at 1am or 2am you need to train your body for this schedule else you'll feel awful for a while, demotivating you maybe even killing the climb for you that day. Diet and eating habits play a bigger role for those types of days. Long days like up Como road where you're starting at like 1:00am from the normal parking area, or something like Longs or Mt Whitney where 2:00am starts are the norm (from the trailhead), planning your time in the day or two before become more important so you're mentally and physically ready with some sleep behind you otherwise you'll feel miserable and move slower.

[Gulf_Coast_Hiker]

Spring outings are good too if you're ok with doing them with snow/mixed terrain. The lower chance of T storms gives you a little more time to get them done, important when coming from out of state where acclimatization is always an issue where you are probably moving slower on the first few hikes in/up.

The very early starts, i.e. where you want to start climbing at or before 2am/3am can be hard on your body, since backing into this, if you're staying in town, it's usually a 30-60m drive to the trailhead or more meaning when waking up at 1am or 2am you need to train your body for this schedule else you'll feel awful for a while, demotivating you maybe even killing the climb for you that day. Diet and eating habits play a bigger role for those types of days. Long days like up Como road where you're starting at like 1:00am from the normal parking area, or something like Longs or Mt Whitney where 2:00am starts are the norm (from the trailhead), planning your time in the day or two before become more important so you're mentally and physically ready with some sleep behind you otherwise you'll feel miserable and move slower.

This is definitely spot on. Last year I flew into Denver, met my friends in Breck around 8pm, went to dinner, then bed. Got up at 2am and we drove to the Castle/Condundrum upper trailhead and probably didn't start until 6:45am. Afterwards we drove back to the Twin Lakes area and I car-camped and hardly slept at all. Got going at 6am or so and did La Plata. While I'm very happy to have done this, it was not easy for this old man. Thanks to my friends who were patient with my pace (they are 1/2 my age).

The real point about my ramblings above is that this trip was not at all planned well. I'm hoping to do better in a couple weeks, but we'll see. My biggest issue (besides being old) is that I am NOT a morning person, so the early starts to avoid the weather really messes with me. I not only have this issue with 14ers but in any races I do - I just don't perform well athletically in the morning. And I ran my first marathon at age 17 in 1983, so trust me, I've tried everything under the sun but my body performs best at 3-6pm. I wish this was not the case.

[Gene913]

Thoughts from a Kansas flatlander finisher accumulated over 20+ years:

Plan thoroughly but do not be a slave to your plan. When the plan is not working out, be like a marine: adapt, improvise, and overcome as unexpected circumstances dictate. Unrelenting flexibility creates success.

Don't be in a hurry. Savor the moments and take the time to soak in the majesty of what is around you. Be in awe. Be humble. Be patient.

Climbing/hiking creates added cardio stress and oxygen deprivation compared to normal experience as a flatlander. Cannot prepare for the oxygen deprivation but can ramp up the cardio before leaving the flatlands. Then the body is only trying to adjust to one new experience (oxygen deprivation) rather than two.

On the oxygen deprivation front, spending a night or two at elevation (around 10,000 feet) before any climbing has helped.