Altitude Training for Kilimanjaro near Georgetown

[MediumRare]

We are a group of 4 flatlanders (2 over 60 years old) training for a Mt Kilimanjaro climb in September. One of us has been to 15k in the Andes and we’ve all had multi-day backpacking trips. This is our ”pressure test” of equipment and preparation with 7 weeks to go. Sleeping in Georgetown starting 7/31 (the Friday night) to begin to acclimatize. Hiking locally to about 11k ft on Saturday. Then Sunday and Monday for the real altitude and vertical tests.

We were planning to climb Grays and Torreys on the Sunday and Monday but a bunch of folks on Reddit are saying the parking situation is awful. They said we should look into 13ers, but all I can find are Argentine and Edwards, which are much farther away and hence an even earlier start to get parking and, eventually, off the summit. So what about a direct climb of Grey Wolf? There are no routes posted I could find.

Any wise advice you can give would be great. Thanks!

[mtree]

Bierstadt and/or Blue Sky via Guanella Pass comes to mind.

If you just want 13ers drive up Loveland Pass and hike the ridge for Snitkau, Cupid, and Grizzly.

[Dan_Suitor]

The Engelmann, Robeson, Bard, Parnassus group is near Georgetown. It includes sustained hiking above 12,800 feet and tags 4 13ers. A good trip report can be found here: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=23043

[Scott P]

If you're staying in Georgetown you can also do the peaks on either side of Berthoud Pass.

[Gulf_Coast_Hiker]

You can hike to Herman Lake from the Herman Gulch trailhead, which is a short drive from Georgetown and is right off I-70. I believe Herman Lake is close to 12,000ft. If that's not enough, you can continue up the CDT and hit Hassell Peak, which is above 13,000ft.

[pw]

Square Top, a high thirteener, should not be a problem from Georgetown, the trail starts from the parking lot across the road from Bierstadt. I don't think that lot fills up, possibly on a weekend, but I think even that's rare. About 1.5 miles below Guanella Pass (right where the gate for the winter closure is) is a road on the right that goes in a very short distance, so you don't necessarily have to drive it, and up that road you'll find Silver Dollar Lake, Argentine Peak, and Mt. Wilcox, an easy one. Or just enjoy the hike in to the lakes. I did Gray Wolf in the late fall when things were frozen and it was quite an enjoyable one, but in the summer you have to navigate that boggy area at the start, not sure how difficult that is. Someone mentioned Herman Gulch, at the head of that valley is Pettingell, pretty straight forward. Anyway, many options that are close to Georgetown.

[jrs1965]

Not Georgetown, but any variation of a 3-2-1 on Pikes summit, or just hanging out in the back corner of the summit house cafe works wonders for PPA/PPM runners...

[ltlFish99]

COULD HIKE TORREYS FROM LOVELAND PASS VIA GRIZZLY , AND ALSO ADD GRAYS, IF THINGS ARE GOING WELL.

[rijaca]

COULD HIKE TORREYS FROM LOVELAND PASS VIA GRIZZLY , AND ALSO ADD GRAYS, IF THINGS ARE GOING WELL.

COULD stop using all caps in replies.

Not Georgetown, but any variation of a 3-2-1 on Pikes summit, or just hanging out in the back corner of the summit house cafe works wonders for PPA/PPM runners...

Why suggest driving 2-3 hours from Georgetown to the top of Pikes Peak to acclimatize when they want to hike something close. All the previous suggestions from the top of Loveland, Guanella, and Berthoud Passes or the Herman Gulch TH provide plenty of opportunities for hiking nearby 12ers, 13ers, and 14ers within a 30 minute drive from Georgetown.

[nyker]

We are a group of 4 flatlanders (2 over 60 years old) training for a Mt Kilimanjaro climb in September. One of us has been to 15k in the Andes and we’ve all had multi-day backpacking trips. This is our ”pressure test” of equipment and preparation with 7 weeks to go. Sleeping in Georgetown starting 7/31 (the Friday night) to begin to acclimatize. Hiking locally to about 11k ft on Saturday. Then Sunday and Monday for the real altitude and vertical tests.

We were planning to climb Grays and Torreys on the Sunday and Monday but a bunch of folks on Reddit are saying the parking situation is awful. They said we should look into 13ers, but all I can find are Argentine and Edwards, which are much farther away and hence an even earlier start to get parking and, eventually, off the summit. So what about a direct climb of Grey Wolf? There are no routes posted I could find.

Any wise advice you can give would be great. Thanks!

Park at the 2wd trailhead parking area right off I-70. Since you're main goal is acclimatizing, and Kili will be longer and more difficult, walking the extra distance and vert from the lower TH lot will only help you prepare and not have to worry about the rough road nor getting a spot higher up, nor dealing with driving all the way up only find no spots since parking alongside the road is discouraged.

[jrs1965]

Not Georgetown, but any variation of a 3-2-1 on Pikes summit, or just hanging out in the back corner of the summit house cafe works wonders for PPA/PPM runners...

That why I prefaced it by saying it wasn't Georgtown...

[Good Billy]

I echo Mtree and NYker's advice. I lived in Georgetown and I've summitted Kilimanjaro. Lots of hiking at elevation is the key. The final height isn't as critical but it can't hurt. Bagging Bierstadt and Blue Sky (formerly Mt Evans) can all be done from Guanella Pass and would make for some steady miles all above 12k. Once you're on Kili, listen to your guides. I was slogging hard just below the summit and he took my digital camera. It changed everything and I could feel the difference immediately. So, train hard and regularly, and then be humble.