Questions on a new 14er hiking solo

[nyker]

Well I got the 1st step down, reserved my flight and rental car. Coming in on Monday August 28th, leaving Saturday September 2nd. Now the planning starts. Thank you all again!

How is this planning coming along?

Thinking about this more, I'd do something like this:

Aug 28 - arrive and stay at hotel (in COS or DEN presumably?), ~5000ft
Aug 29 - head into mountains, stay @ ~8000ft +/- (camp or local motel), do some walking around, hydrate today more, get last min supplies in town
Aug 30 - Peak 1, return to camp @ ~8000ft +/- (camp or local motel) - Do easier peak this day
Aug 31 - Peak 2, return to camp @ ~8000ft +/- (camp or local motel) (backup weather day or rest day if not feeling 100%)
Sept 1 - Peak 3 , then book a motel, take a shower get a nice meal in town; I'd do the harder peak on this day.
Sept 2 - drive to airport and fly back

I used ~8000ft as an average since many popular mountain towns and some THs are around that elevation. Unless you're accustomed to the higher altitude, I find staying higher the first night or two in places like Dillon/Frisco (~9000ft) or Leadville (10,000ft) or high trailheads is harder for me to get a restful sleep thus hurting my chances for a good climb the next day.

Also, hope for the best, but plan on weather not cooperating on one day and while on paper it looks easy to climb three days in a row, sometimes your body doesn't agree so have some other things planned in case that's the case.

[boudreaux]

If you're a little worried about being solo, try Bierstadt instead on your first hike. yeah, mid September the summer crowds tend to disappear, but Bierstadt will always have a good many hikers still getting out there. It's a good one to measure your acclimation progress as well. Once you get the feel of it, things will settle down quickly and your anxiety will fade and you will laugh at yourself for getting so worked up. You can carcamp at the TH which is over 11K to see how you deal with sleeping at high altitude and a bonus that you might see a moose or mountain goats. There are quite a few spots along the Quanella Pass road for dispersed camping. I think that campground will be closed by then. It's gonna be a little cold in the mornings, so be prepared for that. Have a wide mouth water bottle so the bottleneck doesnt' freeze. I like to use handwarmers in my socks during the night. Keeps the feet nice and toasty. You can also put them in your gloves too. The weather can be very good in late September with many Bluebird Days ( cloudless all day). I've climbed a lot in this time of the year through early November and the weather has been very, very cooperative. If there is some snow above treeline, you can expect to find it on the north slopes, but it will be minimal. Unless of course it's snowing on you which can happen. There is also the added bonus of maybe seeing the turning Aspen.

If you have been training hard back home, your acclimatization will be fine. Like everyone has been saying stay hydrated. Maybe a little ibruprophin may help. Did I say stay hydrated already!! Bring a huge pack of water. Don't worry, you're gonna do fine. Colorado is not Alaska or Montana. All the apex predators are gone. The bears and moutain lions will not bother you. Encounters are very rare.

[StevenS]

I appreciate this question, and all the replies very much. I am similarly experienced and plan to hike Mt. Elbert solo the last week of July, next year. Comments as to best ways to prepare, things to watch out for, etc.? Possibly even the advisability of doing this. I am male, in very good health with moderate experience, including Katahdin, but I realize that is a whole different animal than a 14er.

[interloper]

I appreciate this question, and all the replies very much. I am similarly experienced and plan to hike Mt. Elbert solo the last week of July, next year. Comments as to best ways to prepare, things to watch out for, etc.? Possibly even the advisability of doing this. I am male, in very good health with moderate experience, including Katahdin, but I realize that is a whole different animal than a 14er.

You'll be fine. Elbert is one of the most heavily-trafficked peaks in the state, so despite your best efforts you will never be alone hiking it in July...

As long as you check the forecast before you start and plan your ascent accordingly (below tree-line by noon is generally a safe bet), you'll have a great day. Acclimatizing a few days before is always advisable if you're coming from sea level, too.

[Ptglhs]

You'll be fine. Elbert is one of the most heavily-trafficked peaks in the state, so despite your best efforts you will never be alone hiking it in July...

There's a way to do it where you will almost certainly not see anyone until you hit the summit.

[interloper]

There's a way to do it where you will almost certainly not see anyone until you hit the summit.

True. The same could be said of nearly any peak, but that doesn't seem like the kind of route someone new to 14ers and asking for advice would take.

[Ptglhs]

I will be starting my first ever 14er hiking soon. Literally a novice here. Do you guys recommend some courses before my first expedition?

Yes, take into to engineering, single variate calculus, and history of the Roman empire.

Levity aside, what courses would you imagine you could take? The best way to learn about some things is just do them. Have you read about the 10 essentials? The part about extra clothing is very relevant this time of year. The part about a map and compass not so much, there are trails all the way to the top. A GPS application like Alltrails or Gaia could be useful.

Why don't you come to the winter welcomer next Saturday? That would probably be as close as you could come to an actual course. It's not meant to be instructional, but there will be knowledgeable people there you could talk to, or even just see how they pack and what they bring

[mtree]

I will be starting my first ever 14er hiking soon. Literally a novice here. Do you guys recommend some courses before my first expedition?

Just slap on a pair of running shoes and go. That's how I did it. Its not that complicated.

[StevenS]

Thanks! I am looking forward to it!

[greenonion]

I will be starting my first ever 14er hiking soon. Literally a novice here. Do you guys recommend some courses before my first expedition?

Yes, take into to engineering, single variate calculus, and history of the Roman empire.

Levity aside, what courses would you imagine you could take? The best way to learn about some things is just do them. Have you read about the 10 essentials? The part about extra clothing is very relevant this time of year. The part about a map and compass not so much, there are trails all the way to the top. A GPS application like Alltrails or Gaia could be useful.

Why don't you come to the winter welcomer next Saturday? That would probably be as close as you could come to an actual course. It's not meant to be instructional, but there will be knowledgeable people there you could talk to, or even just see how they pack and what they bring

Good advice

[two lunches]

I will be starting my first ever 14er hiking soon. Literally a novice here. Do you guys recommend some courses before my first expedition?

Just slap on a pair of running shoes and go. That's how I did it. Its not that complicated.

not jumping to any conclusions about the OP, here, but it seems prudent to resurface this article to remind mtree why his advice is mediocre at best: https://kdvr.com/news/local/colorado-sp ... t-on-14er/

[timisimaginary]

I will be starting my first ever 14er hiking soon. Literally a novice here. Do you guys recommend some courses before my first expedition?

look up the trip report on Shermapangma. should provide some good tips for your expedition.
if that one seems too daunting, you could always shoot for something else like Quandagiri, Nanga Bierstadt, Handiepurna, or Kangchenbluesky.