I've read all the "1st timer" entries, but I need my own. :)

[bmmillard]

Hi! Recently, I relocated from Houston up to Fort Worth. For some reason, Colorado now seems like a day drive, whereas from Houston (4 hours from where I lived) seemed more of a 2 day trip. I've decided that I'm going to use this "closeness" to my advantage and do some "bucket list" types of things. Those are seeing a concert at Red Rocks, and some 14ers! So the question is, is how best to maximize a long weekend of a concert and hiking? Is there a particular BEST place to go in order to do more than one 14er on a single day? I know it's not optimal, but do people do these alone? I'd, likely, be alone so I'm wondering if on a warm summer day if the paths have people on them daily? Or would I not see anyone? Or, should I just bring someone with me? For safety of course. There's a possibility this could be within the next 6 weeks or so, maybe prior to the end of September. Any help for this 100% utterly new to 14ers would be great!
THANKS!
Brent

[ltlFish99]

It is QUITE RARE to be on a 14er and not see other people.
3 years ago, I had that experience on Tabeguache by Shavano where I saw no one the night before by the trailhead where I slept or on the trail the next day.
I was on a NON STANDARD ROUTE on a weekday, so these 2 things certainly contributed to me being able to enjoy a 14er hike entirely alone.

[the_hare]

If you'd like to go for an easier multi-peak day within reasonable distance to Red Rocks you're looking for the DeCaLiBron (Mts. Democrat-Cameron-Lincoln-Bross) loop near Fairplay. It's a lot of time at high altitude but still considered a relatively beginner route. Other good beginners may be Bierstadt which personally I think is in a really accessibly beautiful area, Sherman for interesting history, and Quandary although it has additional permit hurdles. Grays and Torreys are also considered beginner peaks in the Front Range but a bit longer and a bit rougher road to access the trailhead. The Sawatch range is a little farther out from all of these, has many more moderate trails, and may be a bit less busy than the Front Range 14ers.

Yes, many ppl do these alone, and on summer mornings there will be lots of people on these trails even on weekdays. Keep in mind that the usual advice for high altitude mountain hiking during the summer monsoon season is to start early enough (often before dawn) so that you can be down below treeline before noon, when thunderstorms may start up. There are perfectly clear days here and there but mountain weather can be unexpected sometimes.

[greenschist]

You will pretty much never be alone on a 14er trail unless you're there in the middle of the night or the winter, and even then it's not guaranteed. You can hike solo and count on there being others around, especially on a weekend. Many people avoid 14ers on summer weekends entirely. My only time being alone was on Humboldt Peak, in late October, with several inches of fresh snow. The trailhead is pretty far from Denver, the access road is one of the worst, and even then I ran into a few other people on the trail and only had the summit to myself.

For someone staying near Red Rocks, the closest multi-14er routes are Blue Sky + Bierstadt, Grays + Torreys, and DeCaLiBron, in order of distance from Morrison/Red Rocks. Grays and Torreys is probably the easiest. I highly recommend using the 14ers.com app as well as the COTrex app for trail navigation. Arrive to the trailhead as early as possible to get parking, and start your hike before sunrise to beat the storms and to have time to enjoy it.

I also recommend keeping an eye on wildfires and smoke/air quality. There is a large fire near Loveland that may impact visibility and breatheability in the Front Range. I use the Watch Duty app as well as fire.airnow.gov

[jordanthebuff]

Any class 1 or 2 14er route within 3 hours of Denver you will 100% see someone (likely many someones) every single day of the summer, especially on weekends. Whether or not you hike alone depends on your comfort level and experience at high altitude. Most of the peaks I do now, I do alone. It's just easier logistically. But I typically wouldn't recommend it for new hikers.

That said, if you choose a peak that is easily accessible from Denver and do it on a weekend, you could potentially do it alone as there would be over 100 people easy on the trail.

For a weekend itinerary:

Drive up Friday, concert Friday night at Red Rocks.
Stay in Georgetown (30-45 minutes from RR)
Hike Mt. Bierstadt on Saturday
Drive back Sunday

If you want solitude. Check out some of the 13ers and do it midweek. Mt Edwards would be a good one and fairly easily accessible.

[peter303]

Google maps says Blue Sky Summit Lake trailhead is 40 (curvy) miles from Red Rocks and Bierstadt Guanella Pass trailhead 45 miles. Both less than 90 minutes drive. Both relatively moderate first time 14er hikes. Both have forest campgrounds not far from the trailheads (Echo Lake and Guanella Pass).

[DeTour]

Here’s a different wrinkle: while the above are all true regarding proximity to Denver, the drive from Fort Worth to Denver takes you pretty close to some other peaks - specifically Humboldt Peak and Pike’s Peak. Pike’s is monstrously long, probably not good for a first 14er. But I’m of the opinion that Humboldt is a good first one. It’s also a good bit longer than the easier choices listed above, at 11 miles and 4200’ for the standard route. So that depends on your conditioning and hiking experience. But if you’re a sting hiker, it offers some of the best views of any 14er, dominated by Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. (I would not recommend them as a first 14er as they are a lot more difficult climbing.)

Food for thought. Could drive from TX to Westcliffe, spend the night, climb, and go on up to Denver. Or reverse the sequence, depending on various factors.

[bmmillard]

Wow! Great information! While I’m not an experienced hiker or mountaineer, I’ve done some crazy events and consider myself to be very fit. Frankly, that’s one of the reasons I want to tackle a couple of these. Thank you very much for the advice and information. I think I have enough information to make a plan. Humboldt has my attention for sure.

[nyker]

Acclimatization will be a factor if you're coming up from sea level and planning just being in CO for the weekend; so while you are fit, hitting a 14er after just being here a day or so may be pretty hard if you're not already accustomed to being up high especially after a long drive.
Also, Ft Worth is a a 10hr drive to say Alamosa or Colorado Springs, so not really around the corner and ~20hrs roundtrip driving will cut into a long weekend...

Be that as it may, it's pretty common for people to climb these mountains alone, indeed some like to highlight and advertise that they did one, all or most "solo" ...in reality, while you might start from the trailhead "alone", as mentioned above, rare is the 14er these days you actually are solo on.
Not that I/we are recommending you climb alone, without knowing anything about you, your experience, mountain skills, outdoor fortitude, etc..

Peruse the information on this site, there is some great stuff here.

[LarryM]

Here’s a different wrinkle: while the above are all true regarding proximity to Denver, the drive from Fort Worth to Denver takes you pretty close to some other peaks - specifically Humboldt Peak and Pike’s Peak. Pike’s is monstrously long, probably not good for a first 14er. But I’m of the opinion that Humboldt is a good first one. It’s also a good bit longer than the easier choices listed above, at 11 miles and 4200’ for the standard route. So that depends on your conditioning and hiking experience. But if you’re a sting hiker, it offers some of the best views of any 14er, dominated by Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. (I would not recommend them as a first 14er as they are a lot more difficult climbing.)

Food for thought. Could drive from TX to Westcliffe, spend the night, climb, and go on up to Denver. Or reverse the sequence, depending on various factors.

Humboldt is a great peak, but be aware that the distance given above is from the 4WD TH. It's a 16 miles round trip and over 5,000 feet of gain from the 2WD TH.

[bmmillard]

I’m reading about 4WD and 2WD THs!? Ugh. I currently drive a small two door.
However, the concerts at RR aren’t shaping up so it might be a climb only trip and, likely, Colorado Springs. That would make the combo De Ca Lin Bross (that’s wrong I know) a top pick?
Drive to Co Springs on a Friday. Climb on Saturday and Sunday. Back home on a Monday?

[jordanthebuff]

Decalibron is a great first time group of peaks. The way the loop is typically done takes you to Democrat first and gives a really good opportunity to bail after one peak if you're not feeling up to the loop. Plus it's fairly close to Breckenridge which would have lots of places to stay ($$$).

Regarding Humboldt and the South Colony Lakes trailhead/road, I would bet you'd be able to hitchhike the road. There's usually a fair number of Texans and Oklahomans driving their lifted Tundras and 4Runners on that road, I'm sure someone would be willing to give you a lift (no pun intended).