Top 5 beginner fourteeners
Climbing a fourteener is the quintessential Colorado bucket list item.
Colorado has 54 peaks rising 14,000 feet or higher, the most of any state. Many of them are within a few hours' drive from Fort Collins, and all offer breathtaking views.
We're not going to call climbing a fourteener easy. You need to be physically fit, expect 8 to 12 hours of hiking, be acclimated to the elevation and also carry some common sense to the mountain. Climbing Longs Peak for your first fourteener probably isn't a good idea.
MORE: First 14er? Here are 10 tips from an expert
To make your first fourteener experience a positive one, here are five beginner-friendly fourteeners to bag this summer.
Grays Peak
• Elevation: 14,270 feet
• Class: 1
• Distance: 8 miles round-trip
• Elevation gain: 3,000 feet
• Why it's good for beginners: A solid, gentle trail, and it's well-traveled and close to Interstate 70. If you're feeling ambitious, bag nearby Torreys for your first two fourteeners.
• Range: Front
• Location: On the Continental Divide in the Front Range. Interstate 70 is 4 miles to the north.
• Directions: Take I-70 to the Bakerville exit (No. 221). Leave the highway and drive south to the dirt parking area near the start of Forest Road 189. From here, it's almost 3 miles to the trailhead; a rough road for low-clearance vehicles. Reach a junction after 1 mile, stay straight and follow the sign 2 miles to the trailhead. There are restrooms and a few dispersed camping spots.
• Nearby towns: Bakerville and Keystone
Torreys Peak
• Elevation: 14,267 feet
• Class: 2
• Distance: 8 miles round-trip
• Elevation gain: 3,000 feet
• Why it's good for beginners: Similar to its neighbor, Grays Peak, Torreys is a short, gentle climb with little exposure. You can bypass the summit of Grays by heading directly to the Grays-Torreys saddle. Expect to hike with hundreds of people during the peak season from late June to October.
• Range: Front
• Location: On the Continental Divide in the Front Range, next to Grays Peak.
• Directions: Start your hike from the Grays Peak trailhead (directions above).
• Nearby towns:Bakerville, Montezuma and Keystone
Quandary Peak
• Elevation: 14,265 feet
• Class: 1
• Distance: 7 miles round-trip
• Elevation gain: 3,450 feet
• Why it's good for beginners: Its proximity to Denver and Breckenridge make Quandary another popular mountain during the summer. The trail is well-marked and takes climbers on a relatively tame ascent. The mountain is also popular with backcountry skiers.
• Range: Tenmile
• Location: Quandary Peak is 6 miles southwest of Breckenridge on Colorado Highway 9.
• Directions: From Breckenridge, drive 8 miles south on Colorado 9. Turn right on 850 (Blue Lakes) Road. Go a few hundred yards and turn right on 851 (McCullough Gulch) Road. Drive 0.1 mile to the signed trailhead and small parking area. If the trailhead lot is full, cars should park along the 851 road or in the overflow lot, down at the start of the 850 road. The trail starts just above the trailhead, on the 851 road.
• Nearby towns: Breckenridge, Alma, Fairplay, Leadville
Mount Bierstadt
• Elevation: 14,060 feet
• Class: 2
• Distance: 7 miles round-trip
• Elevation gain: 2,850 feet
• Why it's good for beginners: Considered by many hikers as Colorado's easiest fourteener, Bierstadt offers hikers a mostly-gentle climb, though several sections are fairly steep. A great option for younger hikers. If you want an added challenge, a popular option is to continue the hike to nearby Mount Evans along a ridge known as The Sawtooth, an intermediate-level hike.
• Range: Front
• Location: Bierstadt is in the Mount Evans Wilderness, 2 miles west of 14,264-foot Mount Evans.
• Directions: From Denver, take I-70 west to Georgetown (exit 228), then follow the signs to Guanella Pass. Take Guanella Pass Road, which is an easily passable but bumpy dirt road, 11 miles to the top of the pass. The trailhead is marked clearly on the left.
• Nearby towns: Georgetown, Idaho Springs and Grant
Mount Elbert
• Elevation: 14,433 feet
• Class: 1
• Distance: 9 miles round-trip
• Elevation gain: 4,700 feet
• Why it's good for beginners: You're in for a long day and nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain, but you'll get to brag that you've summited the highest peak in Colorado. Views of Leadville and Turquoise Lake are stunning.
• Range: Sawatch
• Location: Southwest of Leadville in the San Isabel National Forest of the Sawatch Range. Mount Massive (14,421 feet) is north of Elbert.
• Directions: From U.S. Highway 24 south of Leadville, turn onto Colorado Highway 300 and cross the railroad tracks. Go 0.7 mile and turn left onto County Road 11 toward the Halfmoon Creek. After another 1.2 miles, turn right on the dirt road to Halfmoon Creek. Drive on the dirt road (OK for low clearance vehicles) for 5 miles to the Mount Elbert trailhead on the left. There is a large parking area with restrooms.
• Nearby towns: Leadville, Twin Lakes and Aspen
Safety tips
Start early
The biggest reason for an early start — about 2 or 3 a.m. for Longs Peak — is the weather. Afternoon thunderstorms are common at elevation, and the storms move quickly, meaning lightning is a big issue, especially when above timberline.
Every five seconds between seeing a lightning strike and hearing thunder equals 1 mile. Descend quickly if you get caught in an exposed area, such as a ridge or a summit, and make sure any metal gear is away from your body. Crouch down with your feet together and your head low.
What to wear
A cotton T-shirt isn't going to cut it at 14,000 feet when rain, wind and temperature drops are common. Layering is the most common defense, starting with a moisture-wicking shirt on your body with a long-sleeve/turtleneck layer to give your arms protection. Keep a fleece layer in your backpack, along with a down or synthetic jacket, and a rain and wind shell.
Hiking shorts or pants will work fine, and make sure to wear broken-in, sturdy hiking boots with appropriate hiking socks.
What to eat and drink
Bring 1 to 3 quarts of water for the hike (a Nalgene bottle is 1 quart), and it's important to have water in the car for your return.
As for food, think of quick, easy-to-eat foods you can munch on while hiking. Granola bars, beef jerky, fruit, your favorite salty foods and gels are all good options. Pack a more substantial meal with protein and fat (a sandwich) for the summit or keep it in your car for your return.
Stay safe
Tell someone when you are leaving, where you are staying/camping, when and where you are hiking, and when you plan to return.
Altitude sickness and falls are concerns for hikers. As you gain altitude, the barometric pressure decreases, causing air to expand in volume and decrease the amount of air you take in on each breath.
The more energy you exert at that elevation, the more likely for altitude sickness to set in, with symptoms of becoming lightheaded and nausea. Head to lower elevation immediately. If the condition worsens, it can lead to high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema.
Take your time near the top of peaks, especially areas where you have to scramble and on narrow ledges.
Varying difficulty
Some of Colorado's 54 fourteeners require technical climbing skills; others are long hikes with well-marked trails. All require stamina and a little bit of crazy. Here's how they are rated in terms of difficulty:
Very difficult: Mount Wilson, Crestone Needle, Maroon Peak (N), Capitol Peak, Little Bear Peak and Pyramid Peak.
Difficult: Longs Peak, Wetterhorn Peak, Mount Sneffels, Crestone Peak, Snowmass Mountain, Mount Eolus, Windom Peak, El Diente Peak, Maroon Peak (S), Sunlight Peak and Wilson Peak.
Moderate: Mount Belford, Mount Oxford, Humboldt Peak, Redcloud Peak, Sunshine Peak, Mount Columbia, Mount Harvard, Uncompahgre Peak, Mount Shavano, Tabaguache Mountain, Blanca Peak, Castle Peak, Mount Yale, Missouri Mountain, Mount of the Holy Cross, Ellingwood Point and Mount Lindsey
Easier: Grays Peak, Torreys Peak, Handies Peak, Mount Sherman, Mount Democrat, Mount Bross, Mount Lincoln, Quandary Peak, Mount Evans, Mount Bierstadt, Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, Mount Antero, Pikes Peak, Mount Princeton, Culebra Peak, San Luis Peak, Huron Peak and La Plata Peak.
Source: www.14ers.com
Trail rating
Most fourteener guides use the Yosemite Decimal System to describe trail conditions:
• Class 1: Well-marked and worn trail. No route-finding is necessary
• Class 2: This can vary from a semi-worn trail to no trail at all. Trail surface might be steep and slick (loose dirt/scree) and route-finding might be necessary. Scrambling (using your hands) might be required.
• Class 3: Scrambling is to be expected. Good rule of thumb is that, for a class 3 hike, descending will require you to face the rock, rather than face outward.
• Class 4: Climbing, usually without a rope, but using one doesn't hurt. A fall may be lethal.
• Class 5: Technical climbing with a rope.
Source: www.14ers.com
What to pack: The 10 Essentials
• Map
• Compass
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Extra food
• Sun protection — hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
• Extra clothing
• Small first-aid kit
• Pocket knife
• Matches
• Fire starter
Source: Colorado Mountain Club
Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter @stemeyer.