3 years ago, Bierstadt was my first 14er. Last year I coerced Ash & Tom to summit – this year, my Sis & nephew took the challenge. They’ve had 4 days to acclimate to Colorado altitude, no excuses right?
Joking – actually super impressed. Hiking a 14er is not only physically challenging, but also tough on the lungs for Flatlanders. That said, Nephew is a varsity soccer player, Sis has completed multiple marathons. Yep, my family is STRONG!
4am drive start, took a half day off work. Goal: drive 3 hours (roundtrip), summit a 14er (in under 5 hours), lunch in Georgetown – then back in time for afternoon work obligations. They’re strong but I’m a BEAST! LOL>
For my family, it’s been a week plagued with rain – not today, sunshine 🙂
Mile-half of willow thicket (thru lotta mud), then UP another half-mile to our first plateau. Tough adjusting to the steady climb initially, but like most sports, you soon find a rhythm.
Hiked a series of switchbacks, all above tree-line, over boulders & tundra moss – chirp of marmots (concealed from view this day). A mile plus further to the false summit – most arduous part of today’s hike, high grade incline & scree.
From there the wind blew, temps dropped below 30. Eyed a nearby rock shelf, waved the others to scramble behind but with caution – pretty decent drop-off below. Quick break to refuel, then back in wind – cold strong gusts over yesterday’s new snow.
Bouldered UP the last 1,000ft – summit SUCCESS!
[Nephew] How many 14-year-olds can boast having climbed a 14er? Super impressed.
Expect to see Sis again next March – not great for 14er summits (avalanche season), but perfect for ice climbing 🙂
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- summit SUCCESS – my family is STRONG!
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- How many 14-year-olds can boast having climbed a 14er?
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- US Geological Seal/legit hike
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- landscape magic – mountain panorama & fresh July snow
Labour Day weekend 2014 – what better way to kick off the Fall season than with a 14er hike. Wait – how ‘bout backpacking followed by two 14er summits. Sweet!
Because of work obligations, I could not travel down on Friday with my Fort Collins-based hiking friends, Cammy & Erik so woke early on Saturday, loaded the backpack (with newly acquired camping gear) & hit the highway. Stopping only once along the way, I arrived at Blanca Peak trailhead in under 5 hours (yep, it’s a haul).
Drove a quarter-mile up Lake Como Road & parked – Prius is not the right ride for this extreme off-road trail.
Lake Como Road in the Sangre de Cristos is regarded as one of the roughest in Colorado. Hikers, accessing fourteeners Blanca and Little Bear peaks and Ellingwood Point, hate it. Extreme off-roaders love it.
My 70lb rucksack was crazy heavy. In addition to a tent, sleeping bag & water, I packed poles, a winter jacket, ski cap, gloves & long johns. Who doesn’t in August, right? 🙂
Backpack propped on the hood of my car, I slide under the sack thinking this my best approach to stand upright. 100ft down the road, pop – lost 2 straps. Argh. Jerry-rigged my tent onto the top of the backpack – off I go again.
7 miles UP. Really questioned hauling winter gear with starting hike temps in the low 90’s.
Arrived lakeside 5 hours later (welcomed by Cammy & Erik), tent set-up (super easy, thanks Marmot), filled my stomach (dehydrated food packet & hot water), campsite greet by 4 deer, then crashed an hour later. Early start tomorrow – Blanca awaits!
(After the sun goes down at 12,000 ft, was mighty happy with the jacket & long johns. Just saying.)
Up at dawn & immediately hit the trail. Struggled a bit with altitude. Haven’t climbed high peaks since early July, compensated with extra water intake.
Rock…lotta rock on today’s trek. Lucky for me, super hiker Cammy blunted skillz on the prior day’s (Class 4) 14er climb (allowing me to keep pace). Little Bear Friday, Blanca Peak & Ellingwood Saturday. Seriously HARDCORE.
Abandoned poles & rock climbed the last 500 feet – only scary if you look down 🙂
SUMMIT SUCCESS! Genuinely stunning, view created by the gods – SPECTACULAR!
Hiked 1,000ft down to Ellingwood junction, said our goodbyes to Erik (ditched us to fly fish) & started navigating a seemingly endless boulder field. Two misfires, then spotted a descending hiker. Started climbing UP his direction, gathered advice & just kept at it. Wasn’t punking out, eye on the prize. Sooooo much rock. Lotta short breaks – my stomach was churning (altitude & poor food management – hadn’t consumed enough calories, now couldn’t eat).
10:30am – SUMMIT SUCCESS, 2nd of the day. FAAAANNNTASTIC!
Lost our way on the trek down. Climbed back UP, rock traversed & scoured for safe passage down from Ellingwood’s towering rock shelves. Wasn’t pretty but ultimately made our way on trail near Blanca’s base.
Crashed in my tent for the afternoon. Amazing what sleep can do a body. Highly recommended. Downed a 2nd packet of food – refueled, all good now. Tagged along & watched Erik fly fish at Como – catch n release, fish were a bitin’.
Lack of serving dishes dictated a formal 3 course meal – a camping fiesta. Hot tea, followed by couscous, followed by Ramen, followed by dehydrated red beans & rice. Yep, kept re-using the same cup. LOL>
High altitude air, alpine lakes, sunsets, fly fishing, star gazing, smell of pine, darting marmots & deer. Absolutely nothing like it in the world. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life.
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- Lake Como Road (far background, Blanca)
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- Sangre de Cristo camping
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- red beans & rice (just add water)
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- frequented our campsite every night
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- trees look ablaze – BEAUTIFUL sunset!
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- so much colour – WOW!
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- on the trail before 6, your everyday 14er hike
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- whole lotta rock
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- sunrise – Good Morning Blanca!
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- final rock scramble UP
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS!
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- crazy beautiful day
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- Blanca Peak 14,345ft
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- hey, it’s only 8:30 – time for another?
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- Ellingwood Point 14,042ft (Blanca stands behind us)
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- 2nd summit of the day – life is good
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- fly fishing on Lake Como
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- catch n release
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- Goodbye Blanca
Blanca Peak summit clip
Mt. Bierstadt was my first 14er summit 2 years ago, seemed fitting Ash & Tom would summit the same mountain as their first 14er. Shouldn’t be too challenging. Ash reminded me they had already conquered New Jersey’s highest – High Point, 1,803ft 🙂
Early on the road, quick stop for gas station food in Georgetown (guilty pleasure), then up Guanella Pass.
Warm weather & Bierstadt’s close proximity to Denver = lotta trail traffic. Battled mosquitoes thru the mile-plus willow thicket, but luckily they dissipated as we reached our first glacier.
(Colorado’s dry, high altitude environment make mosquitoes rare but this year the mountains were socked with snow, followed by a wet summer. Generally Colorado summers are plagued by forest fire.)
Lotta afternoon lightning strikes (summer norm) so hiked at a fast clip. Couldn’t have been more impressed with my Jersey transplants – kept good attitudes & stayed well hydrated.
Switchback after switchback – targeted a spot (generally a large rock), hike sprint, quick break – rock, hike, break, rock, hike, break. Little by little we worked our way to the false summit (actually tougher than the last half-mile rock scramble UP). Ash & Tom stopped midway for lunch; I opted to hike on & eat at the false summit. Finished lunch, took in some thin air, waited 20 minutes. Up popped Ash & Tom over the lip of the false summit. Super proud!
More fun than summiting? Sharing others’ experience of reaching their first summit. FAAANNTASTIC!
Rock scramble to the Summit. Straight UP 1,000ft — large boulder climb, looking for hand holds, scoping out footing. Much more interesting than the past 2 miles of scree hill incline. SUMMIT SUCCESS!
Pics, conversation…then a quick descent to beat storms blowing in from the North. Caught a few sprinkles, but didn’t need jackets ‘til the willow thicket on our hike return.
Congrats Ash & Tom! (who think maybe one 14er a year – what, only one? I’ve gotta work on that 🙂 )
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- Ash & Tom’s first 14er
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- mile+ willow thicket
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- so close…yet so far away
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- glacier selfie
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- lunch break at 13,000ft – life is good 🙂
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- whole lotta hiker traffic
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- rock scramble to the top
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- thumbs up, all smiles
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS!
