Count: Colorado 14ers 🏔 8/58
On August 4, 2023, I hiked the two tallest peaks in Colorado - Mt Elbert (14,438') and Mt Massive (14,427'). Totaling 24.75-miles and over 9,000 feet of elevation gain, the hikes were challenging and a reminder of the majestic natural world we are a part of.
I did Mt Massive first, taking the 14-mile (roundtrip) East Slopes Trail to the peak starting just after 4am with the goal of getting above tree line before sunrise - which was spectacular! After 3 hours and 24 minutes I reached the summit as the first person for the day, enjoying it in solitude for 10-15 minutes before a couple joined me. In total, the hike took 6:32 roundtrip including 40-45 minutes at the summit.
The parking lots for the Mt Massive and Mt Elbert trailheads are only 2 minutes apart, so I drove from one to the other, charged my watch, put bandaids on my toes, donned a fresh pair of socks, refilled my hydration pack, and started up the Mt Elbert Northeast Ridge trail.
I reached the summit of Mt Elbert around 2pm, after a grueling 5-miles of consistent elevation gain. Having already done Mt Massive, my feet and legs were exhausted, but I made it to the top and the views with clouds rolling over the mountain ranges and valleys was breathtaking. I finished the day at 4:30pm.
Mt Massive
Mt Elbert
My trek up Quandary Peak (14,265’) - my sixth 14er in Colorado - on April 7, 2023 with over 3,500 feet of elevation gain (That’s more than 1,100 feet/mile) was both challenging and serene. The hike is just over 7 miles roundtrip, and it took me 2 hours 44 minutes to reach the peak which I enjoyed solo for 20 minutes before another adventurer came into view. Let me tell you, sipping chai with these vast 360-degree views was incredible and awe-inspiring. I started before sunrise when it was 6 degrees with 10-15 mph winds so I didn’t end up using snow shoes or microspikes because of how firm the ground was.
Loved seeing the contrast of my Chain & Wood Wearable Photos silk print dancing above Quandary’s peak. Watch the video on TikTok.
Pikes Peak (14,115’) on September 11, 2022 via Devil's Playground and Crags Trail - the moonset was beautiful and temps were great! Trek was 16-miles roundtrip.
Grays Peak (14,270’) hike in White River National Forest on December 3, 2021. 8-mile trek took 3:50 roundtrip, including 25 minutes spent on summit and multiple stops along the trail to take photos.
Mt Bierstadt (14,065’) and Mt Evans (14,265’) including Sawtooth Mountain - November 6, 2021. Thankful for the number of cairns (human-made trail markers featuring stacks of stones) that were along the route — the trail from the top of Mt Bierstadt along Sawtooth to Mt Evans is quite difficult so would recommend doing it during the summer. Began hiking with another person along Sawtooth who starting experiencing blurry vision at 14k altitude with it getting very hazy and difficult for him to see clearly (I believe it was high altitude retinopathy), so the trek back took much longer than expected, but we made it safely back by sunset.
Torreys Peak (14,267’) by way of Loveland Pass along the Continental Divide, a trek that includes Cupid (13,117’) and Grizzly (13,334’) before reaching Torreys. Two hikes in October 2021, the first to acclimate to altitude with Cupid and Grizzly and to determine what equipment would be needed for winter hikes, the second to Torreys.
