Mts. Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln – Alma, Colorado, U.S.A. Honestly, I had never heard of a “fourteener.” That time on Deer Mountain, three months after I arrived to Colorado, when the members of my hiking party sounded off their fourteener status–“I’ve done three,” “tried one,” “none yet”–I stood by silently, then leaned toward the person next to me and asked, “What’s a fourteener?”
Fourteeners, I now know, are mountains with summits at an elevation of 14,000 feet or higher. Colorado has more fourteeners than any other state, though there’s some disagreement as to the exact number–53 or 58? Discovering this motherlode of peaks, many of which may be summited without technical skills and climbing gear, was a revelation for me. Immediately, I committed to reaching the top of one of these mammoth mountains, partly for the sheer physical challenge, but also because I needed a goal to work toward during a time when I felt rudderless.
I’ve written before about my whirlwind relocation to Denver from Miami, the false start in a new job, the decision to take time off, to give myself the career sabbatical I’ve desired for years. Stepping off of the career path with no re-entry strategy was horrifying. It’s kind of like choosing the red pill over the blue pill and traveling down your own rabbit hole. You’ll find your shortcomings and fears down there, and you’ll learn what really drives you. You’ll also rediscover your strengths and what you love, and gain the time and energy to shape them into something new.
I never imagined that choosing to take a sabbatical could be so right for me and so excruciating. Or that, once begun, I could be so completely free of regret. What I did know was that I would need something to work toward during my career break, some project to complete–besides the obvious “now what do I do?” handwringing. When a new friend invited me to join a group hike in the mountains, it was all I could do to not burst with joy when l learned of fourteeners. I determined right then to hike a fourteener by the end of the summer.
Much has been written about Colorado’s fourteeners and how to hike them. I’ll not rehash that information and guidance here. Rather, I’ll offer three tips based on my experience and reflections and include some additional resources at the bottom.
Enjoy the journey
Hiking a fourteener is as much about the training as the summit.
I made one of the best decisions of my sabbatical early on when I joined a group of black outdoor enthusiasts called Outdoor Afro. Through the Denver-Boulder chapter of Outdoor Afro, I made friends, settled into my new home state, and began to explore the mountains. I also signed on to Outdoor Afro’s fourteener hiking series, which included several training hikes culminating in the summiting of a fourteener.
While this may not be true for everyone, I believe that I could not have reached the summit of a fourteener so soon after moving from Miami without the training and support I received through Outdoor Afro.
And because the need to train your body to perform at high, oxygen-poor elevations and over long distances at steep grades is so critical, you may as well savor the journey. Some of my most enjoyable hikes were those I undertook in preparation for a fourteener. Through Outdoor Afro, I hiked a portion of the 486-mile Colorado Trail, wound my way through wind-blown pines and snow en route to Hell’s Hole at the base of Greywolf Mountain, and summited the stunning “thirteener,” Mt. Audubon. Each hike was a thrilling adventure of its own, strengthening my body and connecting me with nature.
Of course, participating in Outdoor Afro is not the only way to prepare for a fourteener. I also joined other outdoor groups through the online platform meetup.com. If you’re in the Denver-Boulder area, I recommend the meetup 14er Fitness and Training.
I also suggest regular cardio workouts. For example, I have, for years, done a thirty-minute elliptical workout every weekday morning. While thirty minutes on an elliptical won’t get you to the top of a mountain, it can help with conditioning the heart, calves, and quadriceps, and with practicing your breathing technique.
Finally, if you’re in Colorado, check out one of the ‘How to Climb a Fourteener” courses at REI. I was able to register for a session designed especially for women hikers and it was both helpful and encouraging.
Be driven by awe
Fourteeners are awesome.
This will sound obvious, but mountain-hiking is a visually intense activity. Hiking a fourteener, even more so. Within reason, slow down (it’s still ideal to return below the tree line by noon in order to avoid storms and lightening), take in the scenery, and soak up the experience. At every step you’ll be surrounded by our planet at its most pristine and spectacular. I have found that when I let go of my competitive urge to conquer the mountain or ‘bag’ the peak and allow my feet to be guided by the awe of it all, my muscles relax, I breath easier, and a physically-taxing activity becomes an adventure in sublimity.
Go with the right people
When we started, it was just our four headlamps in the darkness. Far above, a sparse constellation of tiny white lights bobbed up and down, almost twinkling, gradually moving in the same direction, hinting at the shape of the path ahead and the elevation to be gained. In a single-file line we ascended, over gradually larger rocks, the sound of an unseen stream to our left. My heart pounded. My fingers stiffened with cold.
Not one, but three fourteeners arose before us, completely invisible in the night. I’d read once that 4:00 am is the most ungodly of hours; it’s later than late and earlier than early. But there we were in the mountains, nearly 100 miles from Denver, making our way to the summits of Mts. Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln.
I knew from the beginning that I wanted my first fourteener experience to be with Outdoor Afro. The Denver-Boulder chapter welcomed me when I moved to Colorado and helped me to feel at home. Through them, I first learned of fourteeners and trained to summit my first. I also appreciated the group’s comfortable hiking pace and their commitment to exploring the outdoors for the pleasure of it, without competition or judgment. Outdoor Afro was the right group for me.
I cannot overstate how important it is to summit your first fourteener with the right people. Depending on the distance and difficulty of your hike, you will spend the better part of a day with your hiking party, beginning as early as 2:00 or 4:00 in the morning. You will share jokes, exhaustion, food, and maybe even gear (an Outdoor Afro friend lent me a hat halfway up Mt. Democrat, as I’d forgotten mine). Make sure that you hike with people whose company you enjoy, who can be counted upon in the case of emergency, and with whom you wish to celebrate when you finally make it to the top– because you will make it to the top.
- Climbing 14ers: Training Tips and Exercises (REI)
- Top Five Beginner Fourteeners (Coloradoan)
- Colorado Fourteeners Map (Denver Post)
- 14ers.com (list of all fourteeners, incl trail and peak conditions as reported by hikers)
- OpenSummit (Hourly lightning, precipitation, summit temperature, and summit wind forecasts for every Colorado 14,000-foot peak)
- Colorado’s Fourteener’s: From Hikes to Climbs (Gerry Roach)
- Mountaineering Checklist: The Ten Essentials (REI)
- Mountain-forecast.com (forecasts for mountains around the world)
- AlllTrails.com (trail maps and driving directions)
Congrats! That’s so exciting! And thanks for such a lovely and informative post.
Thanks, Sarah!! 🙂