In Colorado 54 mountain peaks rise greater than fourteen thousand feet above sea level--54 peaks full of wonder and awe, each with their own personality and class, their own style and charm, their own strategy and treachery. Many lives have been claimed by those who are inexperienced, who lose track of their way, or who make fatal decisions. High above the bustle of life in the biosphere, we find a void of animals and plants; thousands of feet higher than where even the smallest tree can extract the necessary gases from the atmosphere to survive, only a few hearty creatures exist: lichens, small mice, and the occasional marmot or mountain goat. Here we find a different world altogether from that which exists below, we find a world of rock, snow, and cold; of monstrous winds and storms that try their best at times to rid this barren sanctuary from life that has wandered up higher than it should; a world where the struggle for life takes on new rules and different meanings. These are the 14ers, to those who know them.
A view to Blanca Peak from an unnamed summit over 13,500 feet. I was heading to Mt. Lindsey, which is out of picture to the left, and still over a mile away. This was my second failed attempt, but with this snow perhaps you can see why. Ironically, Blanca was my first successful ascent. This was taken in JuneTwenty-five times I have reached a point on the earth where I stand with every direction down, and my feet on land that will never feel the roots of a tree growing through it--over fourteen thousand feet above the sea. At these altitudes airplanes can not even fly without supplemental oxygen aboard. Only three times have I failed in an attempt, and had to retrace my steps back down without reaching the summit. 22 of these mountains I climbed alone, often in the off-season, and more than ten I climbed without seeing a single other soul the entire way.
Just to clear something up here, I don't do the 'rock climbing' thing. This is mountain climbing, and is done with a good pair of boots and a trusty pack. No ropes, carabiners, or harnesses. Just hiking, but sometimes along ledges with dropoffs thousands of feet high. One of the things I always get a kick out of is climbing with guys who haven't gone before. These jokers have always prided themselves in being very muscular and athletic, doing the weightlifting thing, telling me they go running, etc. They know I've climbed before, but they always think they'll "show me up" when we go. I tell them it's really physically exhausting, and they're like "Yeah, yeah, if you can do it, I'm sure I can too." Well! Never mind the huffing and puffing they do to keep up. Girls, we have a great advantage with being on average lighter than guys. When I and whomever I go with reach the first stretches of snow over 5 feet deep, you should see these guys trying to keep from sinking in! So often I've just danced on top of the crust and that behomoth of machoism behind me is sinking in to his hip on every step, cursing the whole way. I try to conceal my laughter and just shout out encouragement!! What a kick it is! One of the greatest thrills of climbing is doing what is known as "glissading." gli-SADE-ing On mountains are vertical troughs extending for thousands of feet, known as "couloirs" koo-WHARs. These were carved out by avalanches over millenia. Often snow collects and remains in these well into the summer, long after it has melted from the rest of the mountain. So what better way to get down after a climb than to plop your tush into one of these and slide?? This is a glissade, and beats any sled hill you may have gone down as a youth! Just make sure you know what's at the bottom, and don't go sliding off any cliffs!!
This page was last updated on: November 26th, 1996. You are the
North Peak, or more commonly known as Eagles' Peak. Summit is at 9200', and is right behind the Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Many times I hiked up there!!
The [truly] Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado. Taken one morning after a light snowfall.
One of my favorite links is to a camera pointed at Pike's Peak which displays an image updated every minute. Note: If you go here at nighttime you won't see a whole lot. You should be in bed anyway!!
A list of those I've climbed:
** 18 Apr 93 Mount Princeton -- failed at 12,200' -- with 3 other people
#1 16 Jun 93 Blanca Peak 14,345' (4th highest) -- with 1 other person
#2 04 Jun 94 Mount Harvard 14,420' (3rd highest)
#3 04 Jun 94 Mount Columbia 14,073' (35th highest)
#4 12 Jun 94 Mount Tabeguache 14,155' (26th highest)
#5 12 Jun 94 Mount Shavano 14,229' (17th highest)
#6 20 Aug 94 La Plata Peak 14,336' (5th highest) -- with 1 other person
#7 27 Aug 94 Missouri Mountain 14,067' (36th highest)
#8 27 Aug 94 Mount Belford 14,197' (19th highest)
#9 27 Aug 94 Mount Oxford 14,153' (27th highest)
#10 09 Oct 94 Mount Democrat 14,148' (29th highest)
#11 09 Oct 94 Mount Lincoln 14,286' (8th highest)
#12 09 Oct 94 Mount Bross 14,172' (22nd highest)
#13 21 May 95 Quandary Peak 14,265' (13th highest)
#14 28 May 95 Mount Princeton 14,197' (18th highest) Second attempt -- with 1 other person
*** 03 Jun 95 Mount Lindsey -- failed, though miles away
#15 10 Jun 95 Grays Peak 14,270' (9th highest)
#16 26 Aug 95 Mount Bierstadt 14,060' (38th highest)
#17 26 Aug 95 Mount Evans 14,264' (14th highest)
#18 23 Sep 95 Crestone Needle 14,197' (20th highest)
#19 23 Sep 95 Crestone Peak 14,294' (7th highest)
#20 23 Sep 95 Humboldt Peak 14,064' (37th highest)
*** 20 Oct 95 Maroon Bells (2) -- failed at 12,900' -- with 1 other person
#21 12 Nov 95 Mount Elbert 14,433' (Highest point in Colorado, and in Rocky Mountains)
#22 10 Feb 96 Pikes Peak 14,110' (31st highest)
#23 19 May 96 Mount Massive 14,421' (2nd highest)
#24 22 May 96 Torreys Peak 14,267' (11th highest)
#25 25 May 96 Mount Yale 14,196' (21st highest)
### 01 Jun 96 Moved to Wisconsin (As Arnold says, I'll be back!!)
Still under construction. Stay tuned...
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