My 1st 14er

[Snowman78]

So I did my 1st 14er yesterday,
Grays Peak
Summit is 14,270 ft
We started at about 11,000 ft
total round trip hike is aprox 8 miles.

It was so F&%King hard! ,but so much fun! I can't wait to do more!!!.

Took about 6 hr's, we had 7 people total. We all started at the same time but I was in the 1st group (4 of us) and we were about 1hr ahead of the 2nd group. On our way down we ran into the 2nd group so we went back to the summit with them!

PS. My 1911 went to the top with me!

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/Nvasu4333/14er1.jpg

The start, it was about 7am.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/Nvasu4333/14er2.jpg

About 1/2 way, the peak with the snow in the backround is were we are going.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/Nvasu4333/14ertop1.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/Nvasu4333/14ertop2.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/Nvasu4333/14ertop3.jpg

THE TOP!!

[xring]

Congratulations;
Rest up.
From what see conditions are optimum for summiting the next seven days!
Use your own judgment of course.
Bag a couple more this year.
My knees cant do it any more, glucosamine has its limits[Weight]

I sorry i cant resist, I know im a ass
You didnt bag torrys while you were there????[Beer]

[Snowman78]

We may try for 1 more this year, but I am not sure we will have time. NO we did not do Torrys yet...

[J]

We went up to do Greys/Torreys earlier this summer. We parked right where the cars started, figuring the lot was full, and it must be just up the road. After pulling up GPS on the way back down, to see just how dumb we were: We started at 8000ft, instead of 11,000ft, and added an extra 4 miles each direction to the trip. We were pretty pissed when we finally reached the base and realized just how much energy we wasted.

We made it to 13,500 and turned around because a storm was fast approaching. Can't say I wasn't glad, I was dead. Can't wait to try again sans 8 miles and 6000 feet round trip. We

[Snowman78]

Ya parking can get very bad up there. We talked about how bad it would suck if we had to hike the road in.

[roberth]

Congratulations! It is a great view from up there.

[xring]

We went up to do Greys/Torreys earlier this summer. We parked right where the cars started, figuring the lot was full, and it must be just up the road. After pulling up GPS on the way back down, to see just how dumb we were: We started at 8000ft, instead of 11,000ft, and added an extra 4 miles each direction to the trip. We were pretty pissed when we finally reached the base and realized just how much energy we wasted.

We made it to 13,500 and turned around because a storm was fast approaching. Can't say I wasn't glad, I was dead. Can't wait to try again sans 8 miles and 6000 feet round trip. We
You did right!! We turned around three times over four years trying to bag harvard from the north before giving up and bagging it from the south, and horn basin. I got caught in a storm on comanche peak. Lightning every 30 seconds or so. No discernable time delay in between flash and noise. hair standing straight up from the static. fear. mini streams running down the gully. You leave when the storms are even close.

[J]

Ya parking can get very bad up there. We talked about how bad it would suck if we had to hike the road in.

It wasn't even that. At that time there were some serious pitts in the road. The normal cars and wanna-be SUVs (like kias) couldn't clear em, so they all parked down low. There was actually plenty of parking at the base parking lot. And I had my truck with plenty of clearance.

We know for next time now... won't make that mistake again.

Any you were right... hiking that entire road before starting the summit sucked, almost as bad as hiking down it after being exhausted and in a storm.

[J]

You did right!! We turned around three times over four years trying to bag harvard from the north before giving up and bagging it from the south, and horn basin. I got caught in a storm on comanche peak. Lightning every 30 seconds or so. No discernable time delay in between flash and noise. hair standing straight up from the static. fear. mini streams running down the gully. You leave when the storms are even close.

No kidding, We turned around, and by the time we got down it was well over/on us. You get zero warning up there, as soon as you see them in the distance, they are closer to you than you have time to hike down. Yikes!

[Ah Pook]

The only REAL way to do a 14er is to start at sea level. [Neene3]

Congrats! [Beer]

Looks like it was a fun hike.

[Mick-Boy]

Congratulations. getting up high and topping off hills is addictive. Pretty soon you'll be looking at the sky line and wondering what the world looks like from the top of every thing you see. [Beer]

[xring]

The only REAL way to do a 14er is to start at sea level. [Neene3]

C


Screw that[Tooth] Climbing 10k mt jefferson in OR from 3k(I think) hurt me bad enough! freakin sea level air is too thick to breath[scuba]

[patrick0685]

We went up to do Greys/Torreys earlier this summer. We parked right where the cars started, figuring the lot was full, and it must be just up the road. After pulling up GPS on the way back down, to see just how dumb we were: We started at 8000ft, instead of 11,000ft, and added an extra 4 miles each direction to the trip. We were pretty pissed when we finally reached the base and realized just how much energy we wasted.

We made it to 13,500 and turned around because a storm was fast approaching. Can't say I wasn't glad, I was dead. Can't wait to try again sans 8 miles and 6000 feet round trip. We

I almost made that mistake but luckly kept driving and found the real parking lot, when we got to the top there were a bunch of sheep on an adjacent peak that was cool to see

[Irving]

I didn't make it all the way to the top of Harvard the time I tried. It was a disappointment for sure.

[Tinelement]

Congrats!

I've done 5 of them. Lots of fun and you can't beat the scenery from there!

Which one ya doing next?

[J]

P.S. Anytime you go up a 14er, grab a Which Wich sandwich order bag, and take a picture at the summit marker with you and the bag. They will give you a free sandwich of your choice if you bring it in.

[patrick0685]

P.S. Anytime you go up a 14er, grab a Which Wich sandwich order bag, and take a picture at the summit marker with you and the bag. They will give you a free sandwich of your choice if you bring it in.

nice tip

[Snowman78]

Congrats!

I've done 5 of them. Lots of fun and you can't beat the scenery from there!

Which one ya doing next?

The view is great! not sure on the next one yet

[Snowman78]

P.S. Anytime you go up a 14er, grab a Which Wich sandwich order bag, and take a picture at the summit marker with you and the bag. They will give you a free sandwich of your choice if you bring it in.

One person in our group had a bag and we got a pic for her!

[mcantar18c]

Gray's, Torry's, Lincoln, Democrat, Bross, Evans, Bierstadt Pikes Peak, Pyramid Peak, the Maroon Bells... lots of great hikes/climbs within a couple hour's drive. Man I miss CO.
One of my favorite hikes is starting at the Summit Lake (Mt. Evans) parking lot, go down the chutes into the valley past the Chicago Lakes and then up Mt Goliath and back.

These are the chutes...
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/331_24989058963_1555_n.jpg
Takes you down into this valley, Mt Goliath is down at the end of the valley there on the right, then you ride the saddles back...
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/331_24989043963_3636_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/331_24991063963_3549_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/196301_6121463963_9457_n.jpg
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/198553_6121368963_2351_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/331_24986418963_7221_n.jpg

[Fmedges]

Badass. I did my first about 2 weeks ago at gray's as well. It was as expected, but about the last 1/4 really kicked my ass. Going downhill was like someone slugging me in the knees with a sledgehammer. Overall it was awesome, I lost 7lbs of water that day haha.

[Snowman78]

^Yep that is how I felt, I am also a smoker (I WILL be quitting soon) my wife said there would be NO WAY a smoker could do a 14er, so I had to prove her wrong!

BTY I Had a smoke at the top

[hatidua]

Do DeCaLiBron if you are only aiming for one more this year, it'll add four to your list in one day! [Beer] (do it clockwise, it's easier that way)