What to know before hiking your first 14er

If you’re new to the hiking world, you may have never heard someone refer to their hike as a ’14er’. Essentially, a 14er is when you summit a mountain14,000 ft above sea level. California, Washington, and Alaska each have a few, but Colorado has 50+ 14ers to choose from.

There are different ‘classes’ of 14ers. A class 1 or 2 will require serious skills and gear. I don’t think I will ever complete a class 1 or 2, but a beautiful one on my bucket list is a Class 3 which is Mt. Sneffles in Telluride. ‘Begginer’ 14ers typically include Mt. Bierstadt, Grays & Torrey’s, and Quandary Peak. From Denver, these 14ers are only a 1-2 hour drive. For my first 14er I completed Mt. Bierstadt. I woke up at 3am, left the house at 3:30am, and made it to the trail head by 4:40am. There were plenty of spots left in the parking lot. However when I finished hiking around 10:30 the lot was completely full, along with many cars parked along the road.

The best time to complete a 14er is late June through July, August, and late September. However, it truly depends on snow fall. Some 14ers will have snow at the peak year round. A great hike to prep you for a 14er is Bear Peak in Boulder. If you take the more ‘difficult’ route it is very steep and has an elevation gain of 2,800. Personally, I thought this was more difficult than Mt Bierstadt. These 14ers are dog friendly, however check the weather, have them wear boots if necessary, and provide them with an ample amount of water. We did not take our dogs, but I wish we would have as they could have completed Mt. Bierstadt. We saw plenty of other dogs at the summit, even a corgi!

What to know before completing your first 14er

Start Early

Whether you choose to wake up at 3am and drive to the trailhead like I did, or if you choose to camp/car camp the night before, I’d highly suggest starting as early as 5 or 6am. Not only to claim a parking space, but to avoid the crowds. We may have passed 100+ people when we were hiking down.

Stay Hydrated

The day before I’d suggest increasing your water intake and getting enough sleep. I typically drink a liquid IV the morning of/day before. Use my code ‘fearlesslyfoster’ to save on your liquid IV purchase!

Bring Snacks

And actually eat them. It is so important to have fuel for those early morning hikes that last hours. With it being an early morning, I typically eat a banana and drink a Celsius before hiking.

Check the Weather

Another reason to start early is to avoid any thunderstorms or brutal weather conditions at the peak. I use this website here when checking the weather 3 days out. It tells you the weather at the base, mid, and peak. Our goal was to be finished with hiking by noon.

Bring Layers

The weather is unpredictable! Expect a cool morning to start, then cool air and gusty winds at the peak. Then when descending, that Colorado sun may be full fledge. I linked what I wore and listed my full packing list below.

My 14er packing List

• Hat
• Gloves
• Wind Breaker for the summit
• Hand Warmers. At one point I was wearing two pairs of gloves!
• Camel Back for water. I take 1.5L and so does my husband.
• Snacks. We brought oranges, cliff bars, grapes, and sandwiches. Plus a celebratory beverage to enjoy at the summit!
• Sunglasses/Suncreen
• Hiking Poles, however you will need to put them away once you reach rocky areas/boulders.
• Headlamp for when you start at sunrise.

Above all, have fun, take breaks, and enjoy the incredible views.

Stay fearless,

Michelle Foster