SAVIOR, HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS – PART 4
Editors Note: Monkey Pen member’s A.B. and Aunt Barbie both have expressed interested in doing their first 14er next year. So I thought it would be good to give them some advice about what to expect, how to get ready, and what to bring. I was going to just email them the list. Then I thought, maybe I just make those a blog multi-part series for everyone.
If you have climbed a 14er, feel free to leave some advice and thoughts for others who might read these entries.
Climbing a 14er is potentially hazardous. The following information is just my opinion for getting ready, things you may need, and what to expect. If you choose to participate in outdoor recreational activities you must assume full responsibility for their own actions and safety.
Links
I hope the blog series on hiking tips on 14ers was enjoyable and useful. I thought I would end the series with some websites that are worth checking out.
LikeSAVIOR, HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS – PART 3
Editors Note: Monkey Pen member’s A.B. and Aunt Barbie both have expressed interested in doing their first 14er next year. So I thought it would be good to give them some advice about what to expect, how to get ready, and what to bring. I was going to just email them the list. Then I thought, maybe I just make those a blog multi-part series for everyone.
If you have climbed a 14er, feel free to leave some advice and thoughts for others who might read these entries.
Climbing a 14er is potentially hazardous. The following information is just my opinion for getting ready, things you may need, and what to expect. If you choose to participate in outdoor recreational activities you must assume full responsibility for their own actions and safety.
What To Expect
Well, we got all the preparation entries out of the way, let’s talk about the hike in general terms.
There are 54 different 14ers in Colorado; so how do you decide which one to climb? Use “Colorado’s 14ers” by Gerry Roach and 14ers.com for directions and how details about the trails. They are useful tools for determine which peak is good for you to hike.
If you just want to try a 14er, then maybe one of the “easier” (that does not mean they are easy hikes) peaks near the Front Range is probably the way to go. If you want to do a lot of 14ers, I recommend doing a “medium” one (maybe any of the collegiate peaks) so you really know what you are getting into.
You should start you hiking pretty early (no later than 6:00 AM is a good rule). You will probably be best served to camp the night near the trail-head. If you can, leave early enough the day before so you are not four wheeling up the road to the trail-head in the dark. I have done it, but it is not that fun four wheeling in the dark.
Learn what to do if you get caught in a lighting storm, what to do if different animals attack, and emergency measures. It is good to know what to do if things go bad. As G.I. Joe taught me growing, “Knowing is half the battle”.
Eat a good meal the night before. Pasta is good for it carbs. Pizza is bad as it seems to bring on bad luck, at least for our hikes. A good breakfast of power bars and fruit is a nice way to get going for me.
As I just mention, start the hike early. It is best if you can reach the top and be on your way down by noon. Storms usually move in no later than 2 p.m. in the Colorado mountains. Getting yourself down before then is a wise move. Getting stuck near the top in rain/snow/lighting storms is no fun.
I think it is better to go with a few friends. I am not someone who thinks it is wise to hike a 14er alone even though there are lots of people on the trails. If something happens to you like slipping and falling down a ridge, it would be nice have friends to help or get help for you.
Enjoy the hike. It is hard, but remember you are there for fun and to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. So it is OK to be slow and steady if you need to be.
Altitude is going to affect you on the climb. As you go up, breathing will be tougher . It is really tough for me around 13,000 feet. So make sure you take long and deep breaths as you go up and you are not taking quick and panting breaths. That will help you do better as you climb. If you get altitude headaches or sickness, drink more water.
Another thing about the altitude, besides taking your breath away and making you sick, is that will affect the weather. I have heard it said that the temperature drops an average of 3.5 degrees (F) for every 1000 foot increase. Really, I am not sure if that is true, but it seems like pretty good rule of thumb. So realize that is going to be much cooler near the top; thus why I recommend the layer clothing in previous posts.
As you climb, watch the weather. Clouds will roll in fast and it can turn nasty quickly. If it gets bad, be smart and get down even if you did not make it to the top. It is better to safe because the mountain is still going to there to hike on another day. It would be good if you were around to hike it on another day.
If you are getting hot spots on your feet as you hike, take the time to put some moleskin on the area of the foot getting the blister. It is worth it to take the time to care for your feet than to pay for it over the next few days.
As you go along, you are probably going to ask yourself why in the world you would do this to your body. However, when you get to the top, it is worth the trip. You will feel better about the trip after a few days and you be pretty happy that at least you tried to do a 14er hike and had an adventure.
After the hike, we like to have cold liquids in a cooler in the car. It taste great as you enjoy not wearing the hiking boots anymore. We usually also find ice cream and dinner in the nearest town. Ice cream is our 14er treat.
The next day or days, you are going to be sore. One of the best things I do to avoid the soreness is getting up the next morning and going on a good walk or bike ride. It helps keep me not from being too stiff.
SAVIOR, HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS – PART 2
Editors Note: Monkey Pen member’s A.B. and Aunt Barbie both have expressed interested in doing their first 14er next year. So I thought it would be good to give them some advice about what to expect, how to get ready, and what to bring. I was going to just email them the list. Then I thought, maybe I just make those a blog multi-part series for everyone.
If you have climbed a 14er, feel free to leave some advice and thoughts for others who might read these entries.
Climbing a 14er is potentially hazardous. The following information is just my opinion for getting ready, things you may need, and what to expect. If you choose to participate in outdoor recreational activities you must assume full responsibility for their own actions and safety.
What To Bring
I have a checklist of things to bring. I have made it a PDF, so you can save it and use it if you would like. Click Here to see it.
I tend to take a lot of stuff, just in case things go bad. So it does make my pack a little heavy. Not everything on the list is something is really required.
Below is a little description on some of the items that are important and why they are useful for the hikes even if they sound like over kill.
Now, a lot of this things, I have purchased over years. They are not cheap. So if you are doing your first couple of 14ers and you don’t have a lot of these things, then I recommend borrowing from friends or make do with what you can find. I don’t recommend you to go out and buy everything at once. Some things you can also rent from stores. You can do that and see test things to see what you like if you are planning to do a of these kind of hikes.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT YOU WILL HAVE. This is an item that you can’t really borrow all that well. Since the National Park Service has not put in escalators, yet, most of the Colorado 14ers are a long day of hiking on rough, rocky trails. On the trail there maybe mud, rocks, snow, stream, loose scree, etc. So your feet are going to take a beating.
You will want a strong boot with a stiff sole that fits well and give your ankles support. You want to break them in with a few small hikes before doing a 14er. Breaking them in does really helps the boot fit a little better with your feet.
Without the proper boots and wool socks, I have seen some nasty blisters and even saw one guy lose his toe nail. Outdoor stores can help you find good boots. Here is a good Hiking Boot Buyer’s Guide.
You are going to need to carry lots of water. I really, really like Camel-backs as it is easy to drink water as you go. I also take a few bottles of water and usually a Gator-aid/Energy drink as well.
Find a good day backpack that can handle the gear, is light, and sits comfortable on your shoulders and back. I like Osprey Packs, myself. However, again the outdoors stores can help you or find that good friend who will loan you their equipment.
The key is to layer, layer, and layer. If you can avoid cotton stuff, that will help a lot especially if it rains and/or snows. That way if you get wet, then you can dry quicker. I usually have a t-shirt and shorts. Then I have a long sleeve shirt, a fleece jacket, rain pants, and then a Gortex coat for the cold, wind, rain, and/or snow.
I am the type of person that altitude kills my appetite. Therefore, I like to take food I really like. I usually have gorp I have put together, some chewable candies, power and granola bars, jerky (which I normally don’t like but it taste better on the hikes), some fruit, and sandwiches. I have to force myself to eat since the appetite is suppressed by the altitude. Others people get very hungry on those hikes. Depending on the peak, you will probably be spending 6 to 14 hours on the hike. So take enough food and some extra (in case it becomes a longer day than planned or you get lost, etc.)
I always take a first aid kit. I recommend that you take items with like neosporin, gauze, bandage, tape, aspirin, moleskin for blisters, etc. I have had to use my a few times for blisters, once for a deep cut in my forearm (I fell on a icy, wooden bridge and the wood punctured my arm and caused a lot of bleeding), and once to wrap an ankle when it got twisted bad coming down a steep scree area.
SAVIOR, HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS – PART 1
Editors Note: Monkey Pen member’s A.B. and Aunt Barbie both have expressed interested in doing their first 14er this year. So I thought it would be good to give them some advice about what to expect, how to get ready, and what to bring. I was going to just email them the list. Then I thought, maybe I just make those a blog multi-part series for everyone.
If you have climbed a 14er, feel free to leave some advice and thoughts for others who might read these entries.
Climbing a 14er is potentially hazardous. The following information is just my opinion and I don’t consider myself an expect just someone who has hiked many of the peaks. If you choose to participate in outdoor recreational activities you must assume full responsibility for their own actions and safety.
HOW TO GET READY
It is also recommended to build up to all the exercise slowly, and that you talk to a doctor and/or a training before engaging in heavy exercise.
CARDIO
First off, getting in shape for climbing a 14er should involve a lot of cardio workouts. Whether you go run, ride you bike, or hit the stair climbers, tread mills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes at the gym; you should work up to at least 45 minutes to an hour a day for 4 or 5 times a week. It would be good if the cardio workouts involved going up and down hilly areas or making the machines simulate hills.
I am bad at the above as I don’t like an intense cardio workout, but I know I need to be better at it before summer comes. I also recommend laying off the old carbonated drinks as that it will help you breath better without them. Again, for me, this is tough as I am a Dr. Pepper addict.
STRENGTH ENDURANCE
What I will never forget from my first 14er (Mt. Harvard) was that I needed stronger quads, hamstrings, and especially calves. Doing squats, lunges, and other leg exercises especially for the quads and calves is so import.
Also, work on those lats and backs as carrying a day-pack can really tire out those shoulders. Getting your back and legs into shape is just as important as your heart and lungs.
Basically, strength endurance is really what you want to focus on, so you can be ready for a long day of hiking.
MENTAL
Hiking a 14er is not for those people who quit. You’re going to be tired and sore. So train you mind for a long, full day of work. Going up will be tough on the lungs and legs and your mind will you you can’t go on. Going down is tough on the joints and mind will wonder if you are ever going to get to the end of the trail.
Learn to focus on setting small goals and getting them done. That will help a lot when you hike. You can set small goals all the way up and down, so you can finish the hike.
PRACTICE
If you can, get out and hike some of the smaller mountains and open space trails around. That will help you get use to hiking and carrying a day-back. It will also help you break in and test your boots (I will write about those in another entry).
I’M FINDING OUT HOW MUCH I LOVE BEING WRONG
I went to the well one to many times.
Then again things aren’t what they used to be
Oh well, it is what it is
I am not here to talk about the past
Mistakes were made, but I know deep in my heart I’ve done nothing wrong.
That is just some of the cliche that come to mind about my 2nd annual contest. See at the end of 2007, it was very popular. So I did it again at the end of 2008. Well, this time it was not popular at all. Only one Monkey Pen Member even made any guesses. Two other members left comments.
So congrats to Matt, who made some guesses. He will get the $15 gift card. Really, he was closest on the other guesses, too, and maybe I should just give him all 3 of the gift cards. Yet, since no one cares, I will just give the other cards to Rick and Todd who at least left some comments in that entry.
As for the answers, I will still post them here, even though no one cared.
Question 1: 6 (Matt got it exactly right)
Question 2: 14 (Matt was off by 3)
Question 3: Below is the complete list of books I read in 2008 (I read 36 books last year, Matt got none right for 2008, but he got one right for 2007 and four for 2009. Yet, he still wins.)
Monkey Meditations
- Good Things About The BCS: It named me the winner of my Fantasy Football League
- Naps, they are no longer just fun
- They are something you ought to do for a healthy, productive, and balanced life
- At least according to a study by an Dr. Sara Mednick
- Good Things About The BCS: It almost makes Chicago elections seem honest
- I am a big fan of naps
- Now I have good reason to take a nap
- If only I could get my boss to let me nap that is
- Good Things About The BCS: It creates jobs for computer programmers every year
- Not long ago, I mentioned a blog I think everyone should read, called CARPE DIEM
- It has some great information about economics and finance
- Including this entry on health care that makes sense, but probably will be ignored
- Good Things About The BCS: It helps me focus more on baseball hot stoves reports
- A course at some point the government will take over health care
- Sadly, they will probably run out of money
- As it will be probably be run by the people who come up with the coupons for the digital converters program
- Good Things About The BCS: It gave me a Monkey Meditation line
