I'm not a big fan of the term "Peak Bagging" but it's become very popular. I can imagine the
number of people out there that have a checklist with some peaks already
marked off. The general goal is to hike or climb to the
summit of every 14er. Depending on the specific list, there are
between 53 and 55 "official" Colorado 14ers. Most lists do not count certain
named 14ers as legitimate peaks because they do not rise 300 feet above
the connecting saddle with the closest other 14er. See the 14er list for more information on specific peaks that do not meet this
criteria. If you have a list and intend to climb some or all of
these peaks, you are likely on a bagging mission.
Set a general timeframe to climb the 14ers but try not to push it. After
all, it's about climbing the peaks - hopefully not just that big fat check mark
made with the sacred Sharpie. Climbing all of the Colorado 14ers is a goal that few accomplish. Some people do it in a couple of years and some do it in
a lifetime. Proceed at your own pace. If you climb all of
these peaks, frame your checklist.
3,000 Feet or Bust!?!?
The 3,000-foot guideline means more to some than others: Some
climbers don't feel they have "completed" a peak unless they summit the peak
while gaining at least 3,000
feet of elevation on each 14er (or 14er group if a group of peaks are clustered
together). Some feel that you must gain 3,000 feet on every 14er, which usually
involves revisiting peak groups to repeat 14er summits to gain at least 3,000
feet for each peak. Others feel that if you hike from an established
trailhead to
the summit, you have climbed the peak. It all comes down to your
individual goals.
An Obsession?
Climbing 14ers can
quickly become an obsession. The guidebooks make it easy to become
hooked on a great, multi-year adventure. Once you start, you may
never stop. I started out as a casual climber that enjoyed reaching the
summit, taking pictures, and dreaming about the next one. I quickly
became so obsessed with climbing that I spent every
single day reading guidebooks, studying maps, and carefully planning the
next batch of peaks. I'm sure others have gone through a similar
change and wonder if they are overly obsessed with these peaks.
Probably. I have made sure to gain more than 3,000' of elevation on
at least one trip up each 14er. Now, I only feel "productive" when I gain more than
20,000 feet of elevation each month and climb 50+ peaks a year. Wacky!
It usually takes a scary moment on a difficult pitch or a near-miss on the
highway en route to the trailhead to make me remember why I climb in
Colorado. It's wild, beautiful, exciting, fun, and usually
quiet. Some trips are simply indescribable. The list is not
what's most important.
Thousands of Climbers
Over the past few years the amount of people climbing Colorado's
14ers has grown tremendously. The mountains have been around for a
long time but that doesn't mean they are invincible. Some peaks get
so much traffic that even well-maintained routes may be doomed to a weak
condition in the years ahead. Organizations like the Colorado
Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) spend all of their time trying to create
sustainable routes, repair damage caused by the climbing community, and
preserve the natural state of the 14ers. These efforts can only go
so far due to finite resources and the fact that community numbers are
quickly growing. It's important that we all think of the impact that
we make on these great peaks. Practice Leave-No-Trace and tread
lightly. Don't cut those switchbacks and pick up trash if you see
it. Ten years from now there may be five times as many climbers.
Will we be able to sustain solid routes on all of the popular peaks?
Only if we all do our part to limit the impact. If we don't, the
Forest Service or some other group will put limitations on our access.
If that happens, we have only ourselves to blame.
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