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My little sister was in town from Texas to visit me. I just delivered a baby on June 27, 2010 and was finally up for a hike to get myself back into shape. So I decided to take Shanna up her first 14er only 4 weeks after my delivery!
We started at 6 am and were headed home by 2 pm. It took us 8 hours RT including rest stops and our lunch break on the summit. I ended up hiking in shorts the whole time because it was such a nice day. Shanna got a little bit of altitude sickness towards the top but once we ate, she was fine. Most of the people I met on this hike were from out of state. I think that there are a lot people that hike Elbert as their first 14er because it is supposedly a Class 1 and the highest in CO. But honestly, this hike is much, much steeper and longer than I had anticipated. Having hiked 14 14ers now...I think there are prettier, shorter 14ers to start on such as Grays/Torreys and Huron Peak. I ended up getting blisters on the way back because of how steep and slippery it was. I think that this hike should be considered a Difficult Class 1 or a Class 2. I still enjoyed it because you get to hike a good majority of it in the forest. But it was not my favorite as far as scenery. Mt. Massive sits right next to Elbert and makes for a great view for the whole hike though. I dont want to scare anyone away from hiking Elbert, just want all of those first timers to know what they are getting into and to not be deceived by the Class 1 title. It is still a 14er and they are always harder than you expect I guess. But definitely Go For It!!! Just take a lot of water and snacks and enjoy the hike!
Overall it was fun to get out for a girls hike with my two sisters and my other hiking buddy. It was a gorgeous day!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
What an accomplishment for all of you lowlanders (and so recently after the baby download)! (And what a lovely group of ladies, too). Congrats! Happy trails!
I think a lot of people get the impression that a ”class 1” 14er should be a breeze, but nothing could be further from the truth! Mt. Elbert was my 1st 14er three years ago and it kicked my butt big time. Of course, being from Texas myself, the elevation took it's toll on me as well as the long hike and it was long. If 14ers were easy everyone would do them. Good job on the hike, enjoyed your report...it really reflected a lot of my feelings about the hike when I did it.
Congrats on your 14er hike only a few weeks after your delivery! Well done! I've completed the 7 summits and have learned (sometimes the hard way) that the highest peak is not always the hardest, most aesthetic or most rewarding. But whatever peak you hike or climb, they all should be taken seriously. I agree with you. Great report!
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