Sleeping on top of 14ers

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
mewithout14ers
Posts: 32
Joined: 6/21/2010
14ers: 17 
13ers: 2
Trip Reports (0)
 

Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by mewithout14ers »

I've been fantasizing about my Summer plans recently and then I started to brainstorm sleeping on top of (or close by) a 14er some night in the Summer when there would absolutely be no chance of thunderstorms. Do any of you have input as to decent 14ers to sleep on or any red flags to this idea? I've had some friends who have done this and so I think it would be awesome to do as well!
"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without even wondering." - Augustine
User avatar
jsdratm
Posts: 459
Joined: 6/26/2011
14ers: 24  2 
13ers: 40
Trip Reports (4)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by jsdratm »

Mount Evans might be a good starter since you could park a car or bicycle nearby if there is an emergency.
User avatar
jdorje
Posts: 1388
Joined: 6/16/2010
14ers: 12 
13ers: 27
Trip Reports (16)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by jdorje »

Surely the red flag would be lightning.
"I don't think about the past, and the future is a mystery. Only the present matters."
User avatar
globreal
Posts: 1885
Joined: 7/7/2008
14ers: 58  1  26 
13ers: 198 2 6
Trip Reports (61)
 
Contact:

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by globreal »

El Chupacabra and I spent the night on a summit and we chose to do it in September. The weather was perfect which much of September usually is. I would suggest....not forgetting your ground pad. Most summits don't have smooth/flat places to lay down on! Well, unless you go to Pikes Peak and sleep in the parking lot.
jswiftcervelo
Posts: 47
Joined: 11/22/2010
14ers: 27  2 
13ers: 80 11
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by jswiftcervelo »

On Sherman there is a perfectly flat non-rocky spot almost exactly on the summit - I spent the night there for altitude training...

REALLY watch your weather for one and (at least in this case) get ready for a windy night :)
User avatar
shearmodulus
Posts: 257
Joined: 7/18/2011
14ers: 18  1  1 
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by shearmodulus »

The boulderfield camping on Long's is pretty nice, and it's around 12,600 feet. Certainly not "top of a 14er" but still a pretty cool campout. Especially if you go during a full moon - the rise of the moon over the ridge to the west that blocks the summit from view is especially nice.
"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads...."
peter303
Posts: 3535
Joined: 6/17/2009
14ers: 34 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by peter303 »

Even with one of their a team a professional meteorologist, Jon had to cancel about a quarter of his attempts due to stormy weather. But they were in a rush to complete this during a single season. If you have the flexibility to wait for a multi-day dry window then it may work.

For a while these guys were presenting their slide show almost every week somewhere in Colorado.
User avatar
Matt
Posts: 2669
Joined: 7/26/2005
14ers: 58 
13ers: 208
Trip Reports (32)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by Matt »

peter303 wrote:Even with one of their a team a professional meteorologist, Jon had to cancel about a quarter of his attempts due to stormy weather. But they were in a rush to complete this during a single season.
That's DR.JON to you.
We are all greater artists than we realize -FWN
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. -HDT
Peak List
User avatar
Cruiser
Posts: 1993
Joined: 11/24/2005
14ers: 50 
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by Cruiser »

^^^

Image
Where ever you are... There you are.
User avatar
Fisching
Posts: 434
Joined: 10/10/2009
14ers: 58  10 
13ers: 144 1
Trip Reports (13)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by Fisching »

jsdratm wrote:Mount Evans might be a good starter since you could park a car or bicycle nearby if there is an emergency.
This would be my recommendation (and reasoning) as well. Kushrocks stayed a night or two up for altitude preparation to climbing 21,000' Illimani. Shoot him a PM as he can provide details of his experience.
Peter Aitchison on the risks of rock climbing and mountaineering: "That's life, isn't it? We think the challenge and satisfaction you get from doing this is worth the risks."
"Respect the mountain. Train hard. Hope you can sneak up when it isn't looking."
"The mind is always worried about consequences, but the heart knows no fear. The heart just does what it wants."
gzrrnnr
Posts: 90
Joined: 8/5/2009
14ers: 58  7 
13ers: 94
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by gzrrnnr »

We spent the night on the top of Little Bear, Belford, and Gray's (before it was found by the herds of people). Great experience - great night sky. Lightning and storms are certainly the biggest hazards - have an emergency route off the top that you can descend very rapidly (Little Bear did not meet that criteria...). Also, marmots and mountain goats may be your partners on the summit - take steps to avoid sharing your gear and food with them.
User avatar
Jay521
Posts: 1161
Joined: 8/1/2007
14ers: 42  10 
13ers: 175 22
Trip Reports (56)
 

Re: Sleeping on top of 14ers

Post by Jay521 »

Although it's only a 12er, I spent the night on top of Buffalo Mountain (12,777) by Dillon about 20 years ago. Did it on the 4th of July after watching the fireworks show over the reservoir. And the fireworks didn't seem near as cool as I thought they would be - you could barely hear them from up there. But it was a fun night. The stars were fantastic.
I take the mountain climber's approach to housekeeping - don't look down
Post Reply