Brad McQueen 500 14er Summits

[greenonion]

Great job, Brad!

[glenmiz]

Congratulations Brad! You set a great example for the rest of us.

[KSU Wildcat]

Good job Brad!

[cougar]

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[bluegrassclimber]

Congrats! Awesome accomplishment.

[Stratosfearsome]

Way to go, Brad. Half way there!

[CaptainSuburbia]

Great work Brad! You must have an awesome wife!

[bmcqueen]

Thanks for the kind words. First, I do indeed have an awesome and very understanding wife! Thanks for all of your support over the years Mel.

I'm just a very average hiker who has been at this for a long time. I think of all of the amazing people on this forum and am humbled daily. Doing the Bells Traverse a few weeks ago, I thought a lot about my good friend and frequent partner, John Balciar, doing the Bells Traverse solo in winter to finish the seasonal grid (and now chasing only Ken Nolan for the full 14ers grid - I had a chance to meet Ken at the Climber's Gathering a couple years ago - amazing guy; John B. also took Jim Gehres out to breakfast in the last year to hear about all of his 12+ summits of each peak - bummed I was not able to join them that morning). I think about Justin Simoni traversing the Sangres self-supported. I think about Ryan and Danny overnighting on the first winter summit of Jagged "because they aren't totally nuts". I think about Preston's aversion to sleeping in a tent and thus day tripping all those amazingly far San Juan 13ers. I think of Ian and Dorthe who just quietly put up summit after summit after summit year in and year out, helping people along the way. Then there are the 13er finishers....that's a whole other level of passion and commitment. I think about Jane and how she is as badass on rock as she is tough in winter. I think about Zach coming back from being in a wheel chair after a close call with lightning; Noel coming back from a rockfall hit; Amy finishing the winter 14ers with amazing perseverance through injuries. Dad Mike finished out Steve's goal of doing the Cents in winter this past year - simply amazing. Yes, we have amazing people among our ranks - I'm sure I missed dozens of others who's feats I admire.

Yep, I'm a very average guy. The last half hour back to Purgatory last night hurt, just like it did a couple Septembers ago when I was chasing John Balciar out of there. Thanks to all of you true super humans out there for keeping an average guy like me motivated to keep getting outside and keep working on my skills.

Thanks to Bill M. for the awesome site and for the sense of community he has helped build over the years. Finally, thanks to the true heroes who volunteer with their local SAR groups to drop everything on a moment's notice when one of us gets in trouble.

[BillMiddlebrook]

Way to go, Brad. Half way there!

Well, he is at 900 (13ers+14ers)

[ltlFish99]

Yes, congrats, Brad.

A name that isn't mentioned too much anymore is Jim Gehres. In the late '80s early '90s, he was recognized as the person with the most 14er ascents, as he had climbed them all 12-13 times. I imagine part of that was a lack of information on other peaks to climb -- just stick to what is known. In 2000, I was preparing to leave the trailhead near Winfield to climb UN 13,253 when a gentleman asked me about my plans. I told him about my 13er for the day, and he introduced himself as Spencer Swanger, the first to climb all of the centennials. (He was leading a CMC group up Huron that day.) He talked about how things had changed a little even in 2000, as when he climbed the centennials, the routes were far from developed.

That is interesting you mentioned Jim Gehres.
I joined the CMC in April 1987, hiked Torreys in June 1987, then noticed mr. gehres was leading a hike of Capitol in July 1987.
I was on a waiting list, and contacted him the night before the trip. He said I could go but it was mandatory that i have a helmet.
So off to rei I went for the helmet and the next day we backpacked to Capitol lake.
The following day when we hiked Capitol was Jim Gehres 500th 14er.
He is a very pleasant gentleman, and the entire trip was great.

[ltlFish99]

Congratulations Brad. That is an incredible accomplishment.

[climbingcue]

Congrats Brad!!! Amazing work!!!