2014 14er Speed Record Attempt

[andrewhamilton]

Hello All,

I can't believe it is already time for this, but I will be leaving home tomorrow to make an attempt at the Colorado 14er Speed Record. It is actually part of a larger attempt to set a new fastest known time on 74 (58 Colorado, 15 California, 1 Washington) of the 14ers in the Contiguous United States. The actual start time will be right around 4:00 am on Wednesday, June 18.

I've managed to pick a pretty lousy year for an early start, considering all of the snow and anticipated postholing but at this point I can't delay the start at all because my crew dates are fixed.

If you are interested in following along you can see my satellite tracker updates at: https://share.delorme.com/14ers.

I intended on having a great website with maps and stuff like that, but in the end I am sorry to say I feel lucky to have just learned wordpress so that I could put anything up at all. Here is a link to the website where we will try to post lots of updates: http://www.andrewhamilton.com/14ers

I look forward to seeing some of you out on the trails, or in the snow...

[San Juan Ron]

Good luck! Interesting (mis)adventures recently, hopefully all goes well on your attempt. I kinda like the idea of mixing two of my favorite pastimes, hiking and motorcycles, into a single attempt. I see you found out how much snow we have around here this year. SJ Ron

[justiner]

Go Andrew!

[TallGrass]

I've managed to pick a pretty lousy year for an early start, considering all of the snow and anticipated postholing but at this point I can't delay the start at all because my crew dates are fixed.

Which is why I believe Cave Dog chose September. Then again, you might make quicker work of Longs.

Good luck! Should be interesting to follow!

[wildlobo71]

Good luck Andrew, thanks for the link! Hope to bump into you - again - once this is all over and commiserate!

[andrewhamilton]

I see you found out how much snow we have around here this year. SJ Ron

I just don't understand, the San Juans are supposed to be the one range in the state with a below average snowpack. I don't know where Snotel gets their data from but if this is a 60% snowpack, then I'd like to see a 100% year. We'd be skiing all summer!

Which is why I believe Cave Dog chose September.

You'd be surprised how much agonizing I have spent on finding the ideal start date. I think anything mid-July through August is just terrible, because you are just tempting the mountains to crush you every day with monsoons. I tried end of August in 1999 and got spanked by early snowstorms and blizzards in the San Juans.

My reasoning for end of June is to maximize the amount of light, hopefully avoid lightning storms, lots of water, and to try to make use of glissades (yes, I admit it, I like to glissade!) to save my knees some descending. Of course you risk late season snowstorms, road closures, and postholing...I sure was lucky in 2003 when I started on June 21 and spent 3 weeks on the Self-Powered attempt and did not even get one drop of rain (after the first 4 hours).

[andrewhamilton]

Good luck Andrew, thanks for the link! Hope to bump into you - again - once this is all over and commiserate!

Hi Bill, I was sad that we didn't bump into you again last year. It was becoming a tradition!

[BillMiddlebrook]

Andrew,
This is exciting. I'll be watching your DeLorme page from my camp near the lake. I can't wait

Good Luck!
Be Safe!
Run Fast!

[JosephG]

Good luck! Mid/end of June has been a great time the past couple of years because of largely snow-free routes, the most daylight of the year, and lower rain patterns; but for planning in advance purposes, it is a big gamble. This year, the big snow winter has flummoxed that gamble a bit, as has the strange weather patterns. Regardless, if this wasn't a challenge, everyone would have done it. Will enjoy seeing your progress.

[wildlobo71]

Good luck Andrew, thanks for the link! Hope to bump into you - again - once this is all over and commiserate!

Hi Bill, I was sad that we didn't bump into you again last year. It was becoming a tradition!

I promise to stay out of your way until ... early July or so.

EDITED: June 20th, I may see you at or near Crestone Peak!

[Monster5]

Good luck Andrew! Looking at your schedule, we might run into you in the Sangres. James is a solid partner/Mule too. He carried a lady with a bum ankle a few miles down the Como Rd AFTER finishing a loop traverse of LB/Blanca/Ellingwood with me a few years back.

As a side note, the Split N/E slopes descent towards Red Lake is pretty easy, assuming you're heading down that way for White. Just a whole lot of talus to the trail. The trick to the trail is not to get sucked into the willows in the drainage. It stays high left and drops down near the TH.

Boggy's GPS map from last year with the descent route (stay high until near the cars at the TH):

split.jpg (131.09 KiB) Viewed 11688 times

[San Juan Ron]

Andrew, I will probably see you at the Sunshine/Redcloud area on Thursday. SJ Ron