First time summiter- a few thoughts

[shannonez]

A couple thoughts upon bagging my first summit (Bierstadt on Tuesday):
(1) it's a thrill. We'll definitely be doing this annually.
(2) I took my two eldest children, ages 11 and 9. 11 year old made it to the top with me. I left 9 year old on the shoulder to wait for us while we summitted. I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents. Why the misanthropy? *It's not your freakin' business.* This was our second attempt with these same kids, on the same mountain, one year later. We made it about halfway up the face last year, before exhausting their little staminas. This year, much more success. I'd bet the kid-haters who saw us descending with a few tears last year would have felt justified in their preening anti-kid opinions. They would have been wrong. /soapbox.
(3) I'm glad all the hikers we met on our trip were friendly, or at least faked it well. If you want solitude, stay away from Bierstadt. It felt very communal, which I find very appealing. I've rarely found friendlier strangers than those I've found on Bierstadt.
(4) Lightning was in the forecast for noonish, so we got off the summit before 11AM. We saw lightning in the valley near the creek before we made it all the way back.
(5) the uphill climb to the parking lot is just... cruel.
(6) So many people were coming up at lunchtime-- there was an obvious storm brewing. What were they thinking? I kept telling people, "Stay safe," as we passed, hoping it'd spur some turnarounds. (I think it did for one couple.)
(7) the three dudes who ran up and down --> dang. Just, wow. One runner started with us at 5:30 AM, and passed us going down (having summitted! I asked) just a couple hours later. I tip my hat to you. We're barely the same species.
(8) Altitude: we weren't moving fast enough for me to notice it, but my kids did. We're from north Texas, so I expected to feel it more than I did. The steep face under the shoulder would be tough down here at steamy 500', too.
(9) I'm grateful for 14ers.com, which I've lurked on for quite a long time. I felt prepared, and have to thank you all, collectively, for contributing the info-dump required. Thanks.

[rijaca]

(2) I took my two eldest children, ages 11 and 9. 11 year old made it to the top with me. I left 9 year old on the shoulder to wait for us while we summitted. I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents. Why the misanthropy? *It's not your freakin' business.* This was our second attempt with these same kids, on the same mountain, one year later. We made it about halfway up the face last year, before exhausting their little staminas. This year, much more success. I'd bet the kid-haters who saw us descending with a few tears last year would have felt justified in their preening anti-kid opinions. They would have been wrong. /soapbox.

You left your nine year old on the shoulder while you went to the summit?

[benmangelsdorf]

(2) I took my two eldest children, ages 11 and 9. 11 year old made it to the top with me. I left 9 year old on the shoulder to wait for us while we summitted. I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents. Why the misanthropy? *It's not your freakin' business.* This was our second attempt with these same kids, on the same mountain, one year later. We made it about halfway up the face last year, before exhausting their little staminas. This year, much more success. I'd bet the kid-haters who saw us descending with a few tears last year would have felt justified in their preening anti-kid opinions. They would have been wrong. /soapbox.

You left your nine year old on the shoulder while you went to the summit?

It's cool, they had their 3DS with them

[davebobk47]

(2) I took my two eldest children, ages 11 and 9. 11 year old made it to the top with me. I left 9 year old on the shoulder to wait for us while we summitted. I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents. Why the misanthropy? *It's not your freakin' business.* This was our second attempt with these same kids, on the same mountain, one year later. We made it about halfway up the face last year, before exhausting their little staminas. This year, much more success. I'd bet the kid-haters who saw us descending with a few tears last year would have felt justified in their preening anti-kid opinions. They would have been wrong. /soapbox.

You left your nine year old on the shoulder while you went to the summit?

Yeah, don't do that again.

[hellmanm]

I mean, if ever there were a good mtn to do that on, it's Bierstadt. There are lots of people around if something goes wrong, and the route is straightforward. As long as the kid(s) can be mature enough to not move, and as long as the weather is fine, why not?

Still, reason #1077 why I'm never having kids though

[Aphelion]

I mean, if ever there were a good mtn to do that on, it's Bierstadt. There are lots of people around if something goes wrong, and the route is straightforward. As long as the kid(s) can be mature enough to not move, and as long as the weather is fine, why not?

I agree. It's not like they parachuted their kid alone into the middle of Alaska.

[peter303]

Lightning fatalities on 14ers are less common than falls.
Of the 71 fatalities on Longs 49 were falls and 3 lightning.
It is certainly scary to be exposed to a storm above treeline.

[madbuck]

I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents.

I don't want to go down a big rabbit-hole, but...huh?
I don't know anything about Dr. Brandon Foor.
Unless you're dragging them against their will, I haven't heard mixed feelings about kids on mountains, esp. at ages 9-11. I haven't event encountered mixed feelings about 2-5 year olds on mountains,
I don't think think letting a 9-year-old hang out on the shoulder of Bierstadt is that big of a deal, like hanging out anywhere else outside.

[HikerGuy]

I probably wouldn't leave a child unattended, but I think it is highly dependent on the child and their maturity level/abilities, location and current conditions. Heck, I don't like leaving adults alone on peaks (Michelle Vanek??), but I don't think OP deserves criticism for that, good on her for getting the kids out there in the first place. Congrats on your first 14er, thanks for sharing your thoughts and welcome to 14ers.com!

[timisimaginary]

(2) I took my two eldest children, ages 11 and 9. 11 year old made it to the top with me. I left 9 year old on the shoulder to wait for us while we summitted. I see highly mixed feelings about kids on mountains. Some (looking at your, Dr. Brandon Foor, who otherwise is a solid follow; sadly you're not alone) need to chill out and let parents be parents. Why the misanthropy? *It's not your freakin' business.* This was our second attempt with these same kids, on the same mountain, one year later. We made it about halfway up the face last year, before exhausting their little staminas. This year, much more success. I'd bet the kid-haters who saw us descending with a few tears last year would have felt justified in their preening anti-kid opinions. They would have been wrong. /soapbox.

You left your nine year old on the shoulder while you went to the summit?

hey, at least it wasn't her iguana.

[MaxmimumMills4]

I would rather an entire middle school be let loose on the mountain I’m climbing than a single person blasting WAP from a speaker tied to their backpack so bring them on! Nobody should expect solitude on a front range 14er anyway haha.

Based on your location in North Texas, Humboldt would save you a few hours on your next trip up here and is a wonderful mountain. Probably a bit long for the kids though.

[ultimategully]

Hiking in the Front Range is a zoo but IMO they are all worth doing - you did one of the most heavily traveled peak in Colorado, most summit hikes in the state are not like that. I don't have kids but I don't see the problem leaving them on the shoulder while you sprint up to the summit and back, especially on reasonably safe peaks like Beirstadt.. geez