14ers.com

Keep at it! Just getting off the couch and out for a hike is a win! Stay mentally positive and you will get there. Good first step!

Keep working at it, you will get there! (coming from someone who has lost 50 lb since moving here, I know what it's like)

My first 14er was last September, at the end of a Colorado Trail section hike. I started at Breckenridge, where I'd left off years ago, and hiked for about a week to the end of Section 10 at Halfmoon Creek.

Before reaching Halfmoon Creek, I took the Massive Trail from the CT and summited about four hours later. I had to put my 35 lb. backpack down about halfway there. There was just no way I was going to make it carrying that thing.

It was a great ending to my CT hike. Plus, there were these cute chicks on the summit . And no doubt, hiking at over 10,000 feet for several days helped tremendously with altitude acclimation.

I'm not sure what the route from the Colorado Trail is called, since most people start at the trailhead near the road. Maybe it was the "east slope" route. If anyone knows, please post.

davemckenzie wrote:New resolution to lose a bunch of weight this summer. I suppose climbing will aid in my efforts. Gonna to make a go at Bierstadt this Saturday, which will be the first 14er I've ever attempted. If you see a fat guy in tears, stop and say hi and maybe say something encouraging. I'll need it...

Good luck, and just FYI, climbing has not helped in my weight loss goals. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I enjoy Colorado craft beers before, during and after my hikes....there is also way too many great places to eat in many of these Colorado towns. Seriously though, good luck, like many others have said, slow and steady, watch the skies, stay hydrated and fueled, and most of all just enjoy the time in the mountains and the great people...that's what it's all about!

davemckenzie wrote:If you see a fat guy in tears, stop and say hi and maybe say something encouraging. I'll need it...

I've browsed this thread a few times since it was first posted and this gave me a chuckle. If you do this long enough, the mountains will find your tear threshold. For me, the joy tears have outnumbered the sad tears by 100:1.

davemckenzie wrote:FAIL.

In my view, there is only one way to fail...not making it back home. It's only because the mountain didn't allow you to summit, which only a challenge to try again. In the meantime, one foot in front of the other, slow and steady. Most importantly, ENJOY your time out there since that is the reason we are there!

Don't know why this thread was resurrected, but it's worth noting that the OP "Last visited: 11 Jul 2013" and all his posts were in this thread. Would be interesting to know if he gave it another go and (hopefully) summited.

TallGrass wrote:Don't know why this thread was resurrected...

(Points finger north)