Mt. Bierstadt Trip Report 08/19/2017

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Mt. Bierstadt - 14,066 feet
Date Posted	08/19/2017
Modified	08/21/2017
Date Climbed	08/17/2017
Author	Blamo

First 14er - advice for noobs
First of all, let me just say thank you to everyone on this website. The information here was very valuable and I highly doubt I would have been able to do this without it. Given that this is such a popular option for a first 14er, I am writing this report from my own very novice perspective with the hope that it might help other newbies. Flew in to Denver Tuesday afternoon from Milwaukee. Had dinner at Abejas in Golden (which was excellent, try the white asparagus & smoked trout). Next morning, I decided I wanted to go hike Chief Mountain (11,709') to test how I was going to feel in the altitude. My friend wasn't feeling well, but she agreed to come along. I thought it was just because we had hit the booze a little hard the night before, but as we drove up Squaw Pass Road she got worse and worse, headache and nausea. She started up the trail with me but after about a quarter mile turned around and went back to the car. I took about an hour to get to the top, and other than having to stop and catch my breath a few times felt really good. Took about 45 minutes getting down but that included several minutes chatting with a family of Milwaukee transplants that had moved to Colorado about a year ago. We drove back to Golden and my friend started feeling good again. Spent the afternoon in downtown Denver, stayed away from the booze, and went to bed early. Hit the road a little after 5AM the next day and got to Bierstadt just about 6. Temperature was 36 degrees. The parking lot still had several empty spaces although a lot of cars pulled in right after we did. Again, my friend felt worse the higher we drove. I asked her if she wanted to go back to the hotel as I had the next day (Friday) available as a precautionary bad weather day and she was leaving so I figured I could just come back myself, but she was determined to tough it out. The first thing I noticed about the mountain was how much bigger it looked in real life than in the pictures I had seen. To be honest, I was a little bit nervous. I had no plans to be on the sawtooth, but that jagged wall of rock is especially intimidating with dawn just breaking behind it. I spent a moment taking it all in and just really appreciating where I was standing. We hit the trail about 6:15. I decided I didn't trust myself on the wet rocks at the creek crossing so I just took off my hiking shoes and socks and waded across the sandy part. As we got into the uphill section, my friend was flagging. I was in the lead, and each time I looked back she was further behind. 20, then 50, then 100 feet. I would wait for her to catch up and then catch her breath before starting again. She toughed it out to 12,000' and then decided she needed to go back to the car. I kept heading up, forcing myself to take smaller steps than I usually would and stopping to catch my breath when I needed to and usually a few gulps of water as well. A little ways up the shoulder, I sat down for about 10 minutes, had a package of crackers and a whole bottle of water. I made myself sit there longer than I wanted to just to recoup and make sure I was feeling alright. I also kept and eye on the small groups of 2 and 3 above and below me, just to see how my pace was compared to theirs. At 8:15 I got to 13,000' and took another 10 minute break. The final pitch gave me pause. I had a little practice climbing on boulders the day before but really hadn't done any training for this. I had of course read about this part of the hike on this very website and knew it was coming but I hadn't really considered the cold, or the wind, or the fact that my legs would feel like jello after walking uphill for three hours. My confidence was a bit shaken. So I just stood there for a few minutes, watching people go up. Then a guy on his way down stopped a gave me a little pep talk. Told me it would be best if I stashed one of my hiking poles because I would want to use at least one hand. I made my way up, and although I did have to stop a few times and think about where I was going to go next, and I did smack my leg on a rock and take a pretty good scrape on an elbow, it wasn't too bad and I summited about 9:30. There were about 20-25 people on the summit. Someone announced it was their roommate's birthday so we all sang Happy Birthday to him. A guy hiking with his niece who I had chatted with a few times on the way up was nice enough to take my picture. It was fantastic. I found that coming back down the boulders was easier than going up because you had a better view of where you should be going. The rest of the way down was uneventful, except a woman in front of me took a spill when her hiking pole got caught on a rock. She popped right back up again though and assured me she was ok when I stopped to check on her. My friend actually felt better after getting back to the car and hiked back up to the spot where I had left her and met me on the way down. All in all it was a great time. I will definitely be back to try another one. Edit: Finally got some pictures on my computer. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

First 14er - advice for noobs

First of all, let me just say thank you to everyone on this website. The information here was very valuable and I highly doubt I would have been able to do this without it. Given that this is such a popular option for a first 14er, I am writing this report from my own very novice perspective with the hope that it might help other newbies.

Flew in to Denver Tuesday afternoon from Milwaukee. Had dinner at Abejas in Golden (which was excellent, try the white asparagus & smoked trout). Next morning, I decided I wanted to go hike Chief Mountain (11,709') to test how I was going to feel in the altitude. My friend wasn't feeling well, but she agreed to come along. I thought it was just because we had hit the booze a little hard the night before, but as we drove up Squaw Pass Road she got worse and worse, headache and nausea. She started up the trail with me but after about a quarter mile turned around and went back to the car. I took about an hour to get to the top, and other than having to stop and catch my breath a few times felt really good. Took about 45 minutes getting down but that included several minutes chatting with a family of Milwaukee transplants that had moved to Colorado about a year ago. We drove back to Golden and my friend started feeling good again. Spent the afternoon in downtown Denver, stayed away from the booze, and went to bed early.

Hit the road a little after 5AM the next day and got to Bierstadt just about 6. Temperature was 36 degrees. The parking lot still had several empty spaces although a lot of cars pulled in right after we did. Again, my friend felt worse the higher we drove. I asked her if she wanted to go back to the hotel as I had the next day (Friday) available as a precautionary bad weather day and she was leaving so I figured I could just come back myself, but she was determined to tough it out.

The first thing I noticed about the mountain was how much bigger it looked in real life than in the pictures I had seen. To be honest, I was a little bit nervous. I had no plans to be on the sawtooth, but that jagged wall of rock is especially intimidating with dawn just breaking behind it. I spent a moment taking it all in and just really appreciating where I was standing.

We hit the trail about 6:15. I decided I didn't trust myself on the wet rocks at the creek crossing so I just took off my hiking shoes and socks and waded across the sandy part. As we got into the uphill section, my friend was flagging. I was in the lead, and each time I looked back she was further behind. 20, then 50, then 100 feet. I would wait for her to catch up and then catch her breath before starting again. She toughed it out to 12,000' and then decided she needed to go back to the car. I kept heading up, forcing myself to take smaller steps than I usually would and stopping to catch my breath when I needed to and usually a few gulps of water as well. A little ways up the shoulder, I sat down for about 10 minutes, had a package of crackers and a whole bottle of water. I made myself sit there longer than I wanted to just to recoup and make sure I was feeling alright. I also kept and eye on the small groups of 2 and 3 above and below me, just to see how my pace was compared to theirs. At 8:15 I got to 13,000' and took another 10 minute break.

The final pitch gave me pause. I had a little practice climbing on boulders the day before but really hadn't done any training for this. I had of course read about this part of the hike on this very website and knew it was coming but I hadn't really considered the cold, or the wind, or the fact that my legs would feel like jello after walking uphill for three hours. My confidence was a bit shaken. So I just stood there for a few minutes, watching people go up. Then a guy on his way down stopped a gave me a little pep talk. Told me it would be best if I stashed one of my hiking poles because I would want to use at least one hand. I made my way up, and although I did have to stop a few times and think about where I was going to go next, and I did smack my leg on a rock and take a pretty good scrape on an elbow, it wasn't too bad and I summited about 9:30. There were about 20-25 people on the summit. Someone announced it was their roommate's birthday so we all sang Happy Birthday to him. A guy hiking with his niece who I had chatted with a few times on the way up was nice enough to take my picture. It was fantastic. I found that coming back down the boulders was easier than going up because you had a better view of where you should be going. The rest of the way down was uneventful, except a woman in front of me took a spill when her hiking pole got caught on a rock. She popped right back up again though and assured me she was ok when I stopped to check on her. My friend actually felt better after getting back to the car and hiked back up to the spot where I had left her and met me on the way down.

All in all it was a great time. I will definitely be back to try another one.

Edit: Finally got some pictures on my computer.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Timothy	The Mountain always looks bigger from the bottom 8/19/2017 9:58pm You put a lot in to making the summit, and you did it. Glad your friend is okay. Just one more word of advice: No alcohol, pot, or any other depressants (which also contribute to dehydration) 48 hours before the climb. That could have been what was bothering your friend.
glenmiz	Way to Go! 8/20/2017 9:47am I still remember my first successful 14er hike being just like you describe. Congratulations and I hope you continue to enjoy being in the mountains.
Jay521	Nice job! 8/22/2017 11:07am Way to stick with it!
CliminDave	Strong Work! 8/24/2017 2:17pm There is nothing finer than developing a goal, setting forth a plan to accomplish the goal, and then achieving the goal. Even with obtstacles to overcome and a partner that was not able to continue on; you dug deep and summited! Strong work Blamo!
MtnMc	Well done 8/27/2017 10:25am Congratulations!
Blamo	Thanks Everyone 8/30/2017 8:16pm Since getting back to Wisconsin I have hiked both of the trails I regularly used for practice while getting ready for Bierstadt. I laugh to myself every time I come to what I formerly thought of as a 'large hill'. :lol:
ZNixon	Awesome! 7/26/2019 8:59am Very nice, man! I'm happy to have read this, as I'm planning to tackle my first two in about a month! Thanks for sharing the encouraging experience! :)

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