Kit Carson & Challenger

Barefoot 14ers #12 & 13

Short Video (2:55):

Kit Carson & Challenger YouTube Short

"You gotta be smart about being stupid." -MaryinColorado

A personal struggle, resolved.

"Does the entire trail need to be hiked barefoot for it to count?"

This Purist vs. Pragmatist question has been haunting me as I've started to set my sights on the longer 14er adventures.

Let's talk this out.

With eleven barefoot 14ers under my belt, I'm starting to learn some strategy to barefoot 14er hiking. The ascent portion is easy, engaging, and enjoyable. I love it!

The descent is the real challenge for barefoot mountain climbers. In shoes, you can just plop your foot down to the next step, casually slide down chossy slopes, and glide over rocks of all shapes and sizes, letting the rubber absorb the abuse.

Skin requires more care and attention, and isn't as durable.

I personally don't count a peak unless I descend under my own power as well. (No regrets hitching a ride down from the summit of Pikes in December 2010 when I was ill-prepared, but I don't count it, either.)

Since the end of last summer, while training my soles on Mt. Sanitas in Boulder (259 barefoot ascents to date, baby), I've been constantly grappling with my definition of an acceptable way to claim a barefoot ascent on the peaks with long approaches.

Sure, I could simply suck it up. Don't be a wimp, right?

Keeping the feet functional is a big part of the barefoot game. What hazards are we dealing with?

2 years ago, Harvard and Columbia barefoot took me over 17 hours round trip. Here's a short video clip of that experience.

As reflected in the footage, storms often roll in after noon, giving the climber a limited amount of morning daylight while having access to dry holds on any scrambling required near the top. Getting stuck high up on Class 3/4 while barefoot in a storm seems like a bad situation.

Okay, so wake up earlier and give yourself plenty of time.

Waking up in the wee hours to allow more time means the climber is not mentally as sharp when it matters later in the day, and good decision-making is a critical mountaineering skill.

So waking up even earlier than usual to account for more time walking on the approach trail may not be smart. 4:00am is fine, but any earlier and I know I'll pay the price.

One must also consider safety on the peak proper - when making a critical move in a precarious position, the last thing you want is your worn footpad to scream when you place your foot on a necessary hold, causing a flinch, leading to disaster. Of course, that's an extreme case but still valid.

And what about the peaks that "require" a camp (Chicago Basin, etc.)? That's extra added weight on the approach that threatens the mission: A heavier pack can throw off the hiker's balance, causing a misstep, and potentially damage the foot. At that point, the whole trip would be compromised. And of course, a heavier pack means more beating on the soles, (unnecessarily?) tenderizing them before the proper climb where full functionality is required.

Is it worthwhile and necessary to wear down the soles on the longer approaches, then after climbing the peak proper, limp back down the jagged rocky trail for miles at a snail's pace to the trailhead in the dark?

My whole goal when setting out to do a barefoot 14er is to experience the peaks that I've come to love without foot protection. It's more intense and gives me a sense of freshness and connection to peaks I've already climbed several times. The approach doesn't really do much for me.

On Harvard and Columbia, I don't feel that the tedious approach miles enriched my experience.

Okay, well, where do the 14er record holders draw the line? My heroes Cave Dog and Andrew Hamilton follow the good ol' Colorado Rule - gain and drop at least 3,000 net feet. Cave Dog's M^4 Rules

That sits well with me!

So now, I admit (both humbly and proudly), this was my first barefoot 14er adventure that included SHOES!

Foot protection was on up until 11,000', off during the climb, and then on again while descending below 11,000'. As you can hear in my video (above), I certainly didn't mind allowing myself the luxury when the time came. The hike still took 16 hours (12 of which were barefoot), and I am thoroughly satisfied with the experience.

This was an incredible day in the hills thanks to clear weather, gorgeous scenery and wildlife, and making new friends. I also enjoyed experimenting with my new Insta360 X5 action camera on Kit Carson - I hope you enjoy that portion of the video.

Oh, and we don't talk about the descent off Challenger. IYKYK

Some pics of the perfect day:

Afterthought: normally my feet are extremely sore the next day, and I have to wear flip flops as I limp around my house on the hard floor. This time, apart from normal wear and tear on the skin, I feel no such soreness. Perhaps the ~3 miles hiking out with shoes helped pump some rejuvenating blood through my feet and helped them recover?