For everyone calling the wambulence because they don't want to listen to the whole video: Traverse Rankings: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm47s Hardest: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm3s Hard: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm More Difficult: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm20s Moderate: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm28s Easier: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm8s
Just did my first 14er at Quandary yesterday- it was definitely exhausting, but you ranking it as one of the more difficult ones gives me hope for completion of the rest 🙌
I have summited 17 of the Colorado 14ers via the standard route, including Quandary, Greys, Elbert, and in my opinion, Quandary belongs on the "easier" list, and Elbert on the "moderate" list at best. But it wouldn't be the Internet if we all just agreed with each other, right?
Really appreciate this list. I'm from Iowa. We hike Colorado every year but never hiked a 14er until July 2024. I was 61. Felt great! And believe your ranking is dead on. Thank you!
Congratulations! I’m 15 and I’m attempting to do them all. I’ve done 10 so far and will be doing 8 more next summer. I live in Washington, not Colorado, so it’ll take awhile. You’re such an inspiration. Great job!
Cabot Gugler bro that’s awesome! My first attempt was longs and I didn’t make it and I was prob around your age. I’m from Texas and want to summit them all. I just turned 21 soon after getting my 20th 14er this summer. I feel ya on it taking awhile, hard to get multiple at a time! Good luck on em all.
I did Pikes Peak via Barr. 5:15 ascent, just shy of 3 hrs descent. It was awesome. Ran a lot of it down. Then I did Pikes Peak a few years later from northwest TH/Craggs. Both are great routes with great views.
LOVE your videos, watch them 2-3 times before I do a climb. Subscribed as a 14er! I'm only on #12 but I wouldn't do one without the watching THE Virtual Sherpa first!
One thing I’m thankful for is I’m older (70) and did them all from late 70’s to the 80’s. I bought one pair of boots, Fabiano all leather with 1/2 shank. With two pair of gaiters, one low and one high, my feet never got wet and I never twisted my ankle. I frequently cleaned the exteriors of my Fabianos and sno sealed them. The inside I periodically washed with a ph balanced soap. This kept the leather from breaking down from salts. Today all boots I see are composite construction and appear to be throw away. The plastic ones are more technical and designed for ice and snow work, but also with artificial composite interiors.
This was a great video where you explained so much. One thing you might have mentioned was what to take with you and to use hiking boots (not tennis shoes) and probably a couple pairs of wool socks.. Your rankings on difficulty seem accurate. I summited Mount Elbert right after I turned 70 (without acclimating from sea level) and it was very hard with breathing. Being in very good shape doesn't matter when you get less oxygen into your lungs due to the altitude. Still a great moment to summit which I will never forget. I had pre-printed a piece of paper with Mount Elbert and 14,433 feet for a photo and which I then gave t other hikers to use. I also wanted to mention Quandry Peak which I thought was hard because coming down there was was a lot of loose rocks and I was afraid of turning or breaking an ankle. Thanks so much for your information.
I’ve attempted 34 and peaked 17. Your. List and assessment seems spot on. Your advice at the end about the weather is very wise. I’ve have often seen groups hiking up into a low pressure system with associated thunderstorms. This is a good way to put yourself at risk. My wife and I were slammed by a fast moving storm on Elbert. Lightning strikes everywhere. Very dangerous. We escaped and never put ourselves in that situation again! Awesome channel and info. Thank you!
@@kalebbinger3494 inclement weather and my wife gets altitude sickness to the point she can’t continue. I’ll never leave her by my side when she feels ill either. She eventually gave up on climbing 14ers.
Yeah same here. Not a cloud in the sky. Spent about 10 mins at the summit of elbert by the time the 10 mins was up a long black cluod that it seemed like you could reach out and touch it. Hiked about 500 feet down from the summut and kaboom!! Started to move quick but then realized im f*cked just accept it. Im terrified of lightning to this day bc of that.
I have no idea what you desire to gain from this channel but I see your hard work and I love this whole area so much. If we ever meet I’ll buy you as many drinks as you want, or just a meal if you don’t drink.
Did Huron on this past Saturday. Fourth attempt and finally made it! Watched your vids on it a few times among others. Really appreciated them. Such a thrill to finally summit a 14er and the view is awesome! Cant recommend people new to this watch vids a lot so you don’t get lost. I got lost twice. One thing no one tells you (that I’ve seen) is the ridge to the summit is all rocks and gravel, sketchy footing, especially for this 68 year old. People were so supportive too. Thanks for you vids on this.
Truly incredible, out of this world, at a loss of words just looking at those mountains and seeing people climb them, astonishing 👍 to me, this is as wild as it gets!
I love the video! Also enjoy the comments from others on their summits. I have taken several trips out to Colorado and have summited 17 of the 14ers via the standard route. I have a hard time with Longs, Elbert, and Quandary in the same category - in my experience, Quandary was no big deal (14er wise, I mean), Elbert was a lot of elevation gain but still not terrible, but Longs is definitely the most difficult 14er I have done. Once you get past the keyhole, the terrain changes dramatically, with lots of exposure and it turns to class 2/3.
Thanks for all the videos. Congratulations on completing all 58! I agreed with you on your list till you got to the more difficult 14ers. I have done most of those: Elbert, Quandary, Kit Carson, Challenger, Massive. But the one I can not agree with is Longs. Totally different league in my book. Totally subjective, I won't disagree. It is well marked. And it is in the National park. But it is more exposed, and it does require some decent scrambling, plus there is a lot of people (who shouldn't be there) kicking rocks at you in the trough. I did Quandary and Longs 2 days apart and I would not put them in the same group (imo) Congrats on your accomplishment! Thanks for the great videos!
Yeah I hear ya - a lot of people have not liked where Longs landed on this list. Has nothing to do with its location, but more so the mileage and elevation vs the others. However, agree with you that its harder than Quandary and some others on the list in terms of technical skills needed. Like you said, any list is subjective and I could probably remake this video in a year with slightly different listings. Appreciate the feedback and glad you are enjoying the videos!
My friends took me to Quandary as my first fourteener & it was really rough 😭 Just did Bierstadt, Grays & Torreys & enjoyed them so much more hahaha. Thanks for providing this guide!🤩
@@Josemarti305 I agree! Did Bierstadt first then Quandary then Elbert and found Elbert the easier which seemed ironic to me. Then did Democrat and was surprised more people don’t recommend that one as a first.
So much of anyone’s opinion of difficulty of a climb/hike is the approach and you point that out. And thanks for making this video. My only criticism is the fact that, for example: Bross is mentioned as an easy 14er. What if you start at Kite Lake and ascend the West ridge? Not the same hike. Routes are important. Huron has an amazing approach from Clohesy Lake. Not easy at all. Keep doing your thing, man. Let’s all remember we all started somewhere. PLEASE, everyone know the risks of any hike at elevation. And take care of trails! Hike On!
Ryan White cheers ryan appreciate the kind words and agree with everything you said. Too much to get into in one video but so many variables which is why I stated I ranked all of these based on the standard routes in dry conditions. Thanks for the comment!
I keep watching this vid before doing 14ers. I've done 3 so far (Bierstadt, gray's &torrey's) about to attempt the decalibron this weekend sooo I needed this to hype me up more! thanks for your content!
Doing Wetterhorn next Monday. Will be 14er #3. Did Elbert and Redcloud so far. Depending how I’m feeling will do either Wilson Peak or Sneffels next Wednesday
I visited CO Springs and hiked Pikes Peak in late May in 2019. I think it’s important to note that if there is still snow past the tree line it makes the ascent much more difficult for the last 1000 ft of elevation gain. Parking lot to summit took 10 hours (1 hour lunch break) but easily could have been done in 9 hours without the snow.
Thanks all for watching - sorry the chat kicked me off. Hope you enjoyed the premier and be sure to leave any questions below if I didn't answer them or missed ones at the end.
Just did La Plata yesterday, had to come revisit this video because I vastly underestimated its difficulty, i personally found it to be harder than Elbert and even Longs simply because of how steep it is
That's interesting about Shavano. I summitted it in Aug. 2010, beautiful day, sat on the peak for a short while, saw little wisps of clouds beginning to form and I immediately started running down about as hard as I could go. There were people still up there in some awful lightning. I hope they came out OK.
Man would love to hike with you. I have done Bierdstadt and Grays. Looking forward to watching more of your videos to understand these hikes more. So stay Blessed and stay Safe all!
I've done Long's 15 times (5 different routes) but at age 67 now am much slower (yet wiser) and feel comfortable with knowing that its not important to summit as it is to get back safely.
Awesome videos, and thanks for sharing your experiences and recommendations. I visited Colorado this past October, my first 14er was Pikes Peek, then I drove out to Dillion to explore Cupid Sniktau and Grizzly. I was somewhat surprised that my old senior bones was still up to the challenge. My only regret (something you mentioned in your video) I got caught in a snow/lightening storm 50 feet from Grizzly peek and was not prepared as to what safety measures you should take during a lightening storm. Being a newbi I wasn't aware how quickly the weather can change so quickly, It was blue skies when I started the hike, but after surviving the lighten storm I research the safety measures to take when I a summit during a lightening storm. Thanks again
I found Elbert and Quandary to be easier than Sneffels. But it could have been which trail I took. I did the main Quandary trail in winter and took the Black Cloud Trail for Elbert in the fall. I attempted Sneffels from the Blue Lakes trailhead and that was scary. Crazy windy, plus it felt like it was way steeper and exposed than the others
Sudden lightning with vicious winds, ice materializing all around you out of descending clouds, blizzards on Memorial day, and dehydration; all are killers. The Rockies are masters of the unpredictable.
Definitely recommend going clockwise on the DeCaLiBron after doing it both ways. Easier to slip and slide DOWN Bross rather than struggle up that loose rock right off the bat.
I just did Mount of the Holy Cross and can confirm it’s “more difficult” I did Bierstadt the day before and It felt like a day off compared to Elbert the week before.
I find it hard to justify putting something like Long's in with peaks like Elbert and Quandary. I suppose you have to balance the three qualities of class, mileage, and elevation gain so you put them together due to a mix of factors. Still, the whole stretch past the keyhole on Long's is a world of difference to the class 1 trails on Quandary and Elbert. Interesting video. My lifetime goal for Colorado is to hit all of them in winter conditions.
Finished all the 14ers a few years ago. I agree with some of his rankings, disagree with others. Unfortunately, some of the easier peaks are just overrun with people in the summer (Bierstadt, Grays and Torreys, Quandry, Longs). There are more than 600 peaks that are over 13,000 ft in Colorado and some of them are just as challenging as some of the 14ers.
Interesting rating system. I would not consider putting Pyramid in the same category as Pikes though! I mean, I can run up the Barr trail (13 miles, 7000' vert) in close to 2 hours flat....whereas the 4 mile Pyramid approach (despite "only 4500'" of vert.) takes me over 2 hours because of the technical nature of the rocks (Class 4 etc). It seems like your consideration//rating weighs heavily on the approach trail length and climbing work (and aerboic fitness ability) and perhaps less on the technical nature of the trail/climb?
Yeah I think at the time, that’s the way I set this system: more points to mileage/vert and technical part considered in the equation but not having a massive swing of ranking unless it was a considerable step up. In all honesty, I’m sure a lot of recency bias played into this list at the time and I’d probably rank them different now, especially since I’ve gotten more into running. I think you could make this list in terms of pure class difficulty but then pikes lands in the easier category and a 20+ mile day for most people is pretty challenging. Fan of your stuff though Sage, appreciate the comment 🤘🏽
My first 14er will be Pikes Peak this May. So Excited for it. I'm always doing Iron Mountain in Poway California which is only 2,696 so this will be a big jump but I'm ready for it.
I did Redcloud as my first 14er earlier this summer without much acclimation and it was tough! I plan on going back with more training and acclimation time to bag Sunshine with it as well.
I am struggling with the concept of class 3. Just did Wetterhorn and though the finish was short, I found it terrifying. Confused by your ranking of that peak. Great vidoes, thanks!!
Might be more of an exposure issue vs class 3 issue? Try getting into a rock climbing gym (if you don't already) to practice that feeling of air underneath you. Usually helps gain confidence in exposure.
Sneffels, KC, and challenger I would say are a category below what they should be. Sneffels is loose crap or Class 3 ridge. KC and Challenger has long approach and is very steep
Hi! Now that you've finished the Colorado 14 thousanders, it would be interesting to see you tackle other ranges like the Teton Range in Wyoming or the Sierra Nevada's in Cali.
FloydTrek that’s the goal long term or when I have some extra time. For now, I still have a normal job and live in Colorado so hard to get away from home for weeks on end to give ranges outside the state the time they deserve but love the idea!
I think people underestimate Longs Peak. It's a long 15 mile climb with little options to shorten by backpacking (unless you want to camp above 12,000') and it becomes more than a walk up for an extended length once past the keyhole. The trough can be a tricky snow climb in a heavy snow year or early in the season and the narrows and the homestretch are pretty exposed in places and require some scrambling. Other suggestions: Sneffels has a surprisingly difficult move out of the second couloir and some rough terrain along with heinous scree. I'd move it into the next higher group. Definitely more difficult than most Sawatch peaks especially if you cannot get to the end of YBB road in a vehicle.
I only have 4 so far but have done both Long’s and Sneffels. I felt the descent on Sneffels was way harder than the ascent but I did it without poles. Long’s was certainly much more strenuous but I expected Sneffels to be a short easy hike and it certainly was not. With that said I don’t feel Quandry is all that hard. I’ve done it twice now. The last time I brought my sister in law and my son who was 9 at the time and they both summited with relative ease. It’s challenging but in all the good ways. Nothing close to Sneffels with the scree.
Most of these long approaches are better to split into two separate days by backpacking. Bring a daypack along with your large pack and leave all the heavy items at camp.
The Virtual Sherpa thought it was just hard because I flew in from Chicago at 2 am and it was my first time hiking at altitude but your ranking made me realize that I did shockingly well for being unacclimatized.
I did Elbert for my 1st 14er too!! I came straight from Upstate NY, definitely was not acclimated. Stayed in Denver for 3 days then slept overnight in Leadville. Close to the summit around 14,000 ft I started to get dizzy and thought I was going to puke but a buddy I was hiking with just told me to drink water and eat a cliff bar and it actually worked! Probably not something you shouldn't take seriously but we did summit. I also have prior hiking experience but only in the High peaks of the Adirondacks, currently 33/46! So I'm thinking that might've helped me out I suppose 😅
La plata was tough for me and dad we felt like shit and for some reason the day I did Mt Columbia I could not move for shit and hit legs 2 days before so that was a hell day lmao
I come from the old school of 54 14ers back in 1995 to about 2002, but now I see El Diente has been removed due to the "300 Foot Rule" due to it's prominence being less than 300 feet. So now the "Official" is 53 with some "saying" 58 as well. But none the less climbing all these mountains is one heck of an accomplishment.
People that don't already love Colorado should subscribe to you and they'll see. Thank you. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to seeing where you'll go next now that you bagged all the 14ers.
dude your channel is awesome!! Im a finisher in 2010 been working on spring ski decent's since, only have 22 done, it might be a lifelong project!! Again all the best your work in awesome, and I hope the patriots get better next year! Ha!!
Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail was my first ever mountain summit! My friend & I hiked/ran it in about 8-9 hours for time reasons, but we loved the mileage!! There were people running up and down the entire thing like it was no big deal, thought that was really cool and I'd love to do the Pikes Peak Marathon some day when I'm done with competing xc & track. I'd be curious to know if you also did the crags trail up to Pikes Peak, not as hard or long but the views are better in my opinion! Longs is on my bucket list for this summer too!!
Interesting video. Great hikes in CO . Wish I lived there. I’ve done Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and Elbert. Each was a one day hike. I agree that Pikes Peak on the Barr Trail is very difficult due to the length 13 miles one way and elevation change which is I think over 7k ft from the town. It was a few mile walk just to the trailhead from where I parked in the town. I think it took almost 6 hours one way - then I wimped out and took the train down. I think Longs Peak via Keyhole is equally difficult due to the scrambling, narrow ledges, potential to get hit from rocks from hikers above and wind when you get past the keyhole - there have been alot of fatalities on that mountain. Trail is about 13 miles round trip - took 9 hours total. Elbert despite being the tallest is way easier in my opinion on the north trail. It’s just a steep hike with no scrambling and good trail conditions - only 9 mile round trip. I felt a lot better that day as I had a good acclimatizing hike the day before and was under 5 hours round trip. I’d recommend that one as a first 14k though make sure you are prepared for bad weather. I went up in July and it was very crowded with people that were not prepared. I got done about 11am and some very severe thunderstorms rolled in about 2pm that alot hikers must have gotten stuck in. I would like to try capitol.
I did Quandary and Massive. Both were not that bad on the way up, but I found Massive sucked near the bottom on the way down there were awful pebble like rocks that were like ankle breakers if you weren’t paying attention.
Did Handies Peak via Grizzly Gulch TH this past 2nd week of July '23, my 1st 14er. Live in Louisiana and had 3 days to acclimate but wasn't "too bad". What would be a next one in that general area for a flatlander who gets 1 week a year to spend in the San Juan range? Have a few in mind from looking online, just figured i'd ask here for real-time suggestions. Thanks in advance!
Love your videos bro. I discovered your UA-cam channel about a month ago and I’ve been hooked on your videos. I’ve got Handies and Evans down so far. I hope to get up to Colorado more often and hike more of them while using the resources from your vids. Thx for all the entertainment. Jared from Albuquerque, NM!
At the beginning of the 2020 summer, my 13 year old son suggested we do all the Colorado Fourteeners. “It will be fun”, he said. Not knowing what I was getting into, I thought why not, and I agreed to the father & son fourteeners challenge. We started on the weekend of June 6/7th, and have climbed 34 of the 54 (58) during the weekends of the past two months. At first, I thought they were easy. The weekend before last, we climbed LaPlata, Castle, Conundrum, Wetterhorn, and Uncompahgre in 48 hours. The exposure on a couple of those mountains scared the **** out of me. So, I started watching your videos last week for help, but wish I would have watched them before making such an audacious commitment. The most difficult category really looks terrifying to me. The more exposure they have, the more my son enjoys summiting them. For me, not so much. This feels like a real labor of love for me (type 3 fun as you describe it). Will I ever get over the fear of watching my son have no fear? Or the fear of if I fall I will die? Any of your suggestions to overcome my fears would greatly help!!!
I don't have children so unfortunately can't help there but as he gets older and goes out on his own- piece of mind will probably be key for you. I use a garmin inreach (linked in all of my videos) where my wife can track my progress and I can call for help via satellite if I ever need it. Regarding exposure/scrambling - I think fear is a great thing to have, its just managing it. Things like testing holds, respecting the terrain and wearing a helmet are always great. Like most things in the mountains though, the more experience you get, the more comfortable you will become. Best of luck with the rest!
Awesome video!!!!! You def considered mileage (approach) a lot!! Most do lists by technical difficulty only. Maroon peak is HARD physically, Glad u had it high.. quandary is def harder than most lists. I liked your easy list! I thought little bear (hourglass) was harder than you portrayed. I thought Lindsey/ challenger point/ kit carson/ and longs should be a little higher and pikes peak little lower. YOU ARE GREAT. Your videos are why I did maroon traverse and cap and pyramid!!!!! THANK YOU
Patrick Roy yeah I think it’s insane that people just ignore mileage and elevation gain on lists because ultimately that’s what tires your legs and gets your HR through the roof to tire you out. I’m sure I could move a few around but I feel pretty happy with the list 👍🏽
Taking my 10 year old son to do Grays Peak end of July. He is names after Grays peak (Grayson) after on a hike in Colorado we did not knowing my wife was pregnant and we found two twigs that grew together that looked like a cross on this hike.
Great stuff...really enjoy your videos and the information you share. Excellent details and insights. As mentioned in other videos...I think you should start re-doing them for us and bring along your drone...that footage is spectacular. Big props to you for your contributions
Thank you for putting Quandary higher. Some people call it the easiest. (?) I felt it was in the middle of the 16 easier ones I did. Sherman was the easiest in my view.
With how much you factored in mileage and elevation surprised how low you had redcloud and sunshine. Just did them on Saturday and it was a beast of a day.
For everyone calling the wambulence because they don't want to listen to the whole video:
Traverse Rankings: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm47s
Hardest: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm3s
Hard: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm
More Difficult: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm20s
Moderate: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm28s
Easier: ua-cam.com/video/00hAFf51AfU/v-deo.htmlm8s
LOL!!!!!!
Can you put it in the description? It'll show in the video drag scroll
@@va7oloko Cheers - just added this, thank you.
instablaster...
Just did my first 14er at Quandary yesterday- it was definitely exhausting, but you ranking it as one of the more difficult ones gives me hope for completion of the rest 🙌
It’s def not
@@ryanbaker8669 Dude, just because you can do a hike with ease doesn’t mean everyone else is the same.
Try the west ridge. Different story.
@@ExiLE-fc4pk It is objectively not as hard as some of the other peaks, but go off
I have summited 17 of the Colorado 14ers via the standard route, including Quandary, Greys, Elbert, and in my opinion, Quandary belongs on the "easier" list, and Elbert on the "moderate" list at best. But it wouldn't be the Internet if we all just agreed with each other, right?
Really appreciate this list. I'm from Iowa. We hike Colorado every year but never hiked a 14er until July 2024. I was 61. Felt great! And believe your ranking is dead on. Thank you!
Instantly hit that Luke button when you said you just hiked the last one. Mad props
Congratulations! I’m 15 and I’m attempting to do them all. I’ve done 10 so far and will be doing 8 more next summer. I live in Washington, not Colorado, so it’ll take awhile. You’re such an inspiration. Great job!
Cabot Gugler that’s awesome 10 is a great start! Lots of hiking up in your area I’m super jealous about. Best of luck with the rest on your list!
The Virtual Sherpa Thanks so much
Cabot Gugler bro that’s awesome! My first attempt was longs and I didn’t make it and I was prob around your age. I’m from Texas and want to summit them all. I just turned 21 soon after getting my 20th 14er this summer. I feel ya on it taking awhile, hard to get multiple at a time! Good luck on em all.
Drew Harrell Nice. I attempted Longs too last summer but didn’t summit because the rocks were really wet after going through the keyhole
Good for you brother! Love to hear someone so young is so dedicated. Keep um coming
I did Pikes Peak via Barr. 5:15 ascent, just shy of 3 hrs descent. It was awesome. Ran a lot of it down. Then I did Pikes Peak a few years later from northwest TH/Craggs. Both are great routes with great views.
LOVE your videos, watch them 2-3 times before I do a climb. Subscribed as a 14er! I'm only on #12 but I wouldn't do one without the watching THE Virtual Sherpa first!
One thing I’m thankful for is I’m older (70) and did them all from late 70’s to the 80’s. I bought one pair of boots, Fabiano all leather with 1/2 shank. With two pair of gaiters, one low and one high, my feet never got wet and I never twisted my ankle. I frequently cleaned the exteriors of my Fabianos and sno sealed them. The inside I periodically washed with a ph balanced soap. This kept the leather from breaking down from salts.
Today all boots I see are composite construction and appear to be throw away. The plastic ones are more technical and designed for ice and snow work, but also with artificial composite interiors.
This was a great video where you explained so much. One thing you might have mentioned was what to take with you and to use hiking boots (not tennis shoes) and probably a couple pairs of wool socks.. Your rankings on difficulty seem accurate. I summited Mount Elbert right after I turned 70 (without acclimating from sea level) and it was very hard with breathing. Being in very good shape doesn't matter when you get less oxygen into your lungs due to the altitude. Still a great moment to summit which I will never forget. I had pre-printed a piece of paper with Mount Elbert and 14,433 feet for a photo and which I then gave t other hikers to use. I also wanted to mention Quandry Peak which I thought was hard because coming down there was was a lot of loose rocks and I was afraid of turning or breaking an ankle. Thanks so much for your information.
I’ve attempted 34 and peaked 17. Your. List and assessment seems spot on. Your advice at the end about the weather is very wise. I’ve have often seen groups hiking up into a low pressure system with associated thunderstorms. This is a good way to put yourself at risk. My wife and I were slammed by a fast moving storm on Elbert. Lightning strikes everywhere. Very dangerous. We escaped and never put ourselves in that situation again! Awesome channel and info. Thank you!
how have you failed more than half the 14ers you’ve attempted
@@kalebbinger3494 inclement weather and my wife gets altitude sickness to the point she can’t continue. I’ll never leave her by my side when she feels ill either. She eventually gave up on climbing 14ers.
Yeah same here. Not a cloud in the sky. Spent about 10 mins at the summit of elbert by the time the 10 mins was up a long black cluod that it seemed like you could reach out and touch it. Hiked about 500 feet down from the summut and kaboom!! Started to move quick but then realized im f*cked just accept it. Im terrified of lightning to this day bc of that.
@@kalebbinger3494 bc hes not stupid and puts his ego aside and realizes there is always another day you can come back and try again
I chose Elbert for my first one this October 1st. Took me six hours to summit and it kicked my ass but I made it.
thetripscaptain yeah Elbert is def not an easy day on the mountain. Congrats on the summit though!
I made the mistake of having a fully loaded (45lb) pack when I did Elbert. Not fun for the next 2 days after.
I have no idea what you desire to gain from this channel but I see your hard work and I love this whole area so much. If we ever meet I’ll buy you as many drinks as you want, or just a meal if you don’t drink.
Did Huron on this past Saturday. Fourth attempt and finally made it! Watched your vids on it a few times among others. Really appreciated them. Such a thrill to finally summit a 14er and the view is awesome! Cant recommend people new to this watch vids a lot so you don’t get lost. I got lost twice. One thing no one tells you (that I’ve seen) is the ridge to the summit is all rocks and gravel, sketchy footing, especially for this 68 year old. People were so supportive too. Thanks for you vids on this.
No offense-but what did you expect it to be like? It’s a mountain
Great video! First year in CO and I’m slowly knocking out some peaks. Your videos are a big help.
Truly incredible, out of this world, at a loss of words just looking at those mountains and seeing people climb them, astonishing 👍 to me, this is as wild as it gets!
I love the video! Also enjoy the comments from others on their summits. I have taken several trips out to Colorado and have summited 17 of the 14ers via the standard route. I have a hard time with Longs, Elbert, and Quandary in the same category - in my experience, Quandary was no big deal (14er wise, I mean), Elbert was a lot of elevation gain but still not terrible, but Longs is definitely the most difficult 14er I have done. Once you get past the keyhole, the terrain changes dramatically, with lots of exposure and it turns to class 2/3.
Thanks for all the videos. Congratulations on completing all 58! I agreed with you on your list till you got to the more difficult 14ers. I have done most of those: Elbert, Quandary, Kit Carson, Challenger, Massive. But the one I can not agree with is Longs. Totally different league in my book. Totally subjective, I won't disagree. It is well marked. And it is in the National park. But it is more exposed, and it does require some decent scrambling, plus there is a lot of people (who shouldn't be there) kicking rocks at you in the trough. I did Quandary and Longs 2 days apart and I would not put them in the same group (imo) Congrats on your accomplishment! Thanks for the great videos!
Yeah I hear ya - a lot of people have not liked where Longs landed on this list. Has nothing to do with its location, but more so the mileage and elevation vs the others. However, agree with you that its harder than Quandary and some others on the list in terms of technical skills needed. Like you said, any list is subjective and I could probably remake this video in a year with slightly different listings. Appreciate the feedback and glad you are enjoying the videos!
My friends took me to Quandary as my first fourteener & it was really rough 😭 Just did Bierstadt, Grays & Torreys & enjoyed them so much more hahaha. Thanks for providing this guide!🤩
do Elbert. its way easier than you would think!
@@Josemarti305 true
@@Josemarti305 I agree! Did Bierstadt first then Quandary then Elbert and found Elbert the easier which seemed ironic to me. Then did Democrat and was surprised more people don’t recommend that one as a first.
Brilliant guide for beginners like me. These really help get an idea of where to start, thank you sir.
Great synopsis for all the peaks. I can't wait to follow this guide and start conquering these this spring!
Ty awesome glad it will be helpful for ya! Best of luck and let me know if I can help out with any advice 🙌🏽
So much of anyone’s opinion of difficulty of a climb/hike is the approach and you point that out. And thanks for making this video. My only criticism is the fact that, for example: Bross is mentioned as an easy 14er. What if you start at Kite Lake and ascend the West ridge? Not the same hike. Routes are important. Huron has an amazing approach from Clohesy Lake. Not easy at all.
Keep doing your thing, man. Let’s all remember we all started somewhere. PLEASE, everyone know the risks of any hike at elevation. And take care of trails!
Hike On!
Ryan White cheers ryan appreciate the kind words and agree with everything you said. Too much to get into in one video but so many variables which is why I stated I ranked all of these based on the standard routes in dry conditions. Thanks for the comment!
I keep watching this vid before doing 14ers. I've done 3 so far (Bierstadt, gray's &torrey's) about to attempt the decalibron this weekend sooo I needed this to hype me up more! thanks for your content!
🙌🏽🙌🏽 glad to help - good luck with the Decalibron.
Doing Wetterhorn next Monday. Will be 14er #3. Did Elbert and Redcloud so far. Depending how I’m feeling will do either Wilson Peak or Sneffels next Wednesday
Congrats on finishing CO 14ers. California 14ers could use some great coverage. :)
man I'm glad you ranked Pikes Peak the way you did. The Barr Trail route was my 2nd 14er summit, and it destroyed me when i did it xD
I visited CO Springs and hiked Pikes Peak in late May in 2019. I think it’s important to note that if there is still snow past the tree line it makes the ascent much more difficult for the last 1000 ft of elevation gain.
Parking lot to summit took 10 hours (1 hour lunch break) but easily could have been done in 9 hours without the snow.
Did Barr trail 1st and it absolutely destroyed me (flat lander)
It's long but not really hard.
Great vid. I transcribed everything. Have 10 down. Trust your judgement since you've done them all. Thanks again
I climbed Blanca by myself. To get to Lake Como it requires some SERIOUS 4wd haha. Was definitely a brutal one. But soo sooooo beautiful
To me the Sangres are the most beautiful range in Colorado. Blanca massif along with the amazing Crestones!
Thanks all for watching - sorry the chat kicked me off. Hope you enjoyed the premier and be sure to leave any questions below if I didn't answer them or missed ones at the end.
Also if you liked this concept like this comment and I will do something similar in the future for other videos!
Roo 2012, I was there!
_trekker_ awesome festival - my first major one I believe.
Wonderful video, super informative. Thank you (former OB instructor, San Juans)
That's funny, Conundrum was 14er #29 for me too. Thank you for the videos. Your el diente blanca traverse scared the hell out of me haha.
Same here .
Just did La Plata yesterday, had to come revisit this video because I vastly underestimated its difficulty, i personally found it to be harder than Elbert and even Longs simply because of how steep it is
I did it yesterday too and had the same thought lmao. 4200 of the gain is in about 2.5 miles
New subscriber. Thank you very much for your very onformative videos. Looking forward to hiking many of these.
That's interesting about Shavano. I summitted it in Aug. 2010, beautiful day, sat on the peak for a short while, saw little wisps of clouds beginning to form and I immediately started running down about as hard as I could go. There were people still up there in some awful lightning. I hope they came out OK.
Start Mt. Evans from the Chicago Lakes trail and you’ll be huffing by the time you make it to Summit Lake.
Man would love to hike with you. I have done Bierdstadt and Grays. Looking forward to watching more of your videos to understand these hikes more. So stay Blessed and stay Safe all!
I've done Long's 15 times (5 different routes) but at age 67 now am much slower (yet wiser) and feel comfortable with knowing that its not important to summit as it is to get back safely.
Awesome videos, and thanks for sharing your experiences and recommendations. I visited Colorado this past October, my first 14er was Pikes Peek, then I drove out to Dillion to explore Cupid Sniktau and Grizzly. I was somewhat surprised that my old senior bones was still up to the challenge. My only regret (something you mentioned in your video) I got caught in a snow/lightening storm 50 feet from Grizzly peek and was not prepared as to what safety measures you should take during a lightening storm. Being a newbi I wasn't aware how quickly the weather can change so quickly, It was blue skies when I started the hike, but after surviving the lighten storm I research the safety measures to take when I a summit during a lightening storm. Thanks again
I found Elbert and Quandary to be easier than Sneffels. But it could have been which trail I took. I did the main Quandary trail in winter and took the Black Cloud Trail for Elbert in the fall.
I attempted Sneffels from the Blue Lakes trailhead and that was scary. Crazy windy, plus it felt like it was way steeper and exposed than the others
My first hike in Colorado was Mt. Elbert. Thought it was a pretty chill climb.
yeah i did it 2 days after a massive snow storm on September 2020. it was all powder snow all the way up after treeline.
Try Longs by the East Face, that's a challenge. Did not get around to that until I was nearly 60.
Virtual Sherpa, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every one of Your videos. Thank You.
Thanks!
appreciate it
Sudden lightning with vicious winds, ice materializing all around you out of descending clouds, blizzards on Memorial day, and dehydration; all are killers. The Rockies are masters of the unpredictable.
Definitely recommend going clockwise on the DeCaLiBron after doing it both ways. Easier to slip and slide DOWN Bross rather than struggle up that loose rock right off the bat.
Great breakdown. Love the content. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Did Bierstadt first. Trying to do the easier to moderste ones near Denver first.
I just did Mount of the Holy Cross and can confirm it’s “more difficult” I did Bierstadt the day before and It felt like a day off compared to Elbert the week before.
It’s weird since you go up and then back down again
I find it hard to justify putting something like Long's in with peaks like Elbert and Quandary. I suppose you have to balance the three qualities of class, mileage, and elevation gain so you put them together due to a mix of factors. Still, the whole stretch past the keyhole on Long's is a world of difference to the class 1 trails on Quandary and Elbert. Interesting video. My lifetime goal for Colorado is to hit all of them in winter conditions.
Finished all the 14ers a few years ago. I agree with some of his rankings, disagree with others. Unfortunately, some of the easier peaks are just overrun with people in the summer (Bierstadt, Grays and Torreys, Quandry, Longs).
There are more than 600 peaks that are over 13,000 ft in Colorado and some of them are just as challenging as some of the 14ers.
Yes, the 13,000ners are the way to go for great hiking without being with your 1,500 best friends...
Interesting rating system. I would not consider putting Pyramid in the same category as Pikes though! I mean, I can run up the Barr trail (13 miles, 7000' vert) in close to 2 hours flat....whereas the 4 mile Pyramid approach (despite "only 4500'" of vert.) takes me over 2 hours because of the technical nature of the rocks (Class 4 etc). It seems like your consideration//rating weighs heavily on the approach trail length and climbing work (and aerboic fitness ability) and perhaps less on the technical nature of the trail/climb?
Yeah I think at the time, that’s the way I set this system: more points to mileage/vert and technical part considered in the equation but not having a massive swing of ranking unless it was a considerable step up. In all honesty, I’m sure a lot of recency bias played into this list at the time and I’d probably rank them different now, especially since I’ve gotten more into running. I think you could make this list in terms of pure class difficulty but then pikes lands in the easier category and a 20+ mile day for most people is pretty challenging. Fan of your stuff though Sage, appreciate the comment 🤘🏽
My first 14er will be Pikes Peak this May. So Excited for it. I'm always doing Iron Mountain in Poway California which is only 2,696 so this will be a big jump but I'm ready for it.
I did Redcloud as my first 14er earlier this summer without much acclimation and it was tough! I plan on going back with more training and acclimation time to bag Sunshine with it as well.
I’m glad Yale is on the moderate side. It’ll be my first 14er in a few weeks. Appreciate the content!
I am struggling with the concept of class 3. Just did Wetterhorn and though the finish was short, I found it terrifying. Confused by your ranking of that peak. Great vidoes, thanks!!
Might be more of an exposure issue vs class 3 issue? Try getting into a rock climbing gym (if you don't already) to practice that feeling of air underneath you. Usually helps gain confidence in exposure.
@@TheVirtualsherpa Really really apriciate the help! Thank you
Sneffels, KC, and challenger I would say are a category below what they should be. Sneffels is loose crap or Class 3 ridge. KC and Challenger has long approach and is very steep
Hi! Now that you've finished the Colorado 14 thousanders, it would be interesting to see you tackle other ranges like the Teton Range in Wyoming or the Sierra Nevada's in Cali.
FloydTrek that’s the goal long term or when I have some extra time. For now, I still have a normal job and live in Colorado so hard to get away from home for weeks on end to give ranges outside the state the time they deserve but love the idea!
My first hike in Colorado was Challenger point. Definitely a big one to start on.
I love your channel and footage. I have done 13 😊
I think people underestimate Longs Peak. It's a long 15 mile climb with little options to shorten by backpacking (unless you want to camp above 12,000') and it becomes more than a walk up for an extended length once past the keyhole. The trough can be a tricky snow climb in a heavy snow year or early in the season and the narrows and the homestretch are pretty exposed in places and require some scrambling.
Other suggestions: Sneffels has a surprisingly difficult move out of the second couloir and some rough terrain along with heinous scree. I'd move it into the next higher group. Definitely more difficult than most Sawatch peaks especially if you cannot get to the end of YBB road in a vehicle.
I only have 4 so far but have done both Long’s and Sneffels. I felt the descent on Sneffels was way harder than the ascent but I did it without poles. Long’s was certainly much more strenuous but I expected Sneffels to be a short easy hike and it certainly was not. With that said I don’t feel Quandry is all that hard. I’ve done it twice now. The last time I brought my sister in law and my son who was 9 at the time and they both summited with relative ease. It’s challenging but in all the good ways. Nothing close to Sneffels with the scree.
Most of these long approaches are better to split into two separate days by backpacking. Bring a daypack along with your large pack and leave all the heavy items at camp.
Love your vids. I am keeping them all for my training for Everest base camp trek. Thanks a million Mick. Great job on iron man too!!!
Wish I would have saw this before I went to Colorado, did Elbert as my first 14er
Brandon Salerno yeah I was surprised someone else didn’t have this kind of ranking out there before now. Hopefully it helps with future trips!
The Virtual Sherpa thought it was just hard because I flew in from Chicago at 2 am and it was my first time hiking at altitude but your ranking made me realize that I did shockingly well for being unacclimatized.
I did Elbert for my 1st 14er too!! I came straight from Upstate NY, definitely was not acclimated. Stayed in Denver for 3 days then slept overnight in Leadville. Close to the summit around 14,000 ft I started to get dizzy and thought I was going to puke but a buddy I was hiking with just told me to drink water and eat a cliff bar and it actually worked! Probably not something you shouldn't take seriously but we did summit. I also have prior hiking experience but only in the High peaks of the Adirondacks, currently 33/46! So I'm thinking that might've helped me out I suppose 😅
Joe T congrats on the summit
I’m looking to get into 14ers and this video was great man 👍
Grays and Torrey’s combo was my first summit
Cool! Those were going to be mine too, until quarantine started.
They were mine too. I was high school (or maybe summer between high school and college) when I climbed them.
Hey mine too
great breakdown, especially by grouping them by category. thanks
La plata was tough for me and dad we felt like shit and for some reason the day I did Mt Columbia I could not move for shit and hit legs 2 days before so that was a hell day lmao
I come from the old school of 54 14ers back in 1995 to about 2002, but now I see El Diente has been removed due to the "300 Foot Rule" due to it's prominence being less than 300 feet. So now the "Official" is 53 with some "saying" 58 as well. But none the less climbing all these mountains is one heck of an accomplishment.
My goal is to do all the class 1 and class 2 maybe a class 3, hopefully 40 of the 14ers
I’m from Colorado Springs so I see pikes peak every day and have hiked multiple times and I can confirm, it is NOT as easy as it seems
People that don't already love Colorado should subscribe to you and they'll see. Thank you. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to seeing where you'll go next now that you bagged all the 14ers.
Stone cheers and appreciate it!
Live in Colorado for 15 years, never knew we have Lake Como - a budget friendly option :)
I've only done Elbert and Pikes peak. They were hard.
dude your channel is awesome!! Im a finisher in 2010 been working on spring ski decent's since, only have 22 done, it might be a lifelong project!! Again all the best your work in awesome, and I hope the patriots get better next year! Ha!!
Appreciate it and I don't think they can get worse lol.
@@TheVirtualsherpa Im originally from the 802( VT) 30 years ago so im a pats fan as well, its been a painful few years!
Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail was my first ever mountain summit! My friend & I hiked/ran it in about 8-9 hours for time reasons, but we loved the mileage!! There were people running up and down the entire thing like it was no big deal, thought that was really cool and I'd love to do the Pikes Peak Marathon some day when I'm done with competing xc & track. I'd be curious to know if you also did the crags trail up to Pikes Peak, not as hard or long but the views are better in my opinion! Longs is on my bucket list for this summer too!!
Yep, sure have: ua-cam.com/video/lVn2Mh6vaho/v-deo.html - 100% agree that this has the better views outside of the last bit walking along the road.
Interesting video. Great hikes in CO . Wish I lived there. I’ve done Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and Elbert. Each was a one day hike. I agree that Pikes Peak on the Barr Trail is very difficult due to the length 13 miles one way and elevation change which is I think over 7k ft from the town. It was a few mile walk just to the trailhead from where I parked in the town. I think it took almost 6 hours one way - then I wimped out and took the train down. I think Longs Peak via Keyhole is equally difficult due to the scrambling, narrow ledges, potential to get hit from rocks from hikers above and wind when you get past the keyhole - there have been alot of fatalities on that mountain. Trail is about 13 miles round trip - took 9 hours total. Elbert despite being the tallest is way easier in my opinion on the north trail. It’s just a steep hike with no scrambling and good trail conditions - only 9 mile round trip. I felt a lot better that day as I had a good acclimatizing hike the day before and was under 5 hours round trip. I’d recommend that one as a first 14k though make sure you are prepared for bad weather. I went up in July and it was very crowded with people that were not prepared. I got done about 11am and some very severe thunderstorms rolled in about 2pm that alot hikers must have gotten stuck in. I would like to try capitol.
Just did my first 14er (bierstadt) was not easy, but we summited in just above 4 hours
Congratulations man!
@jason - saw your question: the standard route of holy cross want to do halo ridge though.
I appreciate the side note on hiking Quandary in the winter. I've been wondering which 14er I could pull off with [relative] ease in the snow. 👍
Lots of good resources there, start here though: www.thevirtualsherpa.com/category/virtual-sherpa-blog/colorado-14er-hiking-tips/
I did Quandary and Massive. Both were not that bad on the way up, but I found Massive sucked near the bottom on the way down there were awful pebble like rocks that were like ankle breakers if you weren’t paying attention.
That my friend is known as scree and it is what many hikers here have nightmares about. Awful, awful stuff to deal with.
The Virtual Sherpa oh I had no idea there was a name for it. Thanks for the tips and for letting me know!
Did Handies Peak via Grizzly Gulch TH this past 2nd week of July '23, my 1st 14er. Live in Louisiana and had 3 days to acclimate but wasn't "too bad". What would be a next one in that general area for a flatlander who gets 1 week a year to spend in the San Juan range? Have a few in mind from looking online, just figured i'd ask here for real-time suggestions. Thanks in advance!
Love your videos bro. I discovered your UA-cam channel about a month ago and I’ve been hooked on your videos. I’ve got Handies and Evans down so far. I hope to get up to Colorado more often and hike more of them while using the resources from your vids. Thx for all the entertainment.
Jared from Albuquerque, NM!
Awesome man, glad they are helpful and many more vids to come!
At the beginning of the 2020 summer, my 13 year old son suggested we do all the Colorado Fourteeners. “It will be fun”, he said. Not knowing what I was getting into, I thought why not, and I agreed to the father & son fourteeners challenge. We started on the weekend of June 6/7th, and have climbed 34 of the 54 (58) during the weekends of the past two months. At first, I thought they were easy. The weekend before last, we climbed LaPlata, Castle, Conundrum, Wetterhorn, and Uncompahgre in 48 hours. The exposure on a couple of those mountains scared the **** out of me. So, I started watching your videos last week for help, but wish I would have watched them before making such an audacious commitment. The most difficult category really looks terrifying to me. The more exposure they have, the more my son enjoys summiting them. For me, not so much. This feels like a real labor of love for me (type 3 fun as you describe it). Will I ever get over the fear of watching my son have no fear? Or the fear of if I fall I will die? Any of your suggestions to overcome my fears would greatly help!!!
I don't have children so unfortunately can't help there but as he gets older and goes out on his own- piece of mind will probably be key for you. I use a garmin inreach (linked in all of my videos) where my wife can track my progress and I can call for help via satellite if I ever need it. Regarding exposure/scrambling - I think fear is a great thing to have, its just managing it. Things like testing holds, respecting the terrain and wearing a helmet are always great. Like most things in the mountains though, the more experience you get, the more comfortable you will become. Best of luck with the rest!
That’s good to know! Thank you!!
And keep up the great videos!!!
Awesome video!!!!! You def considered mileage (approach) a lot!! Most do lists by technical difficulty only. Maroon peak is HARD physically, Glad u had it high.. quandary is def harder than most lists. I liked your easy list! I thought little bear (hourglass) was harder than you portrayed. I thought Lindsey/ challenger point/ kit carson/ and longs should be a little higher and pikes peak little lower. YOU ARE GREAT. Your videos are why I did maroon traverse and cap and pyramid!!!!! THANK YOU
Patrick Roy yeah I think it’s insane that people just ignore mileage and elevation gain on lists because ultimately that’s what tires your legs and gets your HR through the roof to tire you out. I’m sure I could move a few around but I feel pretty happy with the list 👍🏽
I used to work with Jerry Roach. At Dataware Technologies. Back in the 90s. That dude is an Everest climber.
Absolutely a legend - would love to meet him one day.
If you ever want to trade some of that Outer Range, I'm happy to help. Great video!
Taking my 10 year old son to do Grays Peak end of July. He is names after Grays peak (Grayson) after on a hike in Colorado we did not knowing my wife was pregnant and we found two twigs that grew together that looked like a cross on this hike.
Best of luck!
The list is very helpful!
good list, but i would definitely put lindsey a tier higher than Quandary and Elbert. i also think that La Plata was a bit more difficult than Q and E
Going to my first 14er Mt.Sherman next weekend! Thank you! Great vid
My siblings have hiked sherman and say it’s their favorite.
Quandary is only equal to Humboldt if you can drive to the Colony Lakes. Holy Cross really goes up if you do the whole halo loop!
when are you going to do the California 14ers?
Great videos! Evans from Echo lake takes it out of the bottom category. I’ll look for your Great Traverse videos.
I did Mt. San Luis last year, woohoo, I'm a moderate mountaineer lol.
Are you familiar with the east face trail to Huron Peak from Clohesy Lake?
Great stuff...really enjoy your videos and the information you share. Excellent details and insights. As mentioned in other videos...I think you should start re-doing them for us and bring along your drone...that footage is spectacular. Big props to you for your contributions
That is the plan! Thanks as always for the support.
Thank you for putting Quandary higher. Some people call it the easiest. (?) I felt it was in the middle of the 16 easier ones I did. Sherman was the easiest in my view.
Would you say the lulu gulch approach on Huron bumps it up? Doubles the distance and takes you across some super sketchy boulder fields.
Thanks for this valuable video!
With how much you factored in mileage and elevation surprised how low you had redcloud and sunshine. Just did them on Saturday and it was a beast of a day.