We managed to talk Becca into joining us in Breckenridge for a couple days (really had to twist her arm) and join us on a hike. She had mentioned while we visited her in Denver that she wanted to try her first 14er the next time she hiked. She explained to us that a 14er is the short hand way of referring to a mountain peak that was above 14,000 ft in elevation.
On day 6 we had hiked to a little under 12,000 ft but we thought we could probably manage to do a 14er. To our luck, there was one right down the road called Quandary Peak. When we talked to locals about it, they referred to it as the “easy” 14er. Easy....right....
Becca showed up sometime around 8 that morning and we slowly got ready for our trek. We left the packs off the dogs this time, we didn’t want to over burden them on the hardest climb so far and besides, it’s not they were carrying anything in the packs yet. With some extra food and water we were off...in the wrong direction. Whoops. I mixed up Blue River Rd with Blue Lakes Rd. Again those stupid...er...I mean nifty phones came in handy and both Steven and Becca let me know that it was Blue Lakes Rd. Phooey.
The trailhead was packed; there were cars lined up for at least a half a mine. Generally speaking we should have started this hike much earlier, it was getting on 10 am now and we should have been on the trail closer to 7. Notice in the following picture the image of the terrain we were about to hike. You see that big orange blob with the warning of steep terrain? That was the majority of the hiking.
It was pretty rooty at first but we made steady progress up to a plateau near the end of the treeline. You could sneak a peek of a couple neighboring mountains with snow on their peaks so we stopped and snapped couple photos.
Those cool gray birds decided to join us again on this trail but we didn’t stop and play this time.
As we left the tree line the terrain became extraordinarily rocky and more dangerous. There were threatening clouds looming and we realized if we were caught in a lightening storm over the tree line that we were literally sitting ducks and Colorado weather can be tricky. But the views were great! From this vantage point we could see the blue lakes below.
As we climbed higher we came upon more and more hikers. Some were most were already descending. We were followed onto the trail by a couple and their beagle who we let pass after a while, Bentley kept wanting to say, “Hi”. There are two distinct peaks that we climbed on this trail.
The first one is relatively low. It took miles to reach the summit of this peak, which generally means the slope is more gradual (relatively speaking). On the way up we passed a couple who had stopped for a snack break, the pups said hi and we moved on. Not very far ahead we had to stop for a break ourselves. Our legs were starting to feel the elevation. From their apparent, ample energy, I think the dogs were calling us pansies. That couple we had passed not long ago, passed us huffing and puffing as we were resting, we figured we’d see them again before long.
We were already pretty worn out at this point and Becca and I were doubting out ability to make it to the peak. We finished our snacks and set off again, we wanted to make it to this peak and then decide. Nearly at the top, we were passed by a couple of experienced hikers who were descending. We asked them what their take was on the clouds and how much longer we might have before they unleashed their fiery on us. I also took this time to ask him if the peak we were climbing to was the 14er peak or if it was the second peak looming in the distance (at this point I didn’t know). He kinda paused, looked at the current peak and the peak in the distance and said “Yep, the second one”. I think my legs felt heavier after he said that. In any case, he gave us about 45 mins. No way we were making it all the way up to the peak in 45 mins.
The first plateau/peak was around 13,000 ft. It was absolutely astonishing that it meant we have over 1,000 ft left to climb in what looked like a half of a mine. That peak appeared so deserted and unforgiving but we were stubborn so we decided to keep on going. Becca’s knee was already starting to bother her though, she had doubt it would hold out for 1,000 more feet.
There was no more discernible trail unless someone had gracious made a cairn or the stones had been moved to reveal some dirt. We started pulling away from Becca, who’s knee was just screaming at her. This was the last break we took before Steven and I decided we were going for the summit.
I know it’s corny but we could literally see our house from up there! See:
I’m pretty sure I was sitting while I took these photos because there was some pretty steep cliffs off to my sides and I was a little worried about my ability to not fall over while peering through the camera.
Becca insisted that we keep going even if she couldn’t keep up and that she would make it as far as she could on her own time. We didn’t like the idea but we figured there were plenty of other hikers on the trail so she wasn’t entirely alone.
The terrain only became steeper. At points you had to use your hands to steady yourself as you step up onto a huge rock. There were no more cairns, only the looming peak. You knew where you were headed at least. We (I) had to stop and take breaks often, my heart was pounding out of my chest. The higher we got, the harder it was for our bodies to get the oxygen they needed so our hearts were working even harder. One of these rest stops we were chatted up by a group that were coming down from the peak. One of the guys in their group had on Chuck Taylors. I kid you not, and no, Converse has not come out with a hiking shoe. Visualize if you would hiking up steep terrain over very pointy, uneven, unforgiving granite rocks. Steven and I were in our running shoes, that was bad enough but at least we had some sort of sole and padding! He admitted that he hadn’t thought the decision through and his feet were absolutely done for. I hope he got a foot rub after that. Somewhere around here it also started snowing on us (yay, snow!).
I received dutiful updates on our elevation from Steven. I was convinced I’d make it to 14,000 ft and no further, I didn't give a *#$% how far the peak was from 14,000 ft! Ok maybe I did. I didn’t know when I passed 14,000 ft but I was informed at one point that we were at 14,150 ft and that the peak was only another 100 ft away. Even then it looked like I was about to climb a friggin ladder made out of boulders. That last 300 ft was the absolute worst. It was the steepest by far. But we made it! That last step over the last peak was so gratifying! The peak was sort of a plateau but it did have a slight rise to an area that people had “constructed” for sitting. It was really just a pile of rocks that people had organized into seats and alcoves. I don’t know who the unlucky person was but someone carried a log up there and erected it much like a obelisk at the peak. We decided this was the most apt place to call the peak and rested for a bit, taking photos, eating and waiting to see Becca crown that last rise.
This was by far the most impressive site I’ve ever seen. We were at an elevation of around 14,265 ft. We were higher than most of the mountains around us.
AND there was snow on the peak! See!!!!
Gratuitous photo proof of summiting:
Leave it to the boy to want to climb onto the top of the pile of rocks on the peak.
We were about to head back down the mountain and find Becca when a group reached the top. We asked them if they’d seen a girl with a chocolate lab and how far back she was. They told us that they was maybe only 10 mins back and she was still coming! YAY! We were in the perfect position to capture her triumphant last 100 ft!
After a little more food and a few more photos and the darks clouds looming closer, we figured it was a good time to hightail it down to the tree line.
We hadn’t quite reached the first peak when a group of hikers told us that there were mountain goats ahead! We could barely see them but they seemed to be leaving a group with a dog alone (which is good since the locals had warned us that they can be aggressive towards dogs) so we proceeded down with caution, but without the dogs on lead (they had walked the entire thing off lead so far). The big male moved off down the side of the mountain towards the blue lakes but we were able to snap a few photos of another mountain goat and what looked like it’s little kid.
When they started moving towards the trail again we figured it was probably a good time to move on. I for one didn’t want to get head butted off the mountain, although I did joke about doing a butt slide down the less harsh side, I figured it’d be faster.
So climbing this beast was one obstacle, descending was a whole other one! There was no jogging down this terrain, that would be asking for a broken toe or worse; every step was cautious. Becca, who’s knee was already bothering her, was really feeling the descent. At one point her knee gave out and she felt like she might have torn something. I took over walking Bentley down the mountain, hoping that would help her some. Shortly after that, Steven’s knee started bothering him too. I was surrounded by gimpy George’s. In their defense, I was feeling it too, I just wasn’t gimpy yet.
I’ve never been so happy to see a tree, although our fear of the weather had subsided since the sun came out on our descent. But still, a tree meant we were near 11,500 ft. Only 1,500 left to go.
We finished the hike around 4 or 4:15, that was a 6 hour day of hiking. And it was completely worth it. When we got back to the house, we all promptly had a beer and stared at the mountain peak we had just beaten. We were all already aching to one degree or another, so a soak in the hot tub was due. I could get used to days like that. Hours and hours of play and then a soak in the hot tub, not too shabby.
Around 6 I think we managed to drag our weary bodies to the showers and then to town for some dinner at Kenosha. We had the Summit nachos (it seemed appropriate) and we all had some variation of Buffalo. Our server’s name was Stripper Steve...no we didn’t get a show.
Thus ended our 14er day. Only 52 more 14ers to go! Haha...maybe on our next trip to Colorado.
