Probably a more relevant post for r/skiing or r/Denver but thought the folks here might have a thought since the line I’m after is a 14er.

Is there anywhere where I could find a short term rental of touring skis? Was hoping to do Cristo Couloir while it’s still in, maybe later this month. My touring skis are very lightweight and are 108mm waists so would probably be miserable in spring conditions. Would love some 95mm Kastles or Camoxs or something up that alley

Any ideas are greatly appreciated

Planning on doing grays and torreys regular route on the 8th. Curious if anyone has been and recently. Not sure how worried I should be about Kelso mountain avalanches considering all the new snow. Thank you all!

I’ve done 20 fourteeners so far but none have been over Class 2 in difficulty, with my most difficult ones being Castle and Conundrum. I was invited by a group of friends with Class 3 and Class 4 experience to do Crestone Peak’s South Face in mid July. How difficult is the climb up the Red Gully and how bad is the exposure on Crestone Peak?

I’m planning to go to Pikes Peak next summer and I have camping near the summit as an idea that I have in mind.

I’ve been looking at making some plans for late summer, and just started looking for the first time at the route up Capitol. What stands out to me is that it seems like there is a lot of distance/time with big exposure. I’ve dealt with exposure on other peaks at this point for sure but it always seemed like a chunk of it here then another one there and so on. The length of exposure on Capitol seems like a lot.

Of course it’s hard to tell from photos and so that’s why I’m here. Can some of you who have done Capitol as well as some of the other challenging routes (LB-Blanca, Bells trav, Crestones, Sunlight, ElDiente-Wilson, Pyramid) speak to the experience of Capitol compared to these others.

Thanks

Basically the title, anyone know what the condition of Huron is right now? Looking to hike it in about a week, know there'll be snow but curious how the road up to the Trailhead and conditions by the summit are looking

I want to try the sawtooth traverse by mt bierstadt and am wondering if I should wait for July to go for it or if it shouldn’t be too snowy on the traverse around mid June. What do you think?

I know there will be crowds but I’m looking for local knowledge to help guide us. We will be in the Denver area for a show on July 1 but want to knock out a 14er while we are there. If an internet stranger could help me understand 1) which 14er within 3 hours of Denver would be “less” crowded. And 2) what city we should use as a base to explore. I was looking at Breck, Vail, Estes Park, Colorado Springs, etc.

Thanks in advance for any tips or tricks.

Hello! My boyfriend and I plan on doing Gray's/Torrey's in late May. Any feedback on conditions that time of year and what gear we might need? I've heard mixed things. Some say we should be able to access the upper trail and some say expect waist deep snow. I've heard the snow is slushy and microspikes do no good in those conditions. We've never done a hike this early in the summer/late spring so we're not sure what to expect.

So I'm setting my sights on a few mountain goals before my body starts to quit on me (age). What are your experiences with going from the 14ers in the States to bigger peaks, specifically those that are above 5000 m. Did you find that your body functioned fine, or was there an elevation that you felt a "wall" or were hit by altitude sickness?

Some peaks I've had in mind include the "easier" 6000 m mountains in the Andes (Huayna Potosi, Ojos del Salado, Misti, Chachani), Mont Blanc, and Orizaba.

Any tips on training? I've been mostly hiking in the CO/NM ski areas to get my aerobic capacity up to snuff.

I'm just doing sport climbing atm, but am interested in what routes might be options in a few years. Thanks in advance.

So I am coming from Florida (will be driving) and I have about 10 days to myself (not including driving) in August and want to use that to get back out to Colorado (see family, explore some more, etc.). During this, I want to be able to acclimatize and tackle Elbert. I’m fairly active and in decent shape, I do cardio 1-2 times per week and lift weights 3 times per week. Besides Elbert, here are some of my anticipated adventures: visit Loveland pass and independence pass, see family in Denver (non-negotiable, gotta do this), Great sand dunes at night for star gazing, manitou incline, driving up pikes peak and Mount blue sky, Visit Leadville Some easier acclimatization hikes (I’ve seen on this subreddit that Mount Morrison and Mount Sniktau are good)

I would just like some help and tips creating my 9-10 day itinerary to acclimatize so I can minimize altitude sickness and also what I can do now to get in proper shape and prepare for Elbert. I am open to recommendations on other things to do.

Thank you.

Great piece in the Colorado Sun about a controversial fence around Cielo Vista Ranch (home to Culbera Peak). Some local land-owners have 150+ year-old rights to access the land, and battles (legal and otherwise) have been waged over these rights for the better part of a century now.

https://preview.redd.it/lufyr23cvaxc1.png?width=2140&format=png&auto=webp&s=86b94688d6f355fe6eaff1b8d9c96e59872989c1

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Are there any 14ers that can be hiked (near the front range preferably) that take minimal snow hiking experience? I really want to start bagging some but I only have spikes and trekking poles and only a few snowy peaks under my belt so far.

Hello 👋 I will be in Denver until Monday and was thinking about hiking Bierstadt while I’m here. I haven’t since 2015. Last time was in early July and I was wondering if it is even possible this late in April with snow. I’d assume snow shoes are a good idea but can it be done without? Super last minute decision to try and hike it while I’m out here and don’t want to waste my time if it’s too early in the season. Appreciate any and all insight!

What’s the most difficult/strenuous/technical hike in WV? I’m used to Colorado 14ers. Anything even close to that level of difficulty? Scrambles would be ideal.

I have hiked 24 of the 48 NH 4,000’s. Most I have hiked in a single 10 hour day is about 14 miles and three peaks. I am going to be out in Colorado Springs in august and want to do Pikes Peak. How long should I take to acclimate to the altitude before attempting? I’m sure it varies but I want to know if I should even consider it. I will be out there for one week. I have read that the trails here are more intense than elsewhere but I am not certain how true this is and am worried about the altitude maybe moreso.

I personally loved La Plata's southwest ridge. I'd love to find more like it. And I really appreciated Massive's SW slopes for the time it saved me.

How feasible would it be to do these 5 over 3 days? I would think maybe do Uncompahgre & Wetterhorn first, then Handies for a chill recovery day, then Recloud & Sunshine.

I have a friend that is convinced that Half Dome is more dangerous hike the Capital Peak and its knife edge. I’ve only done capital so I don’t want to call her crazy yet. Looking for advice from someone that’s done both. Thanks!

I have a permit to backpack longs the weekend after the "average snowmelt" for the boulderfield is. I'm wondering what snow conditions may look like post-keyhole? I started climbing last summer and I have 15 14ers knocked out, all in different ranges. No ice axe/crampons yet. Will this need to be the trip I get them?

While not a 14er, Lone Eagle Peak is just as challenging so I thought this sub may have good advice. Last time I attempted, I lost confidence that I was on the Solo Flight route on the final push and turned around 200 yards out. It hurt, but not as much as dying. I’d like to attempt again this summer. Does anyone have advice on route finding or know where a good gps file is? Particularly that last bit once you reach the top of the pass.

I’ve done quite a few 14ers in May and June before that have had some sketchy snowfield crossings. I usually use spikes and a pole to cross but I sometimes it doesn’t feel like enough. I’m shocked that I almost never see anyone bring an ice axe for out with early summer gear.

How do you determine when you are/aren’t bringing an ice axe out for the early season hikes?

Looking to hit La Plata on Wednesday. Wanted to see if anyone has a recommendation for which would be the best route to take. Checking 14ers.com I didn't find any good trip reports for this time of the year on both routes.

I'm aware Northwest is the standard route and has a winter variation due to avalanche risk. Looks like access to the TH should be fine on this route and I'm guessing it'll have a better trench given its the standard route.

However, the Southwest Ridge looks a decent option as well. Plus it has less gain and mileage. It also looks like you can get pretty close to the TH.

Any thoughts from your experiences? Thanks!

Oh also! Planning to bring my snowshoes and microspikes, but would crampons be necessary on either route?

Can I camp in my truck overnight at the quandary trail head lot, in the winter? Planning on backcountry skiing it tomorrow, and trying to find the best place to sleep in my truck tonight!

I’ve read online that reservations are required during peak season to park there, and this isn’t peak season. The online info is not clear about overnight parking during peak season.

Any info, or recent experiences there would be great! Thanks!