Thursday, September 10, 2015

Fourteen Thousand Foot Mountain Peaks

Day hikes to the top of 14,000+ foot mountain peaks is a great sport. There are 53 mountain peaks in Colorado above 14,000 feet, and 12 in California. They often have snow in July! Very important to start the hike early in the morning. The challenge is getting to the top, then back down to the tree line before the afternoon lightening thunderstorms. Above the tree line (~11,000 feet), the hiker is the tallest thing.
Since starting this sport in 2008, I have had the wonderful experience of hiking to the top of twelve 14er’s, four of them with my daughter, Jaime.

The 13 mile trail up Pikes Peak with my daughter, Jaime
View from the Pikes Peak trail below the tree line
View from the Pikes Peak trail above the tree line
Top of Pikes Peak, Colorado
7/12/08
The trail up Mt. Evans, Colorado
Dropping the winter coat on Mt. Evans
Typical vegetation above the tree line
Trail near the top of Mt. Evans
At the top of Mt. Evans
At the top
7/25/09
Mt. Massive, Colorado, trailhead
Typical of the beautiful mountain scenery in Colorado
Passing the tree line at Mt. Massive
Trails get steeper and rockier near the top
Top of Mt. Massive
7/24/10
Mt. Elbert, Colorado, trailhead
Near the top of Mt. Elbert
Near the top of Mt. Elbert, highest peak in Colorado
Top of Mr. Elbert
7/14/12
The beautiful trail on Mt. Langley, California
High altitude lake on Mt. Langley
Near the top of Mt. Langley
Top of Mt. Langley
7/13/13
Snow in July!
Trail up Mt. Grays, Colorado
View of Mt. Torreys from the trail on Mt. Grays
Top of Mt. Grays
8/10/13
Looking back at Mt. Grays from the top of Mt. Torreys
Great view from the top of Mt. Torreys
Top of Mt. Torreys
8/10/13
Coming down the trail from Mt. Grays & Mt. Torreys
Trail up White Mountain, California
The observatory on White Mountain
Near the top of White Mountain
6/29/14
View from the top of White Mountain looking down at the farms along Highway 395 near Big Pine, California
The trial up Mt. Democrat, Colorado
Top of Mt. Democrat
7/18/15
Top of Mt. Democrat
7/18/15
Top of Mt. Cameron
7/18/15
Top of Mt. Lincoln
7/18/15
Top of Mt. Bross
7/18/15
Four 14er's in one day
```````
Top of Mt. Harvard in Colorado at 14,420 feet. The hike up included a Class 2 rock climb.
8/13/2016
Top of Mt. Harvard
8/13/2016
On August 13, 2016, top of Mt. Harvard in Colorado at 14,420 feet. The hike up included a Class 2 rock climb