Winter Fourteener - Two Ways to Dress

I recently went up Quandary three different times in Calendar Winter. I also did a few earlier in the season, but the contrast in clothing will illustrate the options in dressing for a Winter Fourteener.

I took my kids up, ages 8, 11, and 14 and knew that it would be a relatively slow day. As it was, it was over four hours to the summit and another couple hours down. It was about 15 F and very little wind, which was great for a hike with children. We all dressed similarly.

Clothing for this hike of a Winter Fourteener:

• Base Layers, top and bottom
• Fleece jacket
• Ski jacket
• Ski pants
• Wool socks
• Sorel style lined boots
• Wool cap
• Mittens or ski gloves
• Face mask or Buff

It was perfect for the conditions. We all started out in snowshoes but then took them off and stacked them on a large cairn (pile of rocks to mark the trail) at about 13,200' and did not put them back on for the rest of the hike up or down to the parking area.

In the packs were a couple pair of spare gloves and hats, a liter of water each, and about 6 snacks each. We were wearing just about everything we had for the hike.

Petting the Pug at 13,200' on Quandary

Hiking the East Ridge of Quandary - Winter Fourteener in Ski Clothing

Later when I went back to Quandary to set a speed ascent PR (personal record, otherwise PB or personal best) while testing the possibility of training for Elbrus Race 2015, I planned on going very quickly so breathability, mobility, and weight were a concern.

You want to get the most you can out of each item of clothing.

Clothing for Fast Winter Fourteener attempt:

• Kahtoola Microspikes
• Pearl Izumi Trail N2 Running Shoes
• Point6 Wool Summit Socks
• Pearl Izumi wind-pro tights
• Columbia Omni-Heat Tech Tee
• Monkey-Fur style fleece jacket
• Soft-shell gloves
• Thin Wool Liner Beanie

With hood up, vest and wind shirt on at summit - a winter fourteener

I wore an Ultrarunning Vest and had two 16 oz. bottles of liquid, one of which was Accelerade Hydro, which I'm trying to get used to using as my primary fuel source while training. I also had a few Hammer Gels, a Honey Stinger Waffle, and a pack of Jelly Belly Energy Beans. But those were for back-up only. I had no real intention of using them unless I bonked.

With wind shirt and buff at summit

In my pack I had a thin TNF Primaloft vest, a wind shirt, a Buff, and a spare pair of gloves.

Different Options - Clothing for a Winter Fourteener

These are two different extremes. Dressed all in winter ski clothing, or dressed in cold weather running clothing. There are a few key points to consider selecting clothing for a winter fourteener.

Time on the trail
Current and expected weather
Exertion and sweat level
Willingness to bail at first sign of trouble
Willingness to suffer a little bit
Speed with which you can get to the car if needed

I hope you can consider for yourself which approach is best. That being said, unless you are a skilled, trained, fit athlete, do not go as light as I did with my speed attempts.

By the way, I did in fact get 3 PR's in this 10 day period included in this article. On March 9 I got a PR for the ascent using the winter route, and then on March 17 I beat it and also got a PR for the descent of the winter route. The condition of the snow is deteriorating rapidly so I don't know if I'll be able to beat my time again before the route switches to the summer route and I start all over again.

Running shoes, wool socks, tights and Kahtoolas - perfect if you're trained and experienced

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Training on the Colorado 14ers

I have the opportunity to do a Colorado 14er just about any time I want. Within an hour drive of where I live in Summit County there are a half dozen Fourteeners to choose from. I encourage my friends, including those I coach, to climb them whenever they can for training and building a base of acclimatization.

13 year old son on winter ascent of Quandary - summit pole

Last year I wrote the first draft of a training manual designed for the first-timer at hiking a 14er in Colorado.

Couch to Colorado 14er

I let over 100 people download and review it, and offer suggestions. I sorted through those and have recently finished the final draft. I'm making it available as an ebook and in print, and with supplementary email, Skype, and Hangouts coaching and support, as well as members-only audio and video enhancement.

If you're curious, check it out HERE to pre-register to be notified first when it's available.

Do a 14er in '14!

I want 1000 people to commit to climb a 14er this year. Take the challenge.

I had someone respond to this with a statement about environmental responsibility. I can see the potential for confusion, since it's maybe not 100% clear that I don't mean all 1000 at once, on the same trail at the same time.

In regards to Pikes Peak:

More than 500,000 people reach the summit house every year by the Pikes Peak Highway, Barr Trail or the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.

And of that number:

About 15,000 people a year attempt to climb Pikes Peak on foot. The 13-mile trail begins at the base of Pikes Peak in Manitou Springs.

These numbers are from the respected WWF [Article] and I generally believe them to be conservative. On my hikes in the mountains around me, I have seen various Colorado climbing groups having as many as 100 members hanging out on top at the same time. I have passed twice as many as that on Grays and Quandary on a weekday in the summer.

Summit of Torreys with Todd Gilles and about 100 others

I feel safe to say that in any given year some number between 100,000 to 200,000 hikers are on a Colorado 14er trail over the course of any given summer. 1000 extra hikers over the course of that same summer is .5-1.0% additional hikers. It's almost insignificant.

If you're ready to get a 14er summit this summer, go check out my Seven Summits Body blog  HERE and register now to receive a free download of my ebook "Planning Your Home Cardio Theater" and learn how to train in the comfort and convenience of your own home. I'll let you know when pre-orders are available for the books and training programs.

Do a 14er in '14!

Climbing for the Future of Climbing

My 13 year old son has been to the 14,265' top of Quandary twice before. He recently asked me about climbing it in the Winter, and I felt that he was ready to do it. He's been riding his bike about 150 miles per week average during the non-Winter months and in pretty good shape. Good shape involves mental as well as physical preparation.

Mount Royal in Frisco CO with friend Mauri

We did a test run on Mount Royal, a very steep (over 1000' in a mile) short peak outside Frisco Colorado and he did pretty good in spite of the deep snow. We did some night trail running on a snow covered dirt road near Dillon Colorado. Finally one day the stars aligned and we decided to go for it on Quandary.

It was a pretty good hike overall. The weather was warm and not too windy. On the way we ran into my friend Alan Arnette, who maintains an Everest News blog as well as Climbing for Alzheimer's. I was in running shoes and my son was in Sorel's. It was a bit slippery, and we had some issues above the bridge where there is usually deep snow to wade through.

With Alan Arnette and the Kite Lake 14'ers behind

We had decided to forgo snowshoes so that we could go a bit faster and lighter, and overall it was a good decision. In about 3:35 we hit the summit. I had to coax him past that zone of depression that hits all the newbies around 13,000' and makes them want to quit (so far nearly everyone I've taken up for the first time needs help mentally getting past that point). I needed to remind him to eat and drink. I needed to help him keep bundled up against the cold and wind. It was a great experience.

There we are huddled by the summit pole on Quandary

Then on the way down it was slow slippery going. At that point I decided that we'd need spikes if we were going to do this again. Which is likely. When we got home and had hot chocolate and snacks he asked me about how to work on beating his time and we're going to try another Winter ascent on the snow. It's really cool to see how he has picked up on my own focus on doing the route quickly and efficiently. It's cool to see him want to get faster and better at it. It feels cool to be passing on the torch and inspiring the next generation of mountaineers.

Share your story with me. How did you get the bug? Are you helping your children embrace this life?