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Preparing for a 14'er - Page 3

© Virginia O'Connor

Additional Suggested Equipment:

• sunglasses, sun screen, and a brimmed hat for sun protection - the sun's ultraviolet rays increase in intensity approximately 5% for every 1,000 feet in elevation gained because there is less atmospheric filtration
• food and water - fourteener hikes often take longer than expected and you will need the calories, chop the food into smaller pieces so you can munch while you hike too
• headlamp and batteries - this gear can light your way if you get an early start or if you are delayed on your descent
• first-aid kit - with basic items like bandages, mole skin, aspirin, and others, you can handle smaller mishaps

On technical climbs, the list of gear can include climbing gear, helmets, crampons, and ice axes just to name a few items. This article does not cover technical climbs or the gear required.

Getting Started

Get to the trail head early so you can begin your descent by noon. This is called an "Alpine Ascent" and it ensures that you will probably not be in danger of afternoon thunderstorms and that you will have an adequate amount of time to complete your descent before nightfall. If you are hiking a trail that should take 10 hours round-trip, this means you are on the trail by 6 a.m. Remember that the ascent will take a greater portion of the round-trip total than the descent. We figure about a 60-40 split, so a 10-hour round-trip hike means about 6 hours ascending and about 4 hours descending. Your pace may be different.

Respect the mountain and the vegetation that lives on the mountain. Stay on the trail and where a trail does not exist, travel on durable surfaces and not on the alpine vegetation. The alpine flowers can grow at a pace as slow as 1.5 inches every 3 years. When you step on the alpine flowers, they may very well die. Don't cut the switchbacks because it causes unnecessary erosion and spoils the work of volunteer groups.

Leave the natural and historic objects for everyone to enjoy. This includes rocks, amazing and beautiful pieces of wood, and leaves. In most cases, you get to see it twice - once on the way up and once on the way down. If you take it with you, no one else can see it.

If you dislodge a rock and it starts down the mountain, loudly yell "Rock!" so hikers who are following your track can avoid being hit. Listen for that yell as you climb too. If you are below someone and they yell "Rock!" cover your head with your arms and, if you can, lie down to avoid being clobbered.

The copyright of the article Preparing for a 14'er - Page 3 in Hiking in Colorado is owned by Virginia O'Connor. Permission to republish Preparing for a 14'er - Page 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.