Mt. Evans from Mt. Bierstadt Summit, Early Spring. Colorado, 2014
Some who are on this same Colorado 14er quest are pretty hard line about their rules and ethics. That is, what counts as an ascent, which peaks they choose to climb (which list of 14ers), and so on.
That’s just fine.
For me, I feel like this venture should simply be challenging, rewarding, and fun, so I am not going to be too Talibanish about it. I have made up my own rules and I feel happy about my “creation”. (Yes, creation. I am creating a framework for some intense and wonderful life experiences.)
First, lets start with why I want to do this “*Colorado 14er Senior Challenge“:
–I love the mountains, especially the high country. The mountains (and nature in general) are my spiritual anchor.
–It’s a great way to learn my way around Colorful Cantankerous Colorado.
–It’s a great excuse to do some inspiring and spectacular landscape photography.
–I like having goals or specific objectives–a personal organization thing.
–I like lists–more anal organization habits.
–I’m not getting any younger, and I want to enjoy these last years of health to the maximum.
My Ten General Rules for this Senior Challenge:
1) The first priority is to climb all 53 of the ranked and numbered 14er summits as listed in Gerry Roach’s book (p. xxiii). After that, I’ll consider the list of 58…then the 20 additional peaks on Roach’s “extended list” of 73 Colorado 14ers (pp. 347-348). Oh, and none of my pre-age 55 14er ascents count.
2) I have no time frame…I’ll just climb them when I can. Maybe I’ll finish in two years, but maybe it’ll be ten years. Maybe I won’t finish at all if, at some point, I find myself in a different place philosophically and spiritually, or if my health fails me.
4) For a summit to count as climbed, I have to put some portion of my body on the highest point (thinking of Sunlight Peak here…maybe it’ll just be my hand!).
5) I don’t feel compelled to gain a minimum of 3000 vertical feet on each ascent as a requisite, as some 14er climbers do. It counts if I used a standard trailhead, if I felt like I had a good workout, if I am tired afterward, and if it was a worthwhile mini-adventure.
6) I don’t have a problem doing multiple summits during the same climb if it makes sense. (Democrat-Cameron-Lincoln-Bross, or Grays-Torreys, as examples.)
7) I DO have to get to the summit on my own two fleshy pistons…er, legs. Riding my bicycle up Mt. Evans or Pikes Peak doesn’t count. My wife and her friends carrying me up in a pharaoh’s litter doesn’t count either. Cars, helicopters, and transporter beams are also right out.
8) I would like to get to each summit as close as possible to sunrise. This may not be possible on some of the scarier, longer, or more technical climbs, but it is a general goal. This is partly for reasons of landscape photography, but also because I simply like to be up there at that hour.
9) The easier summits I would prefer to do in a way that makes them more interesting and fun–definitely get to the summit for sunrise, go solo, do something other than the standard route, or climb them in spring, winter, or fall. The summits that look a bit scary or dangerous, I’ll seek out a partner or group for moral support and safety.
10) I would like to come away from each climb with at least one image that could make a large, high-quality, artistic, photographic print.
I reserve the right to change my rules whenever I feel it necessary.
It also should go without saying that I will do my best to tread lightly, leave only footprints behind, and pack out my trash as well as a few pieces of someone else’s trash.
* I’m calling it a Senior Challenge because I am now beyond 55 years of age–that momentous turning point when you get to order off of the back page of the IHOP menu–the page for seniors. (At 55, you can also get a golf cart and move to Sun City, Arizona!)
NOTE on the 14er REPORTS: They are numbered for reference, but this number doesn’t correspond to my total number of Colorado 14er summits climbed as, in some cases, multiple summits can be ascended on a single outing. Think of them as individual trip reports.
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2 Comments
I liked your Humboldt trip report and pictures, as well as your approach to your “senior challenge.” I am on a quest to do all of the 53/58 summits while in my 60s. I started in 2012 at age 63 and have done 31 of them so far (32 counting Cameron). I don’t count ascents before age 55 either…mostly because I didn’t do any! Keep climbing and keep smiling. Maybe I will see you out there.
Thanks for visiting, Robert! And good luck on your quest. I still have some of the harder, scarier peaks to go and will likely post something on 14ers dot com looking for partners for these. I can send a pm to you as well. Maybe we’ll meet up on one of them! DanJ