Climbing Colorado's most dangerous 14er

[00:00:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Ever wonder what it's like to climb the most dangerous 14er in Colorado?

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_00]: And while we're at it, how many 14ers are even found in Colorado?

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to The OutThere Colorado Podcast.

[00:00:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm your host, Spencer McKee.

[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's start the show.

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_00]: This episode of The Out There Colorado Podcast was written by me, Spencer McKee, and has

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_00]: been produced in-house by Sam Shinaker, where come to you from the beautiful city of Colorado

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Springs, Colorado?

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_00]: This first portion of the show today is the story about my climb to the summit of Little Bear

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Peak.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Enjoy!

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Getting back to the vehicle after a long 14er peak bagging climb typically leaves me feeling

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_00]: related with the sense of accomplishment.

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: With Little Bear Peak, that wasn't the case.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon finding my vehicle after nearly half a day in my riskiest mountain experience thus

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: far, I felt emotionally spent.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to feel excitement and thankfulness that I had survived the daunting endangerous climb

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_00]: to the summit of the mountain, often called one of the most dangerous climbs on Colorado's

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_00]: popular 14er list.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00]: But instead, I mostly felt a sense of guilt, stemming from how easily I was able to toss

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00]: the instinctual motive of self preservation aside to scale the notorious route.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Little Bear Peak is found in Colorado's Sangrita Cristo Mountain Range, towering above

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: the San Luis Valley at a height of 14,000 37 feet.

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Jagged ridges reach out from the summit with any route to the top being quite treacherous

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_00]: and reserved only for experienced climbers.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: The least technical route to the top is still quite technical, with a crux that means

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_00]: scaling around 800 feet of near vertical terrain in a narrow gauly that acts as a funnel

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_00]: for rocks falling from above, tackled by most without any sort of rope or protection

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_00]: aside from an helmet.

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Somebody in the peak is a daunting task indeed.

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Even the route to the trailhead of Little Bear Peak is threatening, one of the roughest

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_00]: four-wheel drive roads in Colorado with a number of features capable of tossing even a

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_00]: seasoned back road traveler off the edge of a steep cliff.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Before I get into chatting more about the route itself, I can't stress enough how dangerous

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: this climb is.

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Thus, my covering it is not me recommending it.

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Those embarking on this climb must be experienced and fully aware of what they're getting

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_00]: into, and even then the random threat of rockfall looms as a deadly and uncontrollable

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_00]: risk throughout much of the most dangerous part of the climb.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Now let's chat about the route.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00]: The standard southwest face route to the summit of Little Bear Peak consists of four main

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: parts with the hardest section being rated as class four technically.

[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_00]: In total of the route stretches for about 14 miles for most, with around 6200 feet

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_00]: of vertical gain.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_00]: The first portion of this climb, at least for most, consists of a long walk up Lake

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Como Road to an elevation of 11,750 feet.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the aforementioned four-wheel drive road that's extremely difficult to travel

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and extremely dangerous, reserved for only the burliest of vehicles.

[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_00]: While some drivers may be able to make it up a portion of the road, most people are forced

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: to park roughly five miles away from the namesake lake and the trailhead for the route

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_00]: up Little Bear Peak.

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_00]: This means a five mile hike with 3,900 feet of vertical gain prior to any sort of actual

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: trail.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: On top of that, it's not just the large obstacles along this route that make it difficult

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_00]: for vehicles that are traveling it, but the road itself consists mostly of this size rocks,

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_00]: ankle breakers that are too shifty to cover quickly on foot.

[00:03:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The next portion of the hike comes shortly after Lake Como Road hits the stunning Lake

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Como.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_00]: At this point, Little Bear Peak climbers must find the right trailhead and then scale

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: a steep goalie filled with loose rock.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: This portion of climbs about 600 feet to a notch on the ridge above.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Most climbers familiar with the class two and class three climbing in loose terrain will

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_00]: find this section manageable though route finding can be a little tricky.

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Once the ridge line notches gained, the third portion of the route is a section that comes

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: as a relief.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Climbers now traverse along a rocky side of the ridge with little vertical gain for a

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_00]: mile or so while on their way to the fourth and final portion of the climb, the infamous

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_00]: hourglass.

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Rock canons lead the way during this traversing section helpful for distracted climbers

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00]: likely nervous about the final stretch of the route that slowly revealing itself in

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_00]: the distance ahead.

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Finally, the base of the hourglass is reached.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_00]: The hourglass is the reason Little Bear Peak is considered to be one of the most dangerous

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_00]: standard route for a tino climbs in Colorado.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Nearly vertical and stretching roughly 800 feet from the gully below, the hourglass requires

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_00]: climbers to scale it in a way that the layman would recognize as technical rock climbing.

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: To further complicate this portion of the route there's not much of a set path to follow,

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: forcing climbers to read holes as they reached them with serious consequences resulting

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_00]: from a mistake.

[00:05:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Further endangering those in the hourglass is an extremely loose field of rock that sits

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_00]: above the hazard.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Large rocks regularly drop into the steeper train below, crashing down in an unpredictable

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_00]: manner that is a potentially fatal risk to all, regardless of experience and preparation.

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_00]: This can be especially dangerous when multiple groups are in the hourglass section at

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_00]: the same time with the group above potentially knocking rocks down on the group below.

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon reaching the base of the hourglass, I paused, committed to the climb but cautious to

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: pick the correct route up the wall.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: A support rope dangles down the center of the hourglass, though its integrity is often

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: brought into question.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Most advice against using it in aid to climb, unreliable due to constant exposure to

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_00]: the elements and the many times it has been tied back together over the years.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I would later find out that the day's first group of climbers, one of three climbing

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_00]: parties on the mountain that day, had pulled off a chunk of rope that was about 50 feet long

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_00]: with a slight tug, putting the rope sketchy nature on display.

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_00]: That being said, the second climbing party, a solo climber had told me in passing that

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_00]: he successfully used the rope for balance while on his descent through the section.

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Granted, he may have been more wary of doing so, had he known that part of the rope

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: had come off just hours before.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: From my point at the bottom of the hourglass, I could see the rope many feet above my

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_00]: head.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: In the middle of the wall, the rope also happened to be resting in a flowing trickle of

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: snowmill, soaking it in the rock around it.

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Knowing the rope might be unreliable, and wanting to avoid potentially slick rock, I

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: opted to start my descent of the hourglass via a more vertical option on the left side

[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_00]: of the shoot.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Slowly and surely, over the course of about an hour, I pushed up the 800 feet of rock

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_00]: with care.

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_00]: At someone who rock climbs very regularly, also donning my lighter gear kit, the climbing

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: felt relatively natural to me.

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Yet, while the climbing felt natural, I already found myself growing nervous about the inevitable

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_00]: down climb soon to come.

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Once out of the hourglass, a little more class-to-climbing got me to the summit.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Clouds have been building overhead for the past hours, though rain was unlikely.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, whether I'd been absolutely perfect with a favorable forecast ahead.

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I explored the area a bit and snapped a few pictures, excited that I had reached the top,

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_00]: but anxious about navigating a safe route down the mountain.

[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, I bid the summit farewell and started my walk toward the top of the hourglass

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_00]: to prepare for my descent.

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_00]: It was then that I realized how dangerous the hourglass really was.

[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Having ascended the hourglass without anyone above me, the much-discussed risk of falling

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_00]: rock had yet to rear its head.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_00]: And then, with one wrong step, a close call made that risk quite apparent.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_00]: As I carefully moved around the rock field above the shoot, I heard a distinctive crack beneath

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_00]: my foot.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_00]: If felt as if I had been crossing a frozen lake, only to hear a crack in the ice, both

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and how my step had compromised the terrain, and in the way that sound made my heart skip

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: a beat.

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00]: The shelf of rocks I was on slowly started to move down slope toward a cliff about 100 feet

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_00]: or so away.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I skampered to solid ground, fortunately able to make it before the rocks would have had

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_00]: the chance to move beyond the point of no return and off the edge of the cliff.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: In this case, the rocks stopped moving, though their unified motion made it easy to see

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: how momentum could result in a massive rock slide, sending a death trap into the hourglass

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_00]: below.

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_00]: My fears were soon confirmed on a much smaller scale when my foot kicked a rock about

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_00]: the size of my fist down slope.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I yelled out rock loudly several times, though I assumed the stone would stop bouncing

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_00]: sooner than later as it had been the case on many other loose slopes I travelled before.

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_00]: But the rock didn't stop.

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_00]: It kept bouncing down toward the hourglass feature.

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Knocking one rock, then two rocks, then ten rocks loose along the way to follow its path

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER_00]: until it disappeared beyond the angle of the slope.

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I hadn't seen anyone on the mountain behind me, but my mind immediately jumped to the

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_00]: possibility that someone else may have made it into that gully, now put it risk due

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_00]: to my accidental kick.

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I yelled out rock again and again as loud as I could, though at this point the falling

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_00]: rocks would have been obvious to anyone in the valley.

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_00]: As the rocks made their way down the hourglass, they joined in chorus to create the rolling

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_00]: sound of shattering glass for a long moment during which time seemed to stand still.

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_00]: All good?

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I shouted blindly into the gully after the ear shattering crackling had subsided.

[00:09:45] [SPEAKER_00]: There was no response.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I continued under the hourglass, not fully aware of what danger literally loomed above

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_00]: my head.

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Though no one would remain above me on the steep slope to knock a rock down, even a small

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_00]: animal would be capable of causing a slide that could put my life at risk.

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER_00]: As careful as I could be, I inch my way down the steep rock face, just against the wall

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_00]: and open air behind me.

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: As I approached the steepest part of the gully, my pursuit of the safest down climbing

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER_00]: holes pushed me toward the middle of the shoot, where the rope was, as well as the trickling

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_00]: water.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Even with the moisture, this path seemed to be the better call.

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER_00]: During the crux of the down climb, I was met with a difficult question, how much can

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I really trust this rope?

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I knew I couldn't use the rope for any sort of repell, but what about as a balancing aid?

[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I found a spot where I was fully secure and protected from any sort of rock that might

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_00]: be at knock loose and I gave the rope a hard tug.

[00:10:40] [SPEAKER_00]: It had the typical dynamic stretch to it, like most climbing ropes do, and it seemed

[00:10:44] [SPEAKER_00]: securely anchor to the wall.

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I gave it another tug to the same result.

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_00]: My judgment was that while the rope might not be trustworthy enough to rely on to repel

[00:10:53] [SPEAKER_00]: down or to climb down, it could perhaps be secure enough to hold me up in a pinch.

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_00]: If nothing else for the slim chance that it could save my life following a very possible

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_00]: slip on the wet rock, I straddle the rope and continue to work my way down the hourglass

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_00]: with careful placement of my hands and feet.

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER_00]: It was the type of route that probably took about twice as long down climbing compared to

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_00]: climbing up.

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Throughout the entire down climb, I stayed extremely attentive to the noises coming from

[00:11:19] [SPEAKER_00]: above, ready to seat cover at a moment's notice.

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, the results of my careful downward struggle came to fruition and I was at

[00:11:27] [SPEAKER_00]: the bottom of the gauly once again, looking up in disbelief at what I had ascended and

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_00]: subsequently descended over the past few hours.

[00:11:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Exhausted from a long lasting pool on my adrenaline and in a minehase, I made my way back

[00:11:39] [SPEAKER_00]: across the ridge and down to late coma with relative use, soon tacking on five more slow

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_00]: moving miles as I safely made my way back to my vehicle.

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Overall, I found the route to the summit of Little Bear Peak lived up to the hype in a big

[00:11:52] [SPEAKER_00]: way.

[00:11:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It's difficult and dangerous and should be reserved for only the most experienced climbers

[00:11:57] [SPEAKER_00]: that are also comfortable with significant risk and exposure.

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_00]: On a quest to climb all of Colorado's 58-14,000 foot peaks, 59 if you count sunlight spire,

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_00]: which I think I do.

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm glad I submitted Little Bear Peak.

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Would I recommend this peak to most?

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: This is because it's not just the technical nature of the route that makes the climb so

[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_00]: formidable but the unpredictable nature of Rockfall risk.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I probably won't be taking my chances on this peak again anytime soon and if I'm

[00:12:25] [SPEAKER_00]: ever back up there, I'll be opting to travel to nearby Blanca Peak via a class five ridge

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: traverse down climbing from there versus down climbing the hourglass.

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm very thankful, I'll probably never have to do that down climb again.

[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_00]: So there you have it, Little Bear Peak lives up to the hype.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_00]: It's one of the most notorious 14ers in the state for a reason.

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_00]: For our next story I'll be diving into how many 14ers there actually are in Colorado.

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_00]: SunSafe 58, SunSafe 10, SunSafe 74.

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Here's a look at how these peaks are counted depending on who you ask.

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Serving is the scattered ceiling of the country's most elevated state.

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Colorado's 14ers have long held an undeniable alert.

[00:13:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Whether these 14,000 foot mountains are being admired from afar or playing a role in a

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_00]: voiceless challenger for summit seekers, their significance in Colorado's outdoor recreation

[00:13:28] [SPEAKER_00]: space can't be ignored.

[00:13:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Many hikers in Colorado eventually get bit and buy the 14er bug, casting safety and comfort

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_00]: side as they add the task of reaching the top of each qualifying peak to their own bucket list.

[00:13:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Some will climb them all, but most will lose interest or be blocked by ability along

[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_00]: the way.

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Either way, both groups of climbers have one important question to answer prior to embarking

[00:13:51] [SPEAKER_00]: on their lofty quest.

[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_00]: How many peaks actually count as 14ers in Colorado?

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_00]: They answered to this question might seem straightforward.

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Any peak above the arbitrary height of 14,000 feet.

[00:14:02] [SPEAKER_00]: But it's given rise the plenty of debate over the years.

[00:14:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Two key factors are at play.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_00]: What actually counts as a 14er and how the height of a mountain can change over time?

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Nowadays, 58 tends to be the most accepted number of 14ers among Colorado's outdoor

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_00]: recreation community, though some have argued that there are as few as 10-14ers while

[00:14:23] [SPEAKER_00]: others suspect that there may be more than 100.

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_00]: The discrepancy between these numbers comes down to something called prominence.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_00]: The prominence of a mountain is simply defined as its elevation relative to surrounding terrain.

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_00]: This becomes a factor when accounting for peaks, as the amount of prominence is often used

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_00]: to define whether an elevated piece of terrain is a separate peak or part of an elevation point

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that's already recognized.

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: If 3000 feet of prominence from surrounding terrain is the requirement to qualify as a unique

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_00]: mountain, then there are only 10-14ers in Colorado.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_00]: While if that prominence threshold is lowered to about 40 feet, there could be at least 74-14ers

[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_00]: that could be found around the Centennial State.

[00:15:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Probably a couple dozen more yet to be accounted for.

[00:15:09] [SPEAKER_00]: The most widely accepted degree of prominence when it comes to Colorado's 14ers

[00:15:13] [SPEAKER_00]: is a prominence rule of 300 feet, though this rule isn't always followed.

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, Mount Cameron, part of the widely popular 4-peak decralabron loop,

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_00]: only has a prominence of 118 feet.

[00:15:26] [SPEAKER_00]: That being said, many still count this as a 14er summit to be backed.

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Summit sign-in toe is they walk across its hardly noticeable summit.

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Mount Cameron is one of five peaks commonly found on most 14er lists that doesn't have

[00:15:38] [SPEAKER_00]: a prominence of at least 300 feet.

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Another big factor in determining how many 14ers of present in Colorado is properly assessing

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_00]: the height of each peak.

[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_00]: With complications often posed by shifting peaks and ever-changing technology, this is easier

[00:15:53] [SPEAKER_00]: said than done.

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_00]: If you want to hear a more in-depth take on how Colorado's 14ers are measured,

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_00]: specifically in some of the complications that come along with that,

[00:16:03] [SPEAKER_00]: we covered that in depth in our last podcast episode.

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_00]: So you'll want to check that one out for sure.

[00:16:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So that I'm not too repetitive, I'm not going to get two in-depth into that today.

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_00]: But the punchline is basically that technology improves allowing a more accurate reading

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_00]: of how tall a peak is and that peaks can change over time due to erosion or due to plates

[00:16:24] [SPEAKER_00]: shifting.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_00]: This can result in peaks either shrinking or growing or at least the understanding of their height,

[00:16:30] [SPEAKER_00]: increasing or decreasing with a number of peaks within about 20 feet of that 14,000 foot

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: threshold.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Whether that means moving up to that threshold and passing it or dropping below it.

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps no peak better exemplifies how difficult it is to establish a single universally

[00:16:46] [SPEAKER_00]: accepted number of 14ers in Colorado than the aforementioned sunlight spire.

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Once generally accepted as just a tall rock on a ridge line,

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_00]: it's new measurement at 14,000 and one feet has made that judgment much more controversial.

[00:17:03] [SPEAKER_00]: While this height might justify sunlight spires inclusion on the popular 58-peak 14er list

[00:17:08] [SPEAKER_00]: that also includes mountains like Mount Cameron, North Moron Peak and Kenundrum Peak,

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_00]: the spire would still be skipped on lists of those respecting the 300 foot prominence rule,

[00:17:19] [SPEAKER_00]: thanks to its prominence of about 215 feet.

[00:17:24] [SPEAKER_00]: It's worth noting that adding sunlight spire to a 14er list would also mean adding

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_00]: technical rock climbing to the mix.

[00:17:31] [SPEAKER_00]: With the route to sunlight spires summit rated as 510 by far more difficult than any other peak

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_00]: currently being climbed as a 14er.

[00:17:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Long story short, there's no definitive answer regarding how many 14ers are actually found around

[00:17:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Colorado. Colorado Mountain Club says 54 peaks. The 300 foot prominence rule says that there

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_00]: are 53 peaks. That being said, the current climbing community seems to accept 58 peaks,

[00:17:59] [SPEAKER_00]: which includes name peaks that don't meet the 300 foot prominence rule but excludes sunlight spire.

[00:18:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Then those with a lower threshold for prominence that also accept unnamed peaks in the ranking

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_00]: have put the number of 14ers at more than 70, possibly more than 100.

[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_00]: One big question still remains. Does all this even matter?

[00:18:19] [SPEAKER_00]: The mountains don't care what we call them and the 14,000 foot height means nothing to the 90

[00:18:24] [SPEAKER_00]: percent of the world that uses the metric system. Many of the world's most experienced mountaineers

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_00]: tend to focus more on peaks above 3000 meters or about 10,000 feet.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_00]: This is where many mountains around the world can support glaciation, adding a much

[00:18:38] [SPEAKER_00]: more technical aspect to the climb. Meanwhile, around the rest of the country and world,

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_00]: a lot of local collections exist. For example, the 48,000 foot mountains in New Hampshire

[00:18:51] [SPEAKER_00]: that are called collectively the 4,000 footers. While having a peak bagging checklist

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_00]: can be a motivator when it comes to achieving long-term goals, it's probably best that

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Colorado's peak baggers don't get too caught up on the technicalities.

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Colorado's many peaks of all shapes and sizes deserve to be appreciated and respected,

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_00]: regardless of whether or not they hit 14,000 feet above sea level.

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER_00]: In closing, I'm going to take a little bit of time to chat about a few different 14er counts

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_00]: ranging from 1 to 74, explaining how each count might make sense.

[00:19:26] [SPEAKER_00]: If required prominence of a peak to count as a 14er was 9,000 feet or more,

[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Mount Elbert would be the only 14er in Colorado thanks to its prominence of 9,000 and 93 feet.

[00:19:37] [SPEAKER_00]: The next most prominent 14er in Colorado is Pikes Peak with the prominence of 5,530 feet.

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_00]: No one's out there claiming that Colorado's home to a single 14er but this does show the wide range

[00:19:48] [SPEAKER_00]: of prominence between different peaks. Some people think that Colorado should only have 10

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_00]: 14ers and this is based on the Alaskan 3000 foot prominence rule.

[00:19:59] [SPEAKER_00]: This list would include Mount Elbert, Pikes Peak, Blancopique, Colabra Peak, Crestdon Peak,

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Uncompaguer Apeak, Mount Wilson, Mount Lincoln, Sandlewies Peak, and Mount Snethos.

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Long Speak is close with 2,955 feet of prominence.

[00:20:16] [SPEAKER_00]: If you drop that 3000 foot prominence rule down to about 2,000 feet then there would be about

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER_00]: 20 peaks around Colorado that would be considered 14ers. Now I'm going to get into some of the

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_00]: more widely accepted numbers. Some people think that there are 53 peaks that count as 14ers

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_00]: and this is based on peaks that have at least 300 feet of prominence. Those that say there should

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_00]: be 54 peaks are likely referring to the Colorado Mountain Club list which isn't a strict regarding

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_00]: the 300 foot prominence rule but also includes some peaks based on mountaineering aesthetics.

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER_00]: One key difference between the Colorado Mountain Club list of 54 peaks and the list of 53

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_00]: peaks that's strictly based on the 300 foot prominence rule is that Challenger point isn't counted

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_00]: on the Colorado Mountain Club list. Additionally, Colorado Mountain Club does count Eldiente

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER_00]: and North Maroon Peak despite each missing the 300 foot rule. These two peaks are instead included

[00:21:13] [SPEAKER_00]: due to their technicality and beauty. Nowadays the 58 peak list tends to be the most

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_00]: widely accepted. This is based on name points above 14,000 feet with the exception of sunlight

[00:21:27] [SPEAKER_00]: spire. It's worth noting that this list does include peaks with less than 300 feet of prominence.

[00:21:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Those at claim there are 59-14ers in Colorado are likely taking this 58 peak list and then adding

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_00]: sunlight spire onto that as well. And then there's one more list that really tends to be

[00:21:46] [SPEAKER_00]: overlooked in a lot of corners of the 14er climbing community and that's Jerry Roch's list of

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_00]: peaks which is 74 or 14ers. This includes all of the unnamed points of elevation that are above

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_00]: 14,000 feet that have at least 40 feet of prominence. It basically adds 15 unnamed 14,000 foot peaks

[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_00]: to a name total of 59. So there you have it while most people might think they know how many

[00:22:13] [SPEAKER_00]: 14ers there are in Colorado. That number might not be so clear cut. Thanks so much for tuning

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_00]: into this episode of the Out There Colorado podcast. Look forward to more episodes soon to come

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER_00]: generally on a weekly basis. This episode was written by me Spencer McKee and has been produced in

[00:22:42] [SPEAKER_00]: house by Sam Shinaker. If you don't mind, please leave us a review or a rating on whatever platform

[00:22:48] [SPEAKER_00]: we're using to tune in. These are hugely appreciated. Until next time, I'm signing off from the

[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_00]: beautiful city of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Keep getting out there, Colorado.