a former gymnast with a neverending case of wanderlust
My efforts to climb as many of Colorado’s 58 14,000+ foot peaks as possible
If a two-for-one is called a twofer, does that make a four-for-one a fourfer? If so, this was a fourfer. Specifically, four 14er summits for the effort of one. Or maybe slightly more than one. Either way, the Decalibron trail is probably the most bang for your buck of all the Colorado 14ers. Hiking Decalibron… Continue reading Colorado 14ers #10-13: Decalibron
Some people who set out to climb the Colorado 14ers do it ABC: all but Culebra. Why, you ask? Because the peak is on private land and the owner charges a fee to access it. So when my friend Renee invited me to climb Culebra with her (and another friend, who unfortunately had to cancel)… Continue reading Colorado 14ers #9: Culebra Peak
On September 24, 2022, two of my travel goals collided when I summited my eighth Colorado 14er… which also happens to be the highest point in Colorado! A few days later, as I sit down to begin writing this post, I’m conflicted about whether to title it ‘Colorado 14ers’ to match my other 14ers posts… Continue reading On Top of Colorado (and Colorado 14er #8): Mount Elbert
It was 4:15pm when Kaylyn and I trudged back into our campsite after summiting Sunlight and Windom Peaks. We’d been gone for 10 hours, during which time we’d hiked just 6.6 miles (10.6 km) but gained – and then lost – 3750 feet (1145 m) of elevation. To say we were exhausted was an understatement.… Continue reading Colorado 14ers #6 and #7: Mount Eolus and North Eolus
I’ll begin by saying this: there are roughly fifty 14ers in Colorado that are easier to summit than Sunlight Peak. Choosing it as my fourth 14er was maybe a little ambitious. I did it. But it was substantially harder than anything I’ve hiked or summited before. I definitely don’t recommend these peaks for anyone who… Continue reading Colorado 14ers #4 and #5: Sunlight Peak and Windom Peak
I look up at Mount Blue Sky every single day. It’s the most prominent mountain on the horizon from where we live in the Denver area.
I’ve been hiking since I was too young to remember, and in that time I’ve accumulated quite a few hiking accomplishments. But one thing I’d never done in all 32 years of my life was go hiking alone. In general, I don’t consider myself an anxious person. Sure, I have my moments of anxiety when… Continue reading Colorado 14er #2: Mount Bierstadt
Most everyone hoping to summit their first Colorado 14,000 foot (4267 m) peak faces the same dilemma (or, shall I say, quandary): what’s the easiest one to start with? By most accounts, Mount Bierstadt and Quandary Peak are two of the “easier” ones, but I put easier in quotes because it’s all relative. There are… Continue reading Summiting our First Colorado 14er – Quandary Peak
Handstands Around the World 