Hardest 14er's

[Rockiholic]

I'm looking for some suggestions on a challenging fourteener for this weekend. I have done Longs many a time (3 this summer) and I'm looking for something significantly harder. I'm not really looking for a technical climb, just a killer hike with some semi-technical parts (like after the keyhole on Longs). I'm also looking for something relatively close to Boulder/Metro Denver. If you have any ideas that'd be awesome, otherwise I might head back up Longs again this weekend (for the second week in a row).
Thanks

[DenverWK]

Capitol Peak near Aspen (Elk range), sorry not the front range but hard. Only one route thats not technical . Has a real pucker factor knife edge which I think its famous for.

I'm looking for some suggestions on a challenging fourteener for this weekend. I have done Longs many a time (3 this summer) and I'm looking for something significantly harder. I'm not really looking for a technical climb, just a killer hike with some semi-technical parts (like after the keyhole on Longs). I'm also looking for something relatively close to Boulder/Metro Denver. If you have any ideas that'd be awesome, otherwise I might head back up Longs again this weekend (for the second week in a row).
Thanks

[POLLY]

ummm... not a whole lot of 14ers on the front range :shrug:

your best link for 14er info online.
http://www.14ers.com


Try the marroon bells

[Rockiholic]

Hmm, pucker factor, sounds tempting. Thats exactly the type of climb I'm looking for. I experienced a little of that cresting longs in the dark on Sunday morning. I'm not sure exactly where this is (I could find out easily enough) but I'm guessing that its on the outer boundry for a day trip. Its sounds like something I'll seriously look into. The only thing is, I'll probably do the climb alone and I dont want to fall asleep and die on the drive home. Thats why I was thinking about something fairly close to home. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll check into it and try to knock it out before winter

[Trango]

Holy cross will kick your ass for the hike, and Kit Carson is a hell of a drive but is 6000 feet if you do Challenger too.

Do you have technical mountain skills and gear? If not, you don't want to find yourself on a true, class 3, 4, or 5 with anything less than passable conditions - that's my dad voice talking.

[Rockiholic]

ummm... not a whole lot of 14ers on the front range :shrug:

Really? No kidding? I never noticed that, good thing you pointed that fact out. (Thats why I said "relatively close")

I'm looking for a longer hike, in the 20-25 mile range, I'm not interested in a 5 mile loop, its not worth the drive up there. I have technical climbing skills and gear, but I'm not looking to hump ropes this weekend, besides I'm probably going alone so ropes wont be realistic. Ideally I want to turn and burn a long hike with some class 3 sections. More for the cardio than anything else. Nothing beats a good cardio work out in thin air....

[MountainJeep]

alone=bad things

have fun though!

that was trango's dad's voice again

[raythehandyman]

Pikes Peak is a long trail

You can also do three 14er's in one day, Lincoln, Bross and Demicrat
( Spelling ) ?
Not very hard, but you can say you did three in one day

[oleblue]

Front range. Very easy but fun, Grays and Torreys together.

[Ooompa Loompa]

Pikes Peak is a long trail

You can also do three 14er's in one day, Lincoln, Bross and Demicrat
( Spelling ) ?
Not very hard, but you can say you did three in one day

x2 on Pikes Peak. 26 miles round trip. A total of 7,000 ft elevation gain during the hike. Nothing real technical, but if you've never done it before I highly recomend it.

[Rockiholic]

I'm not too worried about hiking alone. With the amount of traffic on most of the 14ers in the area, I think the additional dangers are minimal. Yes it is more dangerous; but on the other hand, I think that the rewards of occasionally hiking alone out-weigh the dangers in most circumstances.

Compared to solos I've done in the past (2 weeks in Western Wyo., 10 days Never Summer, 4 days Indian Peaks), I'm not too worried about it. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'll end up on the 5pm news.

Anyways, I'll have to check out your suggestions. Thanks for the help.

P.S.-Did I mention I'm invincible? Impervious to backcountry injury or death, except lightning...

[Matt]

If you want something close, the sawtooth on Bierstadt or Kelso Ridge on Torreys (front range). As far as hardest, Capitol, Little Bear, Pryamid, North Maroon, and Wilson are class 4. Some of the hardest stuff is the traverse from Little Bear to Blanca.

If you need someone to hike with, let me know, I'm invincible too! ;)

[scottycards]

Have you done the cable route on Longs?

[MountainJeep]

I agree, there is much to be said for a hike alone in the wilderness :-)

[xjmatt]

Capitol... yea... THAT mountain. Got spit off that one in a bad way this past winter. I prefer to hike the mountains in the winter but I bet that one is still a challenge in the summer.

If you're looking for a good cardio a real classic route I'd look into is the mummy kill route. It's not 14'ers only measly little 13'ers but it's a bunch of them and it's a hump. Over 5K elevation gain during the day and it takes you to my favorite part of RMNP, I rarely see people out there. If you've got the Lisa Fosters guide to RMNP it's in there.

I know RMNP over labor day you've got to be nuts. Don't worry, you'll need to start LONG before the tourists are getting out of their wigwams.