Avoiding Mistakes on Difficult 14er Hikes

SAVE this post for your Summer 14er planning! When hiking a 14er, some things will be out of your control, and others can be avoided. Here are several mistakes to avoid: 💁🏼‍♀️Being Overly Confidant - Things will go wrong! Over 100mph winds kept us huddled in a hut in the dark for 2 hours before we could proceed and I was mentally exhausted. Facing extreme exposure on a near-technical climb with no ropes is incredibly mentally challenging. Make sure you research the route and know what you’re getting into 💦 Not enough Food & Water - About a quarter of the way down, my friend noticed her water bladder had a leak & she was almost out. We hiked for over 14 hours that day and didn’t have water for the last four. Also, I was starving! Extra energy chews and dense protein bars are perfect for keeping energy up. Bring WAY more food & water than you think you’ll need. 🧗‍♀️ Physically Preparing - Even if I’m exhausted or slow, I can hike in high elevation for several hours with little problem. But I was not prepared for the near-technical climbing. I would highly suggest visiting a rock climbing gym a few times beforehand/ ⛑️ Poles & Helmets - The Homestretch is the last stretch of the hike before summiting Long’s Peak. It is extremely steep and you are all but rock climbing. We were lucky to be some of the first people up there, so we didn’t have anyone hiking above us, but the danger of loose rocks falling from above and hitting your head is very real & you’ll definitely want a helmet. As for trekking poles: I will just say that I had to ice my knees for several days afterwards! If hiking difficult 14ers is on your bucket list, I highly encourage being over-prepared, reading trail reviews to be as mentally prepared as possible, do some rock climbing if you don’t already, checking conditions up to the minute and trusting your gut when something feels unsafe or if the weather starts to turn. Tell me some of the mistakes you’ve made when hiking big mountains? . . .