This one via Rob Timko. Loads of Lucho in there too. (“loads of Lucho” sounds a bit dirty)
I felt pretty good that I slept at 10k feet for like four nights last week and got 5 14ers. This guy got at least one every day for a whole week. And 11 on the week. Does he have what it takes to take down Young Money?
Anyway I was talking with Bob a bit last week and we were kicking around a couple of questions in the KaZackski cabin over a bottle of Reverend. First – has any of the 14er types finished the grid? (the grid as I understand it is every CO 14er in every month of the year) … and … has anyone done 10 or more in a day? We were kicking around that it could be done with a play on Gray and Torres in the dark, then heading to Quandry, then the Decalibron, and then finishing up over in the Missouri group. Just not sure that anyone has done that.
Then again … it probably has.
good questions! My guess would be 10 in a day is more probable than every 14er in every month.
ReplyDeleteAFAICT, only a handful of people have actually done all 14ers in winter, much less each one in every month. Here are some old links:
http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/5414erwinter/
http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/hamish-gowans-fourteeners/colorado-fourteeners-gowans.html
Ted Keizer climbed eight in one day when he set the 14er record:
http://www.thedogteam.com/14ers-Web_Pages/14ers-Daily_Log.html
btw - I don't think most people consider Cameron an "official" 14er. So you would have to add in Sherman to the list you mentioned, or do something like:
Evans, Bierstadt, Grays, Torreys, Democrat, Lincoln, Bross, Missouri, Oxford, Belford
As Scott said, Cameron doesn't count.
ReplyDeleteI've thought for a while that a 'seasonal' grid actually sounds like a doable lifetime challenge.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Ken Nolan to see his progress on the monthly grid.
Seasonal grid is actually plausible. 58 x 12 = 696 peaks for a true calendar grid.
ReplyDeleteSean - you must have a pretty extensive grid? I think Homie must have the most out of folks I know. JV not far behind that.
ReplyDeleteOur friend Ken Nolan is the grand master of the grid, having completed 75% of it last I checked (a month or more ago, but it is likely that he has added to it since).
ReplyDeleteHowever, Ken is in his mid 60's and the prospect of completing the Winter slots on the harder/more remote peaks are unlikely.
Homie is working hard to catch up though and is 20+ years younger than Ken, so who knows where he will take it, especially with his strong technical/Winter skills and all around toughness/competence in the mountains.
Despite having ~262 year round 14er ascents under my belt, I don't think I have a single grid slot (though I am close on a few of the local/easy peaks). The majority of my ascents are clustered in the summer months with many repeats.
Homie ... the more I know about the guy, the more I am impressed. Just don't have him try to get you home from Utah or you'll end up in New England.
ReplyDeleteJeff I was thinking about my number of total summits. I might be about 10% of your total. And that is if I count the Pikes races which are not really summits.
Somewhat shamefully, I still count Pikes, whether I tag the true summit or not (though hypocritally, I am a stickler about tagging the highest point on all other summits). I still count it if I get a ride down too (I figure 7,815 feet of climbing is worthy enough to count it). One day, I'll head up there and do a few laps from the PPM turn to the true summit and back just to cover myself for past and future transgressions ;).
ReplyDeleteI guess that gives me ... let's see ...six Pikes summits, G&T, Sherman, QuandAry, two Decalibrons, another on Bross, Evans twice (although I did not get to the true summit last time either) and Humboldt (my first). So a total of 11 summits with 21 total events. Like I said ... about 10 percent of you. Drop the two Camerons and it is even lower.
ReplyDeleteI count Cameron. If it is named and over 14k, then fair game in my book. Depending on which way you are going, Cameron can seem legit, or a lark. The little out/back to Lincoln always seems like a lark, so maybe question Lincoln's legitimacy? I guess the point is that there are no true "rules" up there, you just have to do what you are comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteKen Nolan and Gerry Roach count the re-ascent of Belford after Oxford in their numbers, but myself and many friends do not. Their logic is sound (~1.5 miles from Oxford with ~800 feet of gain), but for some reason I have not done it. I have also done laps back/forth between Grays and Torreys for various reasons and have only counted each once on that day.
If you park at summit lake and hike Evans, does that count? To some it might. How about biking up? Some people dispute that, but I count it, as it can be harder than on foot depending on what you put into it.
The rules are fairly "loose". I think the 3k rule is a valid one, though. I'd stand by the 300 ft rule too, but N. Maroon and El Diente certainly feel like very different mountains than their higher neighbors.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'll ever have a shot at any sort of seasonal grid, as I'm eyes-deep in daddy stuff for 9.5 months a year.
Interesting that Nolan and Roach count re-ascents. I wouldn't.
GZ, you gotta do one of the more "fun" peaks. Every one you listed save Humboldt is on the low end of the excitement/view/aesthetics list IMO.
Wait - I have done all the crappy 14ers?
ReplyDeleteGZ, I'll take you up Longs tomorrow morning.... That is a great one, can round trip it in 4 hours going not too hard, leave really early?
ReplyDeleteBaseball game with JZ in the AM on Sat. Joining NMP for some fernication on Sunday if interested.
ReplyDelete