Hiking your first 14er is a special moment. For those of us who love hiking, these towering peaks can take up a lot of space in our imagination. You might have been thinking about hiking a 14er for a couple of years and now you’re finally ready – but there’s a lot to do before you go. Hiking a 14er means a lot of physical exertion, at high altitude, in remote areas, so you need to be extra vigilant about planning and preparation.
During my years living in Colorado, I hiked many of the state’s 14ers and absolutely loved every adventure, but that’s because I went into every hike well-prepared so each one was seamless and fun, if not exactly easy.
