Hiking a 14er nearly always delivers a certain ecological transition. Though some have trailheads that start above treeline, most start lower, with a winding path through a forest. Then at a certain point, the trees begin to give way and that soft forest floor is replaced by boulder fields and talus that shifts under foot. The temperature drops noticeably, and even on the hottest summer days, you might stop to pull out a base layer or a waterproof jacket to fend off the wind. Your fingers might start to swell and without the call of the birds or rushing streams, an intense quiet falls, especially on a still day.
Then suddenly, there’s a shrill, impossibly high-pitched “eeep!” to break through the hush. The sound of a pika alerting its neighbors to your presence is like a welcome call to the high country, something you’ll never hear if you don’t venture up peaks, and for many alpine hikers, a sign that the summit is near.
