Two 14ers in one day? Yes, Please!

It was about 6:15am on Monday, September 3, 2012, when my good friend Chad and I reached the trail head for Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, Arapaho National Forest, Colorado. After a brief hour long drive we were ready to hit the trail and begin our 8 mile hike towards the summit of both peaks. The parking lot next to the trail head was full of other vehicles and groups of people both young and old alike. The morning was nice with an occasional chilled breeze. The sun had just started to come out as we made our way along the trail.

We started by trekking through a portion of the trail that was surrounded by trees. The trail was pretty level and very easy to navigate with minimal steps and the usual plethora of rocks. 

After making our way out of the trees we continued on a narrow stretch of the trail that was covered in brush that was about waist high. This section was small and in some areas it only left enough room for one person at a time

After reaching towards the end of the brush the area finally opened up and we got our first glance at both peaks standing side by side. It was an amazing sight! One of which that we took a moment to soak up the view and snap some photos. During this time the sun had finally peaked over the adjacent hills just enough to light up both peaks making the moment unforgettable and worth photographing.

Grays Peak (left) & Torreys Peak (right)

Shortly thereafter we continued on our way through an open field and reached the base of Grays Peak. This would be our first challenge as we would have to navigate our way through thick rock, an incline, and ledges that would surely lead to injuries should one slip and fall.

Upon clearing the trail packed with rocks we reached the start of the switchbacks that would ultimately take us to the summit of grays peak. The switchbacks seemed to last forever as they felt as though they reached from the far left side of Grays to the far right side. While trekking through the switchbacks the summit remained in sight keeping our spirits up and confident that we would be reaching the summit soon.

 With that thought in our minds and keeping us going we finally reached the summit to be met with a spectacular view of the valley that we had spent the majority of our trip trekking through.

Grays Peak Summit - 14,270ft.

Grays Peak Summit - 14,270ft.

View of the valley from the summit of Grays Peak - 14,270ft.

View from the summit

While on the summit we sat down for a quick snack followed by a few brief conversations with other hikers who had reached the summit. In the few 14ers that I have hiked the experience has always been a pleasant one and I have had several friendly conversations with fellow hikers about where they have lived, other 14ers that they have climbed, and so on. You'd be surprised of the people that I have met, some as close as natives to Colorado and some from as far as Spain, all with the goal to summit a Colorado 14er. Although I don't know them personally and may sometimes experience a language barrier between us that never stops us from sharing a smile and high five when reaching the summit. It is an accomplishment to be shared by all who venture to do it.

 We eventually packed up our gear and set off to traverse the saddle-back in attempts to summit both peaks that afternoon. With the sun shining and a few clouds in the sky we were confident that we could summit Torreys Peak without the threat of inclement weather turning us back.

A view of the saddle-back that connects Grays to Torreys. View from Grays looking towards Torreys.

We made our way down towards the saddle-back, trekked across, paused to take a few photos, and then made our way up towards the summit of Torreys Peak. The trek up Torreys Peak felt more difficult as the switchbacks were more direct and short going from side to side. After trekking approximately .5 miles from Grays Peak to Torrey's Peak we had finally reached the summit thus accomplishing our goal to summit both Peaks in one day.

Looking up towards Torreys Peak from the saddle-back

Looking towards Grays Peak from the saddle-back

Standing on the summit of Torreys Peak - 14,267ft.

View from the summit

The hike was an amazing one and will go down as one of my favorites. The opportunity to summit two 14ers in one day is one that should be taken advantage of. The day was perfect, although we did run into a small amount of cloud cover and rain on our way back to the trail head. We met a lot of great people that day and had a blast. I'd also like to note that this was Chad's first 14er(s) and two perfect ones for it. I remain fascinated by the valley that we had to trek through in order to reach both peaks (I'm sure you'll recognize it from the photo on the top of my blog page). A great hike that I recommend to anyone!

Grays Peak & Torreys Peak - Directions 

From Denver, drive west on Interstate 70 to Bakerville, Exit 221. Turn left over the interstate and drive south 3.5 miles on a steep, but wide and passable, dirt road to the vicinity of Stevens Mine at 11,300 feet. There is a parking lot for about 30 vehicles, and outhouses are adjacent to the parking lot. 

- The Colorado 14ers: The Standard Routes by: The Colorado Mountain Club Foundation 

My first 14er: Longs Peak - 14,259 ft.

On Tuesday, August 28th, 2012, I had the pleasure of hiking my very first 14er. It was 12:00am when I met up with an acquaintance, Steve Smith, at his house located in Loveland, Colorado, approximately 57 miles North of where I lived, to take part in an attempt to summit Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. We packed up our gear and hit the road arriving at the Longs Peak trail head at approximately 2:00am. The ride was a quiet one ultimately leading me to doze in and out of sleep as I was not able to catch a quick nap before hitting the road. Upon reaching the trail head we unpacked our gear, took a quick group photo, and then set off on the trail with nothing but light of our headlamps.

We made our way through the trees stopping on a few occasions to take a couple quick photos of the trail and a nearby stream of water.

From there we continued on our journey eventually breaking from the trees and entering into an open field where the trail continued towards the boulder field. This portion of the trail remained clearly defined and was easy to navigate. 

While trekking through the open field we were accompanied by strong gusts of wind that seemed to have lasted for hours. Eventually the wind took a toll on my ears and left me with a pounding headache. Regardless of the gusts of wind combined with the chilly night air we pressed on ultimately reaching the boulder field just as the sun started to show itself from the horizon.

Not wanting to risk it, it was during this time that Steve determined that he would be unable to continue due to a previously existing knee problem. Faced with disappointment and frustration Steve reluctantly turned back and headed towards the ranger station. Eager to reach the summit I continued on while Chris hesitantly followed behind me making our way through the boulder field and towards the key hole. 

After reaching the key hole the view was breathtaking. Chris and I paused and took a moment to soak up the view. Shortly thereafter, we traversed our way through the ledges taking our time as this section left little room for error.

After passing the ledges we found ourselves looking up the trough. A long narrow narrow section that looked as though it went on for ever and ever. This section was mixed with dirt and and a plethora of rocks. After making our way through the boulder field and facing this it was safe to say that I was sick and tired of seeing rocks but up for the challenge.

Immediately after reaching the top of the trough we were met with the dreaded narrows. This section left very little room for error and would turn anyone back with the slightest fear of heights. This was an appropriate time to follow the old saying, "don't look down!".

After we had traversed the narrows we finally found ourselves staring up at the homestretch, the last section before reaching the summit. I immediately asked myself, "what the hell did I get myself into?". This section was very steep and did not offer many options heading up.

While looking up the homestretch I thought back to a conversation that I had with my brother just days before. He told me that when you reach the summit the accomplishment would leave you to forget about the effort and pain that it took to reach the summit.

He was right.....

At approximately 8:30am, 6 hours after starting, I had finally reached the summit. I immediately became overwhelmed by the feeling of joy and accomplishment. As this was my first 14er I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a little teary-eyed. I had finally made it and accomplished exactly what I had set out to do.

Overall an excellent hike! I am more than happy to say that it was my first 14er. Should I return to summit it in the future I will definitely consider hiking to the boulder field, camping overnight, and then setting out to summit it the next morning. I'd recommend doing the same as attempting to summit it in one day can be quite challenging both mentally and physically. 

Longs Peak - Directions 

Drive south from Estes Park 10 miles on Colorado 7, then 1 mile west to a "T" junction. The left fork leafs to the Longs Peak Ranger Station and parking lot, which is often crowded. The right fork leads to the Longs Peak Campground, where sites are available on a first-come basis.Additional camping is available at back-country sites, where permits are required. Contact the Back-country Office (970-586-1242) for information. 

 - The Colorado 14ers: The Standard Routes by: The Colorado Mountain Club Foundation