During our Colorado Trip one of my personal goals was to hike a 14er, in Southern California we have several great peaks but they all top out around 11,000 ft so I wanted to see if I could tackle something a bit taller. Going into our trip we looked at what 14ers were near the area we were staying, and found that near Breckenridge, CO there are several great 14ers, so our only issue was picking one.

Doing our homework we found a great site with several hikes along with a list of 14ers near our cabin, it also told us the stats like mileage, elevation, trail head and what the views were like. Within driving distance we had Quandary Peak, Mt Lincoln, Mt Bross, Bierstadt Peak, Mt Torrey, My Gary, Mt Democrat, Mt Elbert and Mt Huron, quite the selection of Colorado 14ers. We finally settled on Mt Democrat, it had lower mileage, great views and was one of the closer 14ers from the cabin.

Our initial plan was to hike it on Monday but looking at the weather we were not sure about the predicted rain, by the time we made our way to the trail head at Kite Lake it was full on raining and after waiting around for a few minutes and taking some pictures we decided push it. Many locals told us that it is extremely dangerous to be anywhere near that elevation when there is clouds. Planning out the rest of our week we decided our next available day was Thursday but as the day grew near, again weather became a concern as rain was predicted. We decided that we would get up early and try again in hopes of being able to summit a 14er before we had to leave Colorado. Getting up early we made it to Kite Lake, parked the car and hoped the clouds would hold out for a successful hike. While it was a little cloudy there was no signs of rain and we still had good views of the surrounding area, being able to see both the false peak of Mt Democrat and the other 14ers in the area.

Happy Hiker on Mt. Democrat

For me the first mile was the toughest, while we had been in Colorado for several days, the hike starts out at around 12,000 ft. which means a climb of over 2000 ft and a huge difference from Southern California where I live. The starting point was 1000 ft higher than our cabin which was somewhere between 9,000 and 10,000 ft. Once I got the first mile or so under my belt I started feeling pretty good and was able to hit a rhythm. Looking back, there were amazing views of Kite Lake and the surrounding area but the clouds did obstruct some of the views which was a little disappointing, still I continued, determined to make it to the top.

One of the unique points about this area is that there are two other 14ers, Mt Lincoln and Mt Bross, within hiking distance. Given the time and level of determination you can hit all three in one day as they share part of the same trail. Once we got to what they call the saddle, were the trail splits to the other three mountains, we saw several people resting, coming down the other trails and starting up the trail to Mt Democrat. Near the saddle are some mining ruins and great views of Quandary Peak and Wheeler Lake. Taking a quick break we then started up the trail to Mt Democrat, which switchbacks its way up a rock trail to the false peak. Right before getting to the false peak though the weather started to move in, and move in quickly it did. No rain but clouds and wind started to swirl around the peak and visibility started to become effected. Determined to make it to the top I left kicked it into high gear passing the false summit and heading to the top. Making it to the peak was a little intense especially with the clouds, visibility was poor which meant no views, but it was still surreal to be on the top of a 14er. I stayed around long enough to snap a few pictures, take a look around and then head back down.

I did it! I was stoaked! I checked a 14er off my list. As I made my way back down I picked back up with Josh and Amie who got caught in the crazy cloud roll in, and were ok not getting to the top, especially when I described the ascent and weather. We hiked the rest of the way back down, warned a few people about the weather at the top and enjoyed views of the clouds, lake and streams. Just as we bottomed out by the lake it started to lightly rain, perfect timing, we took a couple pictures, got back in the car and headed in to town for some well-deserved coffee and snacks.

Hike Data:

Summit of Mt. Democrat

Hiked on 07/19/2010
Zac, Josh, Amie

Total Distance: 12.11 km (7.5 mi)
Total Time: 2:54:03
Moving Time: 1:49:17
Average Speed: 4.21 km/h (2.6 mi/h)
Average Moving Speed: 6.65 km/h (4.1 mi/h)
Max Speed: 13.50 km/h (8.4 mi/h)
Min Elevation: 3633 m (11920 ft)
Max Elevation: 4301 m (14111 ft)
Elevation Gain: 828 m (2716 ft)
Recorded: Thu Aug 19 07:11:23 PDT 2010
Activity type: hiking
View Mt Democrat Hike 07/19/2010 in a larger map

Why A Colorado Skiing Vacation Rules:

If you were to ask skiing enthusiast why they love Colorado, you would get an assortment of answers. But in the long run, the answers would be summed up with the following 5 statements.

· The Colorado snow is lighter, which means soft landings.

· The terrain parks are favorites for X-Game participants, as well as a number of the rich and famous. Special favorites of celebrities are the slopes at Aspen, Vail or Telluride.

· There are 26 ski schools, numerous kid-friendly trails and conditions that are rarely icy making a Colorado skiing vacation perfect for the whole family.

· Their slopes are the first to open every year, usually as soon as early October.

· Colorado ski resorts are known for their eco-friendly approach. Each year their renewable wind energy source has the same effect of taking 18,000 vehicles off the road.

As the departure date for your Colorado skiing vacation draws near, you will want to give some thought to what you will bring. Because Colorado weather can change from sunny to snowing in just a few minutes, one of the best things to do is dress in comfortable layers. To help out, here is a basic list to be sure your luggage includes:

1. Wool hat – much of the bodies’ heat can be lost without a warm hat.

2. Sun Glasses – Protect your eyes from the sun’s rays as it reflects from the snow.

3. Thick fleece or down lined jacket with a water proof outer shell.

4. Thick water-resistance gloves.

5. Water-resistance snow pants

6. Wool or synthetic blend sacks to prevent cold feet

7. A backpack to store and shed any layers and to carry some bottled water.

Basic winter checklist:

· Winter coat

· Long sleeve t-shirt

· Long underwear

· Warm socks

· Sweater

· Snow pants

· Boots

· Warm hat

· Gloves/ mittens

· Outfits for fine dining, a dinner theater, opera, etc.

Thanks to travel writer Janet Slagell for this article on skiing in Colorado.  With the cold air coming we can still enjoy the great state of Colorado and the outdoors.  Photo by Todd Neville

Colorado is one of the most pristine and pure wildernesses left in the United States and when you take a tour on a Colorado hiking trail you have the time to appreciate Colorado’s beauty. Colorado hiking trails take you through some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world and you will interact with wild creatures that you may have never seen in person before in your life.

It is funny how people think that because they saw an animal on television their whole lives that it would be the same when they see the animal in real life. Take a hike down a Colorado hiking trail and you will come face to face with animals you have never seen in real life before and I can guarantee you it is both an invigorating and a potentially frightening experience.

Colorado hiking trails take you around some of the most beautiful lakes in the world where you will see the cool clear waters of a pollution free lake. A Colorado hiking trail will also take you up into the mountains to see the pure snow that forms at the top of the Rocky Mountains, which is the purest snow you may ever see in your life. There is a reason that places like Aspen in Colorado are prime skiing resort locations and also the home to some of the most beautiful Colorado hiking trails.

Lodges And Retreats

There are many ways you can enjoy the Colorado hiking trails and one of them is to arrange a hike with a Colorado vacation resort. These types of hiking vacations tend to be a little more structured than just grabbing a backpack and heading out to the trails but that does not make them any less magnificent.

In reality, the Colorado resorts are in the business of making the trails more vacation friendly, which means that not everyone is an athletic hiker and the Colorado resorts know that so they give you that feeling of a good hike but also making sure that things don’t get out of control. It is a great way to take a hiking vacation if you have never taken one before.

So grab your backpack and get to Colorado where the trails are waiting for you and so is all of the scenery that Colorado has to offer. Once you take in the Colorado scenery for just one day you will never want to return to the city ever again.

Chris Jonas is a chef working in Soho, New York. Check out these great Colorado Vacations articles and resources or the more specific Outdoors and hiking resources.