Quandary Peak - a birthday 14er

To bring in my 32nd year, I decided a while back that I wanted to accomplish something big, an achievement significant to me.  A fourteener was what I elected.  The fact that we hadn't really done any training wouldn't be a big deal......... sure....

When I was a teenager my father, older sister, cousin and I hiked Grays and Torreys Peak, no training.  A couple years later my father, older sister and I hiked the majority of Mt Princeton before getting chased off the mountain by a storm, again no training.  I've been successful in the past of making my way up mountains, but it has been quite a long time.  Back then it was my father who selected the peaks and I went along with because I didn't want my dad and older sister to do something cool without me.  (I was a typical younger sister who wanted to do all the cool things my big sister did.)

But this time - the decision was mine.  It was my hike, my achievement.

I selected Quandary Peak by reviewing things on 14ers.com and other mountaineering blogs and determined that this one had the most optimistic posts about it being a class one (meaning easier), that it was a good peak to start on for a fourteener, that it is a little long, a little busy, and a little windy but is a slow and steady incline all the way to the top.

Boy... that wasn't quite the hike we had!

Alarms chimed at 4am, not even a sliver of the sun up yet, our dog disoriented as to why he was getting breakfast so early.  We tossed our gear in the car and headed out to the Brekenridge area to get to the trail head.  A little drama occurred when the Google directions we were following ultimately led us to the wrong starting point, but we got to see some mountain goats and pretty views...

 and then we had to back track a little in order to ensure that we were going up the correct trail (I didn't want to set myself up for failure right off the bat).

Being a Monday we figured that there wouldn't be too many people on the mountain, but we were a bit wrong with that assumption as we came across many other hikers making their way up the mountain, too.

We started the hike, immediately it started off rather steep, the sun starting to make its way into the sky.  Eventually the path seemed to even out, my trekking poles helping my balance, my heart having some difficulties keeping pace, but I felt so thankful to be moving and doing something challenging and invigorating on my birthday.

When we got about halfway up, that's when it really started to feel steep, and rocky.  Not just any rocks... loose rock, every step causing them to shift beneath our feet.  Often it felt like really intense bouldering, not always sure exactly where the trail was, hopeful that it was beneath our feet and that our boots wouldn't cause the rocks to slide completely out from under us.  Wind picking up around us from time to time, about knocking us over, pressing against our chests, causing even more challenge for breathing.

Eventually I found myself at a sloth's pace.  Move my two poles forward, ensure they were secure, move each foot a pace, pause.  Move my two poles forward, ensure they were secure, move each foot a pace, pause.  Thankfully I have a very patient partner, Chris, who would not judge but would simply wait when he felt he was too far ahead, making sure that I was still making my way behind him.

What was also very helpful were some of the other hikers speaking words of encouragement as we made our way up.  "You can do it!"  "You are so close!"  "The view at the top is well worth it!"  Each step meant that I was getting closer.  I continually reminded myself that I would get up this mountain, that I would be victorious, and that this achievement is mine, for me.

11am.  And there we were...

Victory at the top, the world unfolding below us in a sea of Rocky Mountains.

We sat, looking around us as we munched on our sandwiches and apples.  We took pictures, but still it does not seem to actually capture the depth and beauty.  It was breathtaking.


And then we had to convince ourselves to head back down...
11:30. It was steep, but from that angle it actually seemed almost easier to see the trail.  We took it slow considering it was easy to slip and slide still, our toes pointing at quite the downward angle.  I am so thankful for the trekking poles as they helped to reduce some of the impact on our knees.  As we climbed down all the many rocks, I found myself thankful for solid ground and excited even to return to a dirt path.  Never in my life thought I would ever be excited about dirt.

As we made our way back down the mountain, there were times that it felt like the trail was longer than when we hiked up it.  Things sometimes not looking the same.  Amazing how different the afternoon light can make the mountain look.

My FitBit tracked almost 16,000 steps.  7 hours round trip. 14,265 feet up. 7.5 miles accomplished from starting at the parking lot 7am, to summit 11am, lunchtime pit-stop for 30 minutes, and back 2pm.  We did it.

Happy Birthday to me.  We survived it, no training prior to the journey.  My lungs still aren't sure exactly how to resume normal breath, my legs still burning, my knees tight, my back sore.
I am a very lucky woman.

(I can only imagine what I might be able to accomplish when I do train!)