Food, Friends, Fourteeners…
What could be better? We had a blast with this event last year, and this year we have made it even more accessible. This event can truly be for everyone. If some in your group are not up to the grueling task of hiking a full 14,000 ft mountain, the trail to Mt Bierstadt is a beautiful, easy, flat hike for the first half mile until you reach a river crossing and then it starts going uphill and becoming more difficult.
Whether you are up for some tasty breakfast in the mountains, a light stroll, or a full value mountain summiting experience, we hope you will join us! This is a great opportunity to invite a friend.
Fresh made breakfast burritos will be provided at 7:30 but afterwards each group will be expected to be prepared, self sufficient, and ready to move at their own pace. In other words, we will start together, but we won’t be finishing together.
Please RSVP with the form below to help us get numbers for breakfast burritos.
Schedule
We will all gather at the Bierstadt Trailhead at Guanella Pass. This is an hour and a half drive from Castle Pines. Everyone is responsible for their own transportation.
7:00am - Pastor Tim and Pastor Geoffrey will start cooking at the trailhead. Feel free to come early and hang out if you would like.
7:30am - Tim and Geoffrey will be serving fresh breakfast burritos.
8:00am - We need to start hiking at 8am or shortly after in order to be off the summit by noon to avoid any possible afternoon lightning storms.
Every hiker or group of hikers travels at their own pace and leaves whenever they are finished.
Preparation
A 14,000 ft mountain is an achievable fitness goal and provides a rich reward for those who are up to the task! What better way to appreciate God’s beautiful creation! But preparation and fitness are key. If you intend to hike to the summit of Mt Bierstadt please be prepared. There is no such thing as an easy fourteener. Dehydration, elevation sickness, exhaustion, sun exposure, twisted ankles, and lightning are just some of the potential hazards you could face. The rule of thumb is to be off the summit before noon to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, though with common sense this timeline can and should be altered in either direction.
Here is a short list of some essentials you should bring with you:
At Least 3L of Water Per Hiker
Sunblock
SPF Lip Balm
Toilet Paper
Waterproof Jacket
Plenty of Snacks
Sturdy Hiking Boots
Fitness
The last essential need to climb a fourteener is your physical fitness. Depending on when you are reading this, you have a few weeks to fine tune your fitness before the hike. Don’t underestimate what 3 weeks of consistent training can accomplish. Click the button below for an REI article on training for Fourteeners.