#breckenridge #realestate #colorado
The white summits of Colorado’s 14ers are continuing to diminish as summer temperatures bear down on the remnants of an above-average snow season. But while hiking may be more accessible, the state’s most iconic mountains may not see a rush of crowds.
“We’re starting to get to the point where use begins to ebb,” said Lloyd F. Athearn, executive director for the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. “We had a really snowy start to the season … a lot of places really didn’t start to open up until July. I think we’re going to see an even smaller hiking season in 2023 than we did in 2022.”
A June 30 report by the initiative found the number of people climbing Colorado’s 14ers fell by 8% last year to about 279,000 hiker-use days — the second-lowest level recorded since the initiative began keeping statistics in 2014.
Summiting a 14er leaves hikers exposed to the elements. That’s why there are a slew of essentials to consider when taking one on.
Colorado’s 14ers range in difficulty from Class 1 to 5. Class 1, according to DeBattiste, usually means hiking on a well-defined trail. While hikes can be strenuous, the only skill this classification typically requires is moving uphill.
As the class increases, so do the skills needed to move up a trail. Classes 2 and 3 can include rocks and scrambles to reach the top, while 4 and 5 can require climbing gear.
DeBattiste said it’s important to know your skill level, especially if 14ers are a newer experience. And there’s no such thing as an easy hike on a 14er.
“When they say they are easy, they mean easy for a 14er. They are not easy,” she said.
