sflohr - 14er Finisher

[Dobsons]

Great job congrats!!!

[Tornadoman]

Congratulations Sean on completing the 14ers!

[RhodoRose]

Congratulations Sean! Welcome to the Finishers Circle!

[HikesInGeologicTime]

Congratulations on jumping straight into the deep end with those winter ascents and sticking it out!

[smrcka]

Congratulations Sean!

[sflohr]

Thank you Jeff for the kind words, and thank you all of you who took the time to drop a line here. What a journey it's been!

I'm thankful that these mountains generously allowed me to stand on top for a while over the years and wouldn't change or trade the experience for anything. Mostly, I'm just grateful for all the people I got to share the experiences with and the lifelong memories I now have. Jeff is a good example of this: we met during a climb of Wetterhorn ten years ago and remain friends to this day. Through these mountains I got to see a myriad of different corners and perspectives of the state I've loved and called home my entire life, and many of them undoubtedly wouldn't have happened had it not been for this project.

This week has been one of immense gratitude and reflection - I had no idea this would turn into a ten-year pursuit and I suppose I did start rather unconventionally out of the gate with two winter summits in 2014 (this actually didn't fully occur to me until I finally looked back at everything the last few days). The intensity with which I pursued the list varied over the years, as some years I focused more on climbs in other ranges (Rainier, Baker, Hood, etc.) or just contended with the vicissitudes of life and injuries. I was sort of "stuck" at 55 the last three years, and spent a good year and a half rehabbing a particularly nasty back injury. Now feeling like I'm mostly back to my old self, I decided to buckle down and get the last three (Little Bear, Maroon Peak, Handies) in the last couple weeks.

I appreciate what Jeff said about teamwork - I definitely value my solitude and solo trips in the backcountry as I'm sure many of us do. However I get a good deal of satisfaction in working together with others and helping them reach their own goals. I was a college basketball player once upon a time and relish the opportunity to be a teammate, and I do try my best to bring that mentality to the mountains with me when I climb with others. These experiences are so valuable when shared with others and I'm thinking of all the people that I've ever climbed with this week, some of whom are no longer here. One of which was sadly taken from us in an avalanche last year, which only heightens the sense of good fortune and how alive I feel in the mountains. We are lucky to be here and I can't think of anywhere else this is more evident than on a summit. On the way back down from Handies last week I took a moment to step aside and say a few words for those I've lost since this began, including my grandfather who so fell in love with the San Juans that he moved the family to Durango from Minnesota when my mother was a kid. I like to think they're all with me when I'm up there and all contributed a verse to this.

Congratulations to Sean on completing the Colorado 14ers! It's a rarity for someone's first 14er to be in winter. Do you have a favorite peak or climbing memory to share?

I'd have to say my two favorite peaks would have to be Wetterhorn, followed closely by Eolus. I'm a product of the San Juans and feel particularly fond of that range, hence my waiting to finish the list of 58 on Handies. Couldn't have picked a better way to cross home plate.

There are so many memories over this decade-long journey that it's impossible to just pick one. But some standouts that come to mind initially would be:
- looking down on a sea of white peaks during a winter summit of Sneffels
- Watching sunrise from Redcloud Peak over the San Juans
- The clearest starry night sky I've ever seen over camp at Capitol Lake
- Trips to Chicago Basin on the Durango/Silverton train
- Climbing Dead Dog Couloir en route to Torreys Peak
- Stopping to watch and listen to elk bugling during an October trip up Sherman
- Being surrounded by a symphony of howling coyotes at 3am during a solo winter attempt on Uncompahgre
- My gf surprising me with a personalized cookie cake she hauled up to my final summit, going out of her way to make it special

I could go on and on, and even regale you with a couple harrowing tales as well (a rockslide nearly taking me out on Snowmass and breaking my partner’s foot, my pack spending an entire winter up on Columbia before S&R returned it later that year) but perhaps those are worthy of their own write-ups in the future. But for now, I’m taking a moment to appreciate it all and set new goals. I will be no stranger to Colorado’s high country and will surely re-visit some of these 58 peaks once in a while. These mountains are in my blood. Holler if you want to get out!

Ever on.
Sean

[Will_E]

Nice work, it’s a huge accomplishment!

[lauradaughtry]

Congratulations, Sean!!

[dr_j]

From a fellow finisher that took 10+ years to do an orbit around the peaks, nicely done, and hopefully the summits will continue. There are those who knock them out very quickly, but being able to look back more than a few years adds that extra dimension to this pursuit.

Cheers!

[wmagnuson7]

Great job, congratulations!

[oldschool]

Congrats..you made it safely through them all.

Mike

[14erFred]

Congratulations on completing your quest to climb all the Colorado 14ers, Sean!