Is it culturally acceptable to hike 14ers by yourself?

[cedica]

^^^ Thanks for the disclosure. I was guessing a roommate. Or friend, partner, acquaintance?

[oorg]

A third cultural question, do you guys say 'hello' to every person or group you pass on trail? I've read that this is a code of the Old West, or is it acceptable to pass people in silence?

My other advice is NEVER ask anyone "How long to the summit?" My standard response is "How fast do you hike?" but then I try to tell them how long I have been hiking down to give them some rough idea...

I've had some fun with this one. Asking 3 people within a few minutes of one another how long the summit was away gave 3 vastly different responses: 45 mins, then 30 mins, then an hour. Pretty much a pointless question: they don't know how fast you can climb and they generally don't know how long it's taken them to get down to that point. Still fun to see how close (or far away) people are from one another's estimates.

[peter303]

A third cultural question, do you guys say 'hello' to every person or group you pass on trail? I've read that this is a code of the Old West, or is it acceptable to pass people in silence?

My other advice is NEVER ask anyone "How long to the summit?" My standard response is "How fast do you hike?" but then I try to tell them how long I have been hiking down to give them some rough idea...

I've had some fun with this one. Asking 3 people within a few minutes of one another how long the summit was away gave 3 vastly different responses: 45 mins, then 30 mins, then an hour. Pretty much a pointless question: they don't know how fast you can climb and they generally don't know how long it's taken them to get down to that point. Still fun to see how close (or far away) people are from one another's estimates.

I usually know the answer to this because I mentally remember a few way-points. These are usually a significant change in terrain like a creek crossing, trail fork, end of woods, end of tundra, summit. Then I know my up-time and down-time ratios.

[WVMountaineer]

I've done a lot of 14ers Solo but it wasn't until I hit a certain number of summits in the high teens before I felt confident enough in myself to go out and safely pursue summits on my own. Gain the experience you need first and nail down your day pack and emergency items before you start hiking solo. My wife loves that I carry an InReach and constantly send out GPS messages with my location and status. Obviously and InReach won't do much good if a solo hiker were unresponsive but the device does have the ability to locate it remotely.

Also, when you start hiking 15+ 14ers per season, you quickly realize you're kind of a freak and your friends don't like you that much and hiking solo is the only option to get out.

Here's a video of one of my solo adventures hiking Snowmass Mountain in a day. It was fun. And yes, I know I connected to the ridge in the wrong place...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---bvvp9Xnw

[IntrepidXJ]

Obviously and InReach won't do much good if a solo hiker were unresponsive but the device does have the ability to locate it remotely.

If tracking is turned on SAR will have an area to start searching when you are overdue.

[CORed]

Is it culturally acceptable in Colorado to hike 14ers solo?

I've done several hikes alone, but always am afraid that this is not culturally acceptable. Everyone seems to be in groups.

I do most of my hiking alone. It should probably be pointed out, that hiking alone is a bit riskier than hiking with a partner or in a group, because, if you injure yourself or get sick, there is nobody to go for help or help you get out.

[nunns]

Hiking and climbing 14ers does attract a fairly well off crowd. Try to focus on your own enjoyment, and try not to worry about the people around you. People who have more money than you aren't necessarily any smarter than you, they just got born into a more fortunate or privileged set of circumstances. If you enjoy being in the mountains then yes, you belong in the mountains.

some of us aren't "well off", we just forfeit our financial health in the pursuit of our passions

Perhaps one of the most interesting things here is that many people like me (fairly well off but chained to my job right now) secretly or not-so-secretly admire people like this poster. In my heart I would love that to be me, but I am now responsible for my wife and children so I can't just cut the ties and let go.

Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

[nunns]

The only thing culturally unacceptable about hiking alone would be recklessly attempting something alone that was way beyond your skill set and then expecting SAR to come save you. SAR tends to frown on people like that (rightly so, IMO).

Sean Nunn

[XterraRob]

This thread is depressing lol.

[mtree]

This thread is old. Put it to rest already.

[JephgonnaSteph]

Wouldn't mind soloing some class 2 in summer. Winter hike is a different story.

[greenonion]

This thread is old. Put it to rest already.

+1