Thinking of hiking a 14er in late May? (Aspen: area, clothes)

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

You may want to reconsider after reading this article from Channel 9 news:

2 hikers rescued by helicopter from snowy Quandary Peak | 9news.com

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

You may want to reconsider after reading this article from Channel 9 news:

2 hikers rescued by helicopter from snowy Quandary Peak | 9news.com

With a caveat. The route these folks got stuck on (West Ridge) is NOT the standard way up Quandary. It's a dicey Class 3 ascent that's difficult even in pristine conditions.

The usual way up Quandary (East Ridge) is a Class 1 approach that's accessible nearly year-round. In the summer/early fall it's a straightforward walk-up on a well-defined trail, and in the winter and spring you can typically do it with no more than a pair of snowshoes or microspikes.

[hikernut]

Article in the Aspen Times has a lot more detail:


Hikers airlifted from Quandary Peak in daring rescue | AspenTimes.com




"We've been out on Quandary at least a dozen times, if not more this year," mission coordinator Brian Binge said. "You're actually on a sharp ridge between west end of Quandary and the summit — it's a decently technical route. People seem to think they see a shortcut. They go through a cliff band area and can't figure out how to get back up or how to get down, and they get cliffed out."

[OhioToCO]

There is no "easy" 14er. But there is almost always a few different routes up each one. Some are easier than others.
Late snow this year will make hiking a lot of "easier" routes more difficult. There is almost always a snowfield or two to cross when you are that high, even in July. I have a feeling this year they will be more extensive. I'm planning on bringing microspikes even if trip reports say you don't need them.

Speaking of Quandary - the standard route is a relatively easy hike. However, I had to bail out of it last year, due to rapidly changing weather. It was not my first 14er, and by far not the most difficult (I've done Mt Missouri the year before, and Grays/Torreys a few weeks earlier).
We started early enough (5:30am) hoping to be on the summit by 10:00, and avoiding any risk of thunderstorm. We made very good progress and were about 1,000 feet below the summit (~1.2 miles distance) by 9:00. The temps were in the high 40s-low 50s (lots of sun, mid-July). All of a sudden a huge cloud rolled in, temperatures plunged into 30s and it started snowing. We could also hear rolls of thunder in the distance, and the summit looked ominous. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt while hiking, and stopped to put more clothes on. In the brief moment that I needed to reach into my pack and get my down vest and a windbreaker out, I got very cold (I have Raynaud's, and need to keep my fingers warm at all times, or all hell will break loose). Once I got cold, I couldn't get warm again, even though I was well dressed and continued hiking up.
I had enough sense to realize I wasn't feeling well, and needed to decent a little bit to warm up. We made it all the way back to the timberline, when the clouds went away and Mother Nature proceeded with a gorgeous summer day. Everybody who left the trailhead an hour after us, made it all the way to the top under a cloudless blue sky. Some who were hiking with us returned to the timberline when the thunder rolled in, and then turned around once more, and went all the way to the summit. I was still not feeling great hours after my near-hypothermic experience, so we decided not to pursue the summit that day.

I'm going to do Quandary this year for sure! A beautiful hike, the view of the valley is gorgeous. Mountain goats are cute . Just exercise common sense and you will be fine. I wouldn't hike any 14er this early in the season, not having true mountaineering experience. It's not hiking, when there is still several feet of snow everywhere.