We are so excited to offer our Fall Foliage 14’er Adventure. This will be one of our most unique adventures that we have created. Our team will base out of Breckenridge, Colorado; where we will spend 4 days enjoying one of the most beautiful seasons in the Rockies and attempting to climb a moderate difficulty 14’er in the area.
This trip is different from our usual adventures in that we will not decide exactly which peak we will be attempting until we get to Colorado. Everything about this trip is subject to the weather. Unlike our Colorado trips in the summer months, where we are very likely to get a great weather window to attempt a summit; scheduling a trip late enough in the calendar to experience peak fall foliage, means we may not find favorable enough weather to summit a 14’er. We will do our best to make a summit attempt, but we cannot ensure that is possible and we want to be clear about that up front.
Though pristine conditions are still very possible in late September; team members should be prepared for very cold temperatures and high winds. Wind chills in the teens and twenties are common on a 14’er summit at this time of year and we require every team member to bring microspikes in case we encounter a bit of snow and ice up high.
Of course we want everyone to be prepared for potentially difficult conditions on the mountain, but we also want to emphasize the fact that we are choosing this season for a trip precisely because these difficult conditions up high create the most spectacular colors in the lower portions of the mountains. It is impossible to describe how gorgeous the mountains are when the aspens are turning.
Dates: Sept 15-19, 2024
Team members will need to arrive in Denver no later than 3:00PM on Sunday, Sept. 15th and will plan to depart from Denver no earlier than Noon on Thursday, Sept. 19th.
Cost: $1,175 per person
- A non-refundable $400 deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your spot on the team. Please read our Trip Cancellation and Refund policy before registering for your adventure.
- $1,175 is due before August 15th, 2024.
What is included:
- All transportation to and from Denver airport
- All food and lodging (Airbnb in Breckenridge) throughout the trip
What is NOT included:
- Team members are responsible for their own travel to and from Denver, arriving in the afternoon of day 1 (no later than 3:00pm MST) and departing in the afternoon of day 5. Some will choose to drive, but we expect most to fly.
- Team members are responsible for their own trekking gear (daypack, clothes, hiking shoes/boots, trekking poles, head lamp, etc.) There is no need for a large backpack or any sleeping gear since we will be staying in an Airbnb/hotel. We will provide an extensive and detailed packing/gear list for all of our participants.
Trek Difficulty: Moderate
There is not such thing as an easy 14er, and since we will not be announcing the specific mountain we will be tackling ahead of time; we cannot give exact details about what to expect on the climbing day. We simply ask that all team members be prepared for a challenging ~8 hour day in the mountains.
We recommend all of our team members devote themselves to a season of training before attempting this trek. The more cardio fitness you can obtain before your adventure, the more you will enjoy the hike to the summit.
Itinerary:
Day 1 (Sept 15)
Team members need to arrive in Denver no later than 3:00PM MST. We will pick everyone up from the airport and transport them to our team Airbnb/hotel in Breckenridge. The drive from Denver airport to Breckenridge will be a little more than 2 hours. After we get everyone checked in, we will go out for a late team dinner at a local restaurant. This night is about getting to know your fellow teammates and setting a tone for the adventure. Staying in Breckenridge (9,600ft elevation) also allows us to begin to acclimatize ourselves to the elevation we will encounter on our trekking day.
Day 2 (Sept 16)
This is a built in rest and acclimatization day. We will eat a late brunch and couples will be free to spend the day exploring Breckenridge. Our only request is that each team member get in some time walking around town to force their bodies to acclimatize a bit more to the elevation. We will gather in the evening as a team for dinner.
Day 3 (Sept 17)
Days 3 and 4 are our planned climbing days. If we have a good weather window for Day 4, we will spend Day 3 on a tune-up hike. If not, we will attempt a peak this day. As always, flexibility is key.
Most likely we will make an early morning drive to Kite Lake where we spend a bit of time in the shadow of the mountains making up the Decalibron loop (Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross). We will get in a light hike, potentially up to the saddle between Democrat and Cameron (13,600ft) and maybe even attempt a summit if people are up for it. The goal for this day isn’t really attempting a peak, but just getting more used to elevation before our summit attempt on Day 4. We will be back in Breckenridge for a late lunch/early dinner so everyone can be in bed early and get a good night’s rest.
Day 4 (Sept 18)
We will be up very early depending on which mountain we will be attempting. It is pretty likely we will be driving as much as 90 minutes to a trailhead, so expect a very early start. Even if we are attempting one of the easier potential peaks, we expect to be on the trail no less than 5 hours and probably more like 8 or 9. We will be choosing our target based on weather conditions on the day and most recent fall foliage reports. After we conclude our hike, we will make our way back to Breckenridge for a celebratory dinner.
Day 5 (Sept 19)
We will wake up as early as is necessary to make the 2+ hour drive to get each team member back to the airport in time for their flights home. Please do not schedule a flight before noon on Day 5. Most team members will grab a light breakfast from Starbucks on our drive back to Denver.