Visitor Information

• Commercial Mountaineering Instruction Available in Colorado
• Guide Services
• Mountain Activities in May
• Mountain Activities in September
• Outdoor Retailers and Services in Colorado

Our Bookstore has guidebooks that you can order before your trip for research and planning.

When to Visit

Skiing is one of the big tourist industries in Colorado. Even if you don't like winter sports, you should know that the ski resorts open in October and the last one closes in June, July or even August! This means we have snow in the mountains most of the year.

What do you want to do? We do the typical summer activities year around. But if your looking for summer in the high country, it is July and August. However, we call this time of year the monsoon season and it is not unusual to have snow from the afternoon storms.

Hiking and backpacking? The lower trails dry out in June. Typically there are snow fields at and above timberline into July. Bring waterproof boots and STAY IN THE TRAIL, we have enough six foot wide trails already! In September the monsoon is over and the skies are clear all day except when the occasional cold front comes through, then snow. Lower trails and high ridges can still be snow free in October and November. After that it is snowshoes and winter camping.

Backcountry skiing? A normal December sees enough snow on the trails to start cross-country skiing. Usually there is not enough snow to go off the trails and make some turns. The snow is deep enough at the end of December to start making those turns on slopes above the high passes. The snow starts coming down hard in March and peaks in April, just when the big ski resorts shutdown because the spending destination skiers think it is spring. The backcountry skiing usually continues until mid-June. See " Quandary Peak: How to Ski It".

The Fourteeners

By far, the most popular backcountry destinations are the state's 54 summits above fourteen thousand feet. Climbs of these peaks are a challenge to most, especially if coming from low altitude. While the elevation gain and distance on the trail may not seem a challenge, the high altitude environment poses different challenges. The thin air slows you down so the climb takes longer and can cause altitude sickness. Sunburn comes quickly. The weather changes even quicker. In Colorado we put an emphasis on climbing speed that newcomers don't understand, it is the weather. Lightning is very much a danger on the fourteeners, increasing in probability latter in the day. The general rule is to be down off of the summit by noon. Also be prepared for the colder weather, the temperature generally decreases 5 degrees (F) per thousand feet of elevation gain. So while it is 90 degrees in Denver, it is about 45 degrees on the fourteeners, prime temperature for hypothermia, especially if wearing the typical tourist uniform, cotton. See what to bring on a hike.

Most summits cannot be reached by a trail. Only in the last twenty years has there been an effort to build real trails to the easier summits (this is to limit environmental damage rather than make the climb easier). And then there are summits that will never have a trail built on them, on these the climber is exposed to serious injury or death if a fall should occur. Most beginning climbers would want to use a rope on the harder peaks. Start with the easier ones first, get the experience and skills before tackling the harder peaks. Over half of the fourteeners can be summited with good hiking skills. Many of the fourteeners, of all difficulties, will take more than a day to climb and are usually accompanied by a backpack on the approach.

If you are looking for solitude or a wilderness experience, don't go near the fourteeners! The easier summits see hundreds of people on a weekend day and almost never go unvisited any day, even in the winter! Don't complain about it, go somewhere else.

The best advice for successful climbs of the fourteeners — PLAN! Get the right gear. Get in condition, especially cardiovascular. Get the right skills: map and compass (navigation); nutrition; off trail travel; and snow travel if climbing anytime except late July through early September.

Research the route to know what you are getting into and if you really should be doing it! Other than on-line trip reports, guidebooks are reliable, complete, and recommended. The standard guidebook for the fourteeners is " A Climbing Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners" by Borneman and Lampert. This guidebook covers the standard route up each fourteener. For those more experienced climbers looking for harder routes to the summits, " Colorado's Fourteeners: From Hikes to Climbs" by Roach covers many more routes and other seasons. Dawson's two volume guidebook, " Dawson's Guide To Colorado's Fourteeners" adds winter ascents and ski descents. The novice should only consider the routes in Borneman and Lampert, not only for ease, but environmental impact too.

Beyond the Fourteeners

Despite all the hype, there is a lot more to Colorado than the fourteeners. Recommended areas for hiking are Rocky Mountain National Park, the San Juans, and many points in between.