If you are new to 14ers (or any higher elevation hiking), knowing what to pack and what to wear can be overwhelming! I am going to take you through how to prepare to hike a 14er.

When we did our first 14er (Grays Peak), we were not ready. We had a general idea and had done some research on what to pack and knew that we needed to layer, but we ended up getting quite cold near the top which prevented us from continuing on to summit Torrey’s Peak which was not far away. We actually ended up shopping at four REI’s and on Amazon for supplies and clothes that weekend! 

It is important you take the time to research 14ers, know the difference between the classes (Class 1 is easiest), what parking is like, do you need a permit, how rough is the road to the trailhead (many require a 4WD, high clearance vehicle and so you may have to park further away than planned), is there a cost to park, what time does parking fill-up, and how the weather will be. An EXCELLENT resource is the 14ers.com website and the 14ers.com FaceBook page.

Now, everyone has their own opinion on what they like to wear. For example, I tend to run “hot” and so my choice in what I wear is a little different than Joe’s since he runs a little cooler than me. Same goes for the type of snacks to take – everyone has what they prefer and so in this post I am going to tell you a little about what we pack, eat, and wear but know that your choices may be different.

Let’s start off with what we take with us. There is a great article that talks about the “10 essentials” I highly suggest you check out. For us, this is what is in our packs (keep in mind we hike together and so we share some things like sunblock):

JOE	LIZ (for size reference I am 5’4”, 140#, size 8 tennis shoe)
HotHands-2 Hand Warmers (1)	HotHands-2 Hand Warmers (1)
Osprey Talon 26	Osprey Tempest 24 (women’s specific) XS-S
Spyder Puffy Jacket with hood	Spyder Puffy Jacket with hood
Outdoor Research Windbreaker	Old Navy Anorak in Zipable Pouch (size medium) – this is OLD, like from the 90’s.
Banana Boat SPF 50 lip protector	Banana Boat SPF 50 lip protector
	Banana Boat 1oz SPF 30 sunblock – shared
Clif Bar Peanut Butter Crunch (1)	Clif Bar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut (1)
SIS (variable flavor)	SIS (variable flavor)
Kahtoola Microspikes	Kahtoola Microspikes (size small )
Neoprene Half-Face Gaiter	Neoprene Half-Face Gaiter (size medium)
Neck Buff	Neck Buff
Outdoor Research hat with neck cover	Random ball cap
3.0 liter Osprey water bladder	2.5 liter Osprey water bladder
	Extra pair of socks (just cotton ones)
	ZipLok baggies (4) and toilet paper
Spyder Gloves	Concurve Gore-Tex Gloves (size small)
Outdoor Research Vigor Lightweight Sensor Gloves	Manzella N2S (Next to Skin) Windstopper (womens medium) – Not in production anymore ☹️
	Ink Pen and Sharpie marker
	Antimicrobial Bandaids (4)
Advil	Advil (200mg x 6)
Imodium	Imodium (2 tablets)Chewable Pepto Bismul (1 packet)
Single 20oz water bottle	Single 20oz water bottle
LMNT (Raspberry) (1)	LMNT (whatever flavor Joe doesn’t want) (1)
Black Diamond Distant Carbon FlickLock Z Foldable PolesTrekking Poles	Black Diamond Distant Carbon FlickLock Z Foldable PolesTrekking Poles
	Cardboard Sign Indicating what Summit we Cleared (recycled pizza cardboard) that we recycle upon returning home
	Whistle
Oakley FLAK Draft Sunglasses with Prism Road lenses and soft cover	Oakley Oo9188 Flak 2.0 XL Rectangular Sunglasses with Prism Trail lenses and soft cover
Black Diamond Spot 350w Headlamp	Black Diamond Spot 350w Headlamp
	Pearl Izumi Arm Warmers (size small)
	Honey Stinger Waffle (1) I LOVE THESE!
	Browning Foldable For Her Knife, Mossy Oak Break-Up, Pink
iPhone	Iphone and Sony ZV-E10 Camera (this is new for me!)

That sounds like a lot but it all fits very nicely into our packs.

Our 14nr Routine

• The day prior, we check and prepare our packs, get our clothes ready including socks and boots, set out our snacks, and fill our water reservoirs and store those in the fridge.
• We start winding down as soon as we can the night before which means eating dinner early (usually Chipotle or Costa Vida!) and getting to bed by 7:00PM. We shut the drapes, the doors to the bedroom, and wear eye masks to block out any and all light.
• We are typically up around 1:30 – 2:00AM depending on the drive and on the road by 2:00/2:30. We aim to be at the trailhead between 4:00 and 5:00AM.
• We like to apply sunscreen before hitting the road because we know we won’t when we arrive.
• On the way we sip on ZippFizz and just before we arrive, we down a Clif Bar. We also take 600mg of Advil and take one Imodium tablet to help protect us from altitude sickness and a rumbly tummy. 
• Along the way, usually 2 – 3 hours in, we add LMT electrolytes to each of our 20oz bottle of waters and sip on that. 
• At the summit we typically take another 600mg of Advil and sometimes have a snack (I like to eat a Balanced Breaks cheese and nut pack. Joe likes the Clif Bar. We also reapply sunscreen.
• Once we get home we repack our packs and prepare our hiking clothes for washing so everything is ready for the next hike.

What We Wear

Ok, so what do we actually wear? Well, I mentioned a few items that we have readily available depending on the weather and temperature. We have not hiked in the winter yet and so I won’t get into what to pack for winter hiking but we will review our choices for June – September 14er season.

The main thing to remember is you want breathable layers. We adjust our layers several times throughout the hike – start off with more, peel off, adjust if wind starts up, add more if the temperature drops near the top, etc.  Here are our essential layers:

1. Something to cover your head and face
   • This can be a ball cap, buff, face gaiter, hooded jacket, etc. We actually carry all of those because sometimes a buff works for wind, but other times you need a thicker neoprene gaiter. 
2. Jackets. Yes multiple. As I mentioned, we pack or wear a hooded puffy jacket (ours is synthetic), carry a windbreaker of some type (great when super windy but not cold enough for the puffy), and I like to wear arm warmers because I get hot easy but I need to cover my arms from the cool weather/wind. Sometimes I pack a lightweight, thin longsleeve top in case I want more than armwarmers and less than a puffy jacket. My favorite style is my Spartan one by Craft (size large). 
3. Lightweight, breathable shirt. Joe loves his Columbia Omni-shade Sun Protection shirts that have a zipper pocket on the chest and I like to wear any of my short-sleeved athletic running/race shirts. I have so many from the bike and running races over the years that I just wear those. 
4. Gloves. Many times, we start out with our thinner gloves/liners and then add on the thicker ones if the temperature drops near the top but usually our liner-style ones work great.
5. For pants, Joe loves his REI convertible ones that turn into shorts but also have a lateral zipper. This helps if you want to remove the pants and not have to take off your hiking boots/shoes or if you just want some air flow on your legs. I plan to get some as well but I am waiting for the next REI sale. 🙃 Right now I have mostly hiked in tights but have struggled to find the brand I like the most that are not too hot, allow some airflow and don’t slide down over time. I recently picked up some Prana tights (size small) that seem to work well so far. I also wear over top or at least pack windbreaker pants. I really like the Adidas Tiro23 ones. Mine are a size medium in mens which allows for me to layer them over top or wear by themselves and still have room to climb and move. They are awesome because they have a drawstring and elastic waist, zippered pockets and zipped legs. I got two pairs!
6. Socks – We picked up some Darn Tough socks and Joe likes his. Mine are good, but I suffer from metatarsalgia and I have skinny heels and so my feet tend to slide around in my shoes which makes the balls of my feet painful and feel like I am walking on sandpaper. I have some Fox River hiking socks that I love because mine have a little more cushion in the ball of the foot area and they also breathe well. Merino silk wool is the way to go when it comes to picking out hiking socks.
7. Shoes – this one really ranges for hikers. Some people like hiking boots and others like trail shoes. While I love my Altra Superior 5 trail running shoes (I love to trail run), I have found that the LaSportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX hiking boots (weight = 2lbs) are my go-to choice for hiking 14nrs and here is why:
   • This boot give me ankle support. I don’t have to worry about turning an ankle when I step on a rock that shifts or stepping down between two rocks that grab at my ankle. They are made of FriXion XF 2.0 rubber outsole which means the sole has incredible grip on rocks and uneven terrain. I feel I can trust where I plant my foot rather than worrying about slipping when scrambling up rocks.
8. • The hiking boot allows for me to use “surgeon knot” lace tying which means I can set my heel into the cup and keep it there so my feet do not slide so much when descending. I am known for losing toenails regularly and these boots help me protect my feet!
   • Lastly they come in EU sizes which means you can find your exact size (in regular or wide sizes).

Oh, and we both wear Garmin watches with altimeters. Joe loves his Garmin Epix2 and I like my simple Garmin Venu2. We regularly rely on these to help with navigation and route finding. 

Ok!  That is it – now you know what to pack and wear for a 14nr. I do have to mention that for Class 3 climbs, we will take our climbing helmets with us as well. I have the Petzl Meteora and Joe wears a Black Diamond Vapor. Also, once we start winter climbing, we will be sure to carry an ice axe and crampons. Stay tuned for those recommendations coming this winter.

Lastly – here are a couple of important FYI’s we want to leave with you:

1. Carry water. But not too much – water is heavy! I know – you are like, “so what is too much?”. The key is to hydrate the day before and drink water steadily on your hike.  I have been carrying 2.0 liters until recently and I have NEVER gone though that full 2 liters. Now, most of our hikes have been in temperatures ranging from 30 degrees to 60 degrees and so never super hot, but you still MUST steadily drink in order to try to get ahead of altitude sickness. Dehydration can lead to headaches, nausea, weakness, and all the other horrible things that comes with altitude sickness. 
2. Watch the weather. This means check the forecast the day before you go and the morning before you leave. We really like the website https://www.mountain-forecast.com. Weather in the mountains can change fast and you want to start early enough that you are below treeline (which is around 11,500’ or so) by noon. There have been lightening-related deaths on these mountains. Hail storms are not uncommon during summer climbing season and when you are above treeline you have little to protect you.
3. Stay on the trail/follow the cairns. Be sure you know where you are going before heading out. The 14ers.com website has great route descriptions, pictures, as well as route updates from fellow hikers. You can download all of this info from the site and have with you for reference as most 14nrs have no/very weak cell phone coverage.
4. Lastly – Leave No Trace. Please! This is nature and we are sharing this beautiful land with other incredible creatures. What you pack in, please pack out. 

Have fun! No matter what happens while climbing a 14er, it is all an experience. If you need to turn around, that is ok!  You can always try again. The main thing is just to have fun. (And take LOTS of pictures!).