Montana, ID, WY, WA 12k or 14ks for a first timer?

[MarkL]

Please give me some suggestions for choosing and climbing a 12 or 14k peak.
I'll be out in the northwest US this summer, and would like to take a shot at climbing a 12 or 14 thousand foot peak. The highest peak I've ever climbed is Mt. Washington, so I have no idea how I'll do at elevation. I'm looking for something pretty simple for my first try: Well marked trails/idiot proof navigation in case I'm not getting enought O2, and non-technical terrain.
I don't mind making a 2 day trip of it.
I will bring my crampons, and will have to buy an ax.
I know that Colorado has the best selection of 14k's, but I don't know if I'll get that far south. But I might, so if you know of a real good mountain for me in CO, please let me know.
I've been climbing in the 'dacks pretty regularly since mid-Winter, so I'm in OK shape.

Thanks
Mark

 

[TMax]

One possibility...

Mt. Elbert (Colorado's High Point at 14,433') is an "easy" hike. No technical skills required with fairly easy to follow trails. Up above tree-line it's easier to lose the trail. When I hiked it last year I took the Black Cloud Trail. Trying to find my way off the ridge line back onto this trail was tough (maybe a lillte oxygen deprivation?) and I wound up bushwhacking for awhile until my amazing navigational skills found the trail again below tree-line (hee-hee). But it was a great first "big one." I would highly recommend it. Butu wherever you go, it'll be fantasmigorical....

 

[arm]

http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_query.pl/continent/All/sort_by/Alphabetical

search by state, country, height, etc ... then click on links to search results for each summit to view photos, trip reports, maps, etc ... awesome site !

Glacier National Park in Montana or just about anywhere in Colorado should satisfy your soul ... Borah Peak's Chicken Out Ridge or Sawtooth in Idaho

summer afternoon lightning tends to be an issue in Colorado ... elevation shouldn't hurt you too bad if you take it easy, limit alcohol, caffeine, etc

general northwest sites
http://www.nwhikers.net/
http://www.rockymtnrefl.com/galleries.htm
http://data2.itc.nps.gov/parksearch/geosearch.cfm

Colorado
http://www.14ers.com/14ermap.html
http://www.fourteenerworld.com/
http://listsofjohn.com/CO14ERS/index.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555914128/coloradoguide09/102-3111582-5828938

Idaho
http://www.idahosummits.com/
http://www.stanleyidaho.com/

Montana
http://www.ultimatemontana.com/bookstore/mthiking.html

Washington
http://areas.wildernet.com/pages/books.cfm?areaname=Washington&rectype=Hiking & Walking&cu_id=1

Wyoming
http://www.windriverrange.org/

 

[RGF1]

If you do make a trip to CO and want a easy Non Technical hike. Most of the Sawatch range 14,000 ft peaks are fairly easy class 2 walk ups Such as the already mentioned Mt Elbert. Laplata Peak , literally arcoss the road rt 82 over Independance Pass, has better vies though the hike is steeper than Elbert. If you Want Stunning Views Castle Peak about 10 Miles SE of Aspen is a reasonbly easy Elk 14,000 ft peak the trail to about 12,800 is a old 4x4 road Most people ascend via the obvious snowfield then scramble along the ridge The views are just amazing unlike any thing you see here. If you want a pleasant back pack and are comfortable on steep loose rock and do not mind a narrow ridge scamble the makes the Knife Edge on Katahdin look like a interstate Snowmass is fairly easy and once again the sceanry is just incredible.
As for WY many of the high 13,000 ft peaks are technical climbs . there are a few exceptions Freemont peak in the Wind Rivers All of the other WindRiver 13,000 ft peaks are technical climbs smoe require both rock and snow and ice skills. The Link below is about Freemot Peak http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/3952
Often overlooked in WY is the Bighorns with 13,167 ft Cloud Peak
http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/67
The Big Horns are not as well know as the Windrivers or Tetons.
In both the Wind Rivers or Bighorns you will not see alot of people as hey are fairly remote and not near any major population areas.
Granite Peak in MT is a very difficult climb on exposed 5th class rock it is also hard to get to.
Afternoon storms are part and parcel of all of thease ranges and generally happen every afternoon so plan to start early very early and be below or near treeline before noon. Have a great trip

 

[Quack]

Thanks a lot arm, you've just given me 13 more ways to waste time at work!

The internet can be evil.....

 

[RGF1]

Jonatha . Although it has Glaciers Mt hood is a very popualr climb and has non techincal routes on it . It is is a very beautiful mountain that is visisble from portalnd OR and not to far from Seattle

http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/3

 

[AntlerPeak]

I too would be interested in suggestions for non-glacier climbs for the end of August - I say non-glacier because what I hear from a friend in Seattle who I was going to climb Baker with is that the snowfall was so low this year the glaciers will be a mess and badly crevassed by then. I am flying out to take my daughter to college and would love a solid one day or overnight. Suggestions? Flying in and out of Seattle.

Try this link for the Washington Trails Association. They have an online trail guide. Link for the guide is on top of their page. There are many opportunities for long and short hikes near Seattle a two hour drive would present litterally thousands of trails. Have fun..........
http://www.wta.org/~wta/cgi-bin/wtaweb.pl?0+fp

 

[AntlerPeak]

I might add the "Alpine Lakes and Issaquah Alps" Would be the closest to seattle. Those are choices offered in the hiking guide regions. Try the Kendall Katwalk http://www.wta.org/~wta/cgi-bin/wtaweb.pl?3+tg+fetch+english+1055

 

[HikerBob]

How can I resist but to give you this link...

http://www.hikerbob.com/

.... ?

No, nothing to do with me. I chose (OK - was given) the name before I started looking for an internet domain.

It looks like a pretty good resource for Washington State hikes, but I'm no expert.

Bob

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Mt. Adams might be a good choice, as its glaciers are "casual."

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

actually, I should qualify that last comment, in that the easiest glacier - snowfield route on Adams is "casual"

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

whoops, sorry, "casual" means no serious crevasses in glacier lingo....

 

[Peakbagr]

Hood in late Summer can be dangerous due to the rockfall.

 

[LindaLu]

Adams is a good non-technical climb, you will still have snow from the standard southside route: 7 miles RT, elevation gain 6,675 ft. Even though it is non-technical, the descriptions say that all climbers should carry crampons and ice axe with proper knowledge of ice-axe arrest.

By the way, another good hiking resource here is NW Hikers.

 

[MarkL]

Thanks

Thanks everyone for your advice. Special thanks to Arm for all those links. The 14ers site was especially great!
I think I may drop down to Colorado. There are 7 peaks that seems pretty doable, including a loop of 3> Democrat, Lincoln, and Bross.
In Montana I may just climb to the top of the Divide in Glacier Park. The big ones in WY sound too hard for me, but I may pick on something my own size there.
Adams sounds good in WA. So does Mt. St. Helens if I'm lucky enough to be out there when they shut down the furnace for the summer.