When one Rocky Mountain Rescue Group leader looks at the topographical map on a wall of the Boulder office, he sees past the picturesque features — the lakes, peaks and valleys — and points out missions made to pick up bodies.

His is a grim reminder to hikers and climbers of what can go terribly wrong in the mountains when altitude sickness, dehydration, falls, fatigue, fast-building storms and other issues arise far from safety.

Anyone aiming for the first time this summer to bag a fourteener — one of Colorado’s 54 peaks higher than 14,000 feet — face steeper consequences for mistakes given the 3,000-plus vertical feet that usual stand between the trailhead and the thin air at the top.

To avoid triggering an emergency response from the 60-member volunteer mountain search and rescue team, longtime RMRG member Steve Chappell advised getting off to the best start by seeing yourself for who you are — a beginner.

Overestimating ability and underestimating route difficulty together account for many preventable incidents, he explained.

Chappell recommended that fourteener first-timers find an experienced leader for best results.

Enter Ken Larsen of Longmont.

The outdoor enthusiast climbed his first fourteener — Mt. Sneffels, a 14,150-foot peak in the San Juan Mountains 5 miles west of Ouray in southwestern Colorado — on the Fourth of July in 1976.

He and his buddies waved an American flag on the peak to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial and their hiking success that day.

Thirty years later, on Aug. 6, 2006, Larsen waved an American flag atop his last fourteener — Crestone Needle, a 14,203-foot mountain about seven miles southeast of the hamlet of Crestone in the heart of southern Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Range.

Larsen’s long track record of safely ascending and descending Colorado’s tallest mountains has inspired scores of family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances to follow him there.

“One of my biggest thrills in life is getting people up these things. And I want to encourage them to do it safely and smartly,” Larson, now 64, said.

He called his checklist basic — but fool-proof — in giving beginner hikers the best leg up on this goal:

Pick one of the easier peaks. Grays Peak, Torreys Peak, Quandary Peak, Mount Bierstadt and Mount Elbert are among the top five easier climbs within easy driving distance from Boulder County.

Get physically fit. Get fit through moderate aerobic activity in the months and weeks leading up to a mid-summer climb. Then, hike some high-elevation routes to train and to get a sense of how ready you are to take on a mountain even higher. Larsen suggested Deer Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. The moderately difficult, 6.2-mile round trip route begins at 8,940 feet and tops off at 10,013 feet, according to RockyMountainHikingTrails.com.

Embrace the right mindset. Take it literally one step at a time, no matter how simplistic that sounds. If you focus your attention on the pain or the discomfort, you’ll want to turn back. By using a GPS watch you can track your progress and be reminded of how far you’ve come.

Pack enough water and food. Bring at least 2 quarts of water and more than enough snacks such as nuts, beef jerky, apples, protein bars, and even hard candy to freshen your mouth and give you a little bit of energy on the way.

Carry clothes and gear for all kinds of weather. I never hurts to bring the works just in case. The 14ers.com website lists: hat, gloves, synthetic shirts, synthetic long underwear, fleece or wind-block jacket, waterproof shell/jacket, nylon shorts, hiking pants, hiking boots/scrambling shoes, hiking socks, watch, a pack (that fits the hike/climb), headlamp, sunglasses, knife or multi-tool, water bladder or bottles, compass, maps, tape, whistle, matches/lighter, 30spf+ sunscreen, toilet paper (in Ziploc bag), trash bag, cell phone, extra batteries, emergency supplies (including a first aid kit, SPOT or other personal locator device), climbing helmet. (Optional: water filter, satellite phone).

Hike with a friend, and tell someone back home your plan. Tell someone when you plan on leaving, what peak or route you intend to take, and when you expect to return.

Pace yourself. When you get tired, you stop and take a break. Make it reasonable. Everybody has their own cadence.

Remember common sense. Know your limits, and when to say “no.” Wobbly legs can be a clear signal that the mind is ready, and the heart is ready. But the body is not. Never put yourself in jeopardy of losing your life. Head down no later than noon to avoid lightning strikes. And if you have altitude sickness, head down. That is the only remedy.

Enjoy the day as much as possible! To do that, be more like the tortoise than the hare. Slow down, and take in the experience. Instead of focusing only on getting to the top, notice all the beauty on the way up and down.

“This is where I see God a lot,” Larsen said. “The creation is incredible. It is in our backyard. And something about being out on a mountain makes me feel alive.”

Pam Mellskog can be reached at p.mellskog@gmail.com or 303-746-0942.