1) Choose the 14er You Want to Climb and Evaluate Your Objective

Not all 14ers are created equal. Some can be climbed in a day, and some should maybe be backpacked over 2-3 days. Some 14ers are technical and may require additional skills like mountaineering or rock climbing, but some 14ers have a trail all the way to the summit. Take into consideration your skill level and do a lot of research before choosing your first 14er. For your first 14er I would recommend choosing something that is “Class 1”, meaning it is not technical and can be hiked without additional gear. Let me use California 14ers as an example. White Mountain is probably the “easiest” California 14er. The trailhead starts around 12,000 feet, there is only about 3,000 feet of elevation gain total, and there is an easy to follow trail all the way to the summit. Mount Langley is also considered “easier” of the 14ers, but it has a lot more mileage than White Mountain, so you might possibly want to “backpack” this hike (although many people do it in one day too, again, it depends on your skill level). There are some “very slightly” technical route-finding skills you may need on Langley, but if you are prepared ahead of time, it shouldn’t be an issue. Finally, Mount Whitney is also considered and “easier” 14er since it is so accessible and there is a trail all the way to the summit. However, Whitney can be a brutal first 14er due to its intense amount of elevation gain and mileage. If you choose it for your first, I also recommend considering to backpack it. I think a lot of newbies underestimate how much actual gain there is on Mount Whitney, and will not reach summit because they tried to do a day push of the peak. If you are in Colorado, Alaska or Washington, just be sure to do your research before choosing a summit.

Another thing to consider when picking your 14er is to check if you need permits to hike or not? Many of the California 14ers require permits in order to get access to hike the trails and I imagine it is similar for many peaks in Colorado, Washington, and Alaska. I’ll be writing a post here soon all about the California permitting system, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of when that goes live. If hiking a 14er is on your list of goals this year, check if you need permits way ahead of time, because some peaks like Mount Whitney have a very competitive permit lottery system. White Mountain, on the other hand, does not require any permits to hike. Sometimes you can get “walk-in” permits day before or day of a hike, but then you are taking more of risk because it isn’t guaranteed you’ll get in. However, I have had many friends who were able to snag Whitney permits the day before their hike with this walk-in system. I usually prefer to reserve things in advance.

Will you do this hike as a one day push or will you make it a backpacking trip? Often this depends on your fitness level. Consider what distances have you hiked in the past. If you have only hiked 5 miles total ever, you may want to “Backpack” your first 14er. Yes, you’ll have to carry more weight on the hike in, but you’ll also get to break up the mileage and elevation gain into multiple days. You also may choose to backpack a mountain in order to enjoy the backcountry more, like me and my friend Cara did for Mount Langley, it’s such a beautiful hike! You might also consider backpacking if you want to minimize your chances of getting altitude sick. Altitude sickness is no joke and can be one of the main reasons why you don’t summit your first 14er. A good way to mitigate altitude sickness is to help your body acclimate to different elevations. Backpacking is a good way to do that because you break your hike and elevation gain up. If you want to hike your first 14er in a one day push, make sure that you are in great physical condition, and possibly consider a 14er that has less mileage and elevation gain. Don’t forget, summiting a 14er is only half the adventure, you still have to have energy to make it back down safely to your car.

Find a Hiking Buddy! I definitely recommend hiking with a friend or two for your first 14er. It’s really great to have a team to help get you through the tough parts of the hike and encourage you to the summit. However, be selective with who you pick. Makes sure they are dedicated to train for the hike. The last thing you want is to get to your “hike day” and your friends bail on you or even worse, they attempt the hike with you but give up way too early because they didn’t prepare at all. Obviously, there are reasons for turning around that can happen to anyone, like altitude sickness, but don’t let a lack of preparation, or your friend’s lack of preparation, be what keeps you from summiting your first 14er!

Finally, to summarize, here are the things to consider when you are deciding on a 14er to hike: