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Summiting Bierstadt fourteener: A treacherous & rewarding experience
by Camila Raquel Nadalet, Colorado State University
Until a few days ago, I had never hiked a fourteener. Just a few months ago, I didn’t even know what that word meant. But as of three days ago, I can officially say that I have hiked Bierstadt Mountain, a peak of 14,065 feet
located in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountain.
The hike was about three miles to the summit, a trek that does not seem like it would be
too much of a hardship. However, the altitude and rocky terrain changed the game quite drastically.
After taking my first steps on the trail, the only thing I could pay attention to was the beauty that surrounded me, although I was slightly concerned by the fact that I had only taken two steps and could already feel the lack of oxygen. Breathing was not important though because I was standing in the middle of a vast field of greenery and life, staring up at the snow-capped, rocky peak of Bierstadt.
Not one mile into the hike, I began to notice the surrounding vegetation thinning. Snow was now covering the ground all around me, the temperature was dropping and the top was getting
closer and closer. Despite
the fact that I was feeling a noticeable change in heart rate, my only real focus was conquering the mountain.
Once I reached the final stretch, it turned from a hike into more of a climb on the ridge of Bierstadt. There was no longer a designated trail, large rocks peeked out from the
snow and it was everyone for their own.
Click here to read the entire article on The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Camila Raquel Nadalet is a member of the Beta Eta chapter at Colorado State University - Fort Collins.