Welcome to the digital home for all things from Dalton Johnson.
All tagged Sawatch Range
Mount Massive, Colorado’s second-highest peak, is the often overlooked step-sibling to the highest peak in Colorado, Mount Elbert, just across the valley. However, climbing this iconic mountain comes with its challenges, and mistakes can quickly turn an enjoyable trek into a tough lesson. Based on personal experiences, here are the top mistakes to avoid when tackling Mount Massive, so you can have a safer and more rewarding adventure.
Waking up later than planned, I crawled out of my van with a packed bag, fueled by coffee and laced-up boots. Clicking my Coros watch to start recording my trek, I set off down the trail for a car-to-car push of Mount Massive. As Colorado's second-highest peak, I felt nervous but confident I could summit in good time. My legs were still sore from climbing Mount of the Holy Cross just a few days before, another challenging 14er in Colorado’s Sawatch Range.
When Kristin and I decided to road trip from California to Colorado to climb all the Sawatch 14ers, we had no idea the challenges that awaited us. Starting north to south, Mount of the Holy Cross was our first peak—a trial by fire for Kristin’s first 14er and a humbling reminder of the demands of high-altitude climbs for me.
My legs still burn from the 20 days I spent climbing all of the 14ers in the Sawatch Range of Colorado. Home to fifteen summits poking above 14,000 feet the Sawatch range is a paradise for mountaineers, peak baggers, and hikers, offering a condensed grouping of challenging summits to test your fitness. For me, the goal was to climb all of these peaks in a single season, but for you, it could be to break the FKT or climb one a year, that is up to you.
Mount of the Holy Cross is a striking 14er located in Colorado's Sawatch Range, known for its unique snow-filled cross on the northeast face, which gives the peak its name. At 14,005 feet, the climb offers breathtaking views and a sense of accomplishment for those who summit it. Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for your climb:
