Serving the community since 1926
WEEK OF AUGUST 1, 2024
VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 35
$2
Where to begin when tackling 14ers: Tips from a seasoned hiker
Denver City Council members reflect on past year BY LONDON LYLE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
least 300 feet of prominence, which is the amount of elevation it rises above the lowest saddle that connects to the nearest, higher peak, according to 14er.com). Alaska has 29 and California has 12. Keep in mind: all 14ers you hike in Colorado won’t require you to climb a full 14,000 feet. With Denver sitting at 5,280 feet, you’re already at a decent head start before you get to the base of your 14er of choice. Pikes Peak, for example, has a base elevation of 7,400 feet. Some 14ers can be tackled in a few hours, while others might take up to two days.
It’s been about a year since six new members were sworn into Denver City Council, and it’s been an eventful one, according to four we spoke with. Mayor Mike Johnston was sworn in on the same day as new council members last July. And the new mayor wasted no time getting his agenda off the ground, declaring a state of emergency on July 18, his second day in office, in an effort to address the high number of people experiencing homelessness in the city. Together, the 13 members of Denver City Council along with the Mayor have worked to balance the budget, create more affordable housing and assist thousands of recently arrived migrants who were living on the streets. Helping migrants was one of second-term council member Amanda P. Sandoval’s top priorities. Sandoval said she worked alongside volunteers and nonprofits to make sure housing and aid were delivered to more than 300 migrants from an encampment on Zuni Street and 27th Avenue, an area that is part of Sandoval’s district in northwest Denver, District 1. “The encampment was one of the hardest things I’ve ever worked on professionally and emotionally,” she said. “I’m really proud of northwest Denver. I’m proud of how everyone showed up and helped out with the migrant crisis that Denver was experiencing.”
SEE HIKERS, P4
SEE REFLECTING, P7
From left to right: Bruce, Matt and Zach Lundgren pose for a photo at the top of Mount Blue Sky, which was Mount Evans until COURTESY PHOTO its renaming in 2023.
How to take your hiking to new summits BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Rocky Mountains dazzle natives and transplants alike with their stunning peaks and seemingly endless hiking trails. From quick outings to day hikes, it’s easy to get out there and explore the beautiful Colorado landscape. But for diehards, 14ers are the Goliaths just waiting to be conquered. But they aren’t to be taken lightly. If you’re truly serious about taking your hiking skills to the next
level, there are a few things to know before taking on these mountain titans around the state. We asked a local experienced hiker to provide tips about 14ers, including where to start, what to take with you and which are the toughest to tackle. What is a 14er?
A 14er, or fourteener, is a mountain with a peak above 14,000 feet above sea level. There are nearly 100 14ers in the United States (all in the West). Colorado boasts the most of any state with 53 (There are 58 peaks above 14,000 feet in Colorado, but to qualify as an official “14er” in the hiking community, a peak must have at
VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17
DENVERHERALD.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
TRAFFIC PATTERNS
How the Denver area’s streets got their names
P14