Book Review: Icons of Christ by William G. Witt The Montaneist 2026-09-22 | Book Review: Icons of Christ by William G. Witt
Ranking the 13ers of Rocky Mountain National Park + Indian Peaks Wilderness // CO Mountains The Montaneist 2025-01-11 | In November 2024 I finished climbing all of the 13,000-foot tall mountains in Colorado’s premier mountain destinations, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness. I figured I would use the knowledge I’ve gained to provide a ranking and a guide for these peaks for anyone interested in the high peaks of this area of the state. Hope you enjoy!I created videos for my climbs of every one of these peaks in this playlist. Just be aware that the earlier ones are more “variable” in quality :) : youtube.com/watch?v=ZcW4_M_ChQU&list=PLY3dM86OmI6tx--iDuiw8TBruHmfIqsoJTimestamps for each peak/set of peaks I cover:00:00 Intro08:23 James Peak 13ers Loop16:30 Old Baldy18:27 South Arapaho Peak19:46 North Arapaho Peak23:08 “Forbidden Fruit” Interlude25:43 Brainard Lakes Area Intro 27:30 Navajo Peak32:52 Apache Peak36:26 Paiute Peak41:11 Mt. Audubon44:18 Ogalalla Peak52:37 Copeland Mountain56:38 Isolation Peak1:01:03 Mount Alice1:05:27 Chiefs Head Peak1:10:03 Pagoda Mountain 1:16:47 Longs Peak1:19:38 Mount Meeker 1:25:20 McHenrys Peak1:29:58 Powell + Taylor Peaks1:36:20 Mount Lady Washington1:41:12 Mount Chiquita1:44:35 Ypsilon Mountain1:48:22 Fairchild Mountain1:51:10 Mummy Mountain1:53:50 Hagues Peak1:57:18 S Tier, Final ThoughtsFinal tier list:S: Longs Peak, McHenrys Peak, North Arapaho PeakA: Navajo Peak, Pagoda Mountain, Mt. MeekerB: James Peak Loop, South Arapaho Peak, Chiefs Head Peak, Mt. Alice, Taylor Peak, Powell Peak, Mummy Mountain, Hagues PeakC: Old Baldy, Apache Peak, Mt Audubon, Mt Lady Washington, Ypsilon Mountain, Fairchild MountainD: Paiute Peak, Ogalalla Peak, Copeland Mountain, Isolation Peak, Mt ChiquitaThumbnail is from the summit of Chiefs Head Peak in RMNP. 13ers Pagoda Mountain and Mount Meeker and 14er Longs Peak are visible in the background.
Winter Solstice at 14,000 Feet // La Plata Peak Winter Ascent The Montaneist 2024-12-27 | My first calendar winter climb of a Colorado 14er, though it was a very pleasant day for winter! Couldn't have picked a better day to get this peak and continue to chip away at the 14er list. #colorado #14ers
Paiute Peak // A Winter Finish to the Indian Peaks 13ers The Montaneist 2024-12-20 | My last peak in the Indian Peaks Wilderness 13ers comes in fresh winter-conditions fashion. Getting out all by yourself in the wilderness in winter is wonderfully different compared to summer. Very happy to have completed this peak list as well!
Greyrock Mountain // Scrambling on Bomber Rock in CO Foothills The Montaneist 2024-12-13 | On the fringes of Colorado's foothills is a solid mass of granite, Greyrock Mountain. I first visit a subpeak, "Aguille de Greyrock", and then ascend the main summit by the so-called "Weenie Route" class 4 scramble. A steep but super fun little adventure!
One Last Pre-Winter Mountain Hurrah // Mount Princeton (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-12-05 | My final 14er this year in non-winter conditions, and it was a top-notch hike! The views from the southern Sawatch range are some of my favorite in all of Colorado. I got to witness a fantastic sunrise to boot. #mountains #colorado #14ers
Summer to Winter and Back Again // Mount Yale The Montaneist 2024-11-29 | Day 2 of the last summer-ish weekend in the Colorado mountains. A glorious day of hiking and climbing in the collegiate peaks that well earns its status as a wilderness area. #colorado #14ers #mountains
The Teton Crest Trail // A Father + Son Backpacking Film The Montaneist 2024-11-22 | One of my favorite backpacking trips, and one of my favorite videos, I have ever had the privilege of enjoying. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did. The locations we saw and camped at along the way are in the description below.Day 1: Death Canyon TH to Death Canyon Shelf 00:05 - 11:13Day 2: Death Canyon Shelf to Sunset Lake 11:13 - 20:22Day 3: Sunset Lake to North Fork Cascade Canyon 20:22 - 32:47Day 4: North Fork Cascade Canyon to String Lake TH 32:47 - 43:36Locations visited:00:05 Death Canyon Trailhead01:29 Phelps Lake03:10 Death Canyon Ranger Cabin05:47 Fox Creek Pass06:40 Death Canyon Shelf15:54 Mount Meek Pass17:25 Sunset Lake22:21 Hurricane Pass22:38 (L to R) Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton24:55 Schoolroom Glacier + Tarn25:30 South Fork Cascade Canyon27:52 North Fork Cascade Canyon34:18 Lake Solitude35:54 (L to R) Mount Owen, Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton37:01 Paintbrush Divide37:21 Mount Moran39:00 Paintbrush Canyon40:04 Leigh Lake (foreground), Jackson Lake (background)40:52 String Lake41:41 String Lake TrailheadVideo: iPhone 15 ProPhotography/timelapse: Canon 6RLogistical Details:This trip took place from 9/4 to 9/7, 2024. Permits for backcountry camping are very competitive. We obtained ours in recreation.gov on March 15 of this year. No permit is required to camp at Sunset Lake (our 2nd night), since this is outside park boundaries. This trip was end-to-end at different start and end points, so two vehicles or a shuttle is required to avoid several long and more boring extra miles at the foot of the mountains. We were extremely lucky to have four straight days of beautiful weather; once you get into September, snowstorms are possible in the high country.#wyoming #nationalparks #grandtetonnationalpark #grandtetons
Seeing Every Colorado Range At Once // Mount Antero The Montaneist 2024-11-16 | Or pretty darn close to all of them. Certainly all of the mountain ranges with 14ers in them are visible from the summit of Mount Antero, thanks to its central location and crystal clear visibility on the day that I climbed it. The view certainly made up for the slog it took to get up the thing! #14ers #colorado
The Best View Atop A 14er? // Tabeguache Peak, Mt Shavano The Montaneist 2024-11-08 | These two peaks in Colorado's southern Sawatch range were an absolute treat for the views they offer. Most of the 14ers make an appearance, spanning a massive area of the state. I may climb these peaks again just for that view! Hope you enjoy. #colorado #14ers
Crest of the Collegiates // Harvard-Columbia Traverse (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-11-04 | Climbing the third-highest peak in the Rocky Mountains, along with a traverse from its neighbor. The best time of year to be out in these mountains! #colorado #14ers
Aspens Highest Mountain // Castle + Conundrum Peaks (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-10-29 | Climbing two more 14ers in Colorado's Elk Mountains, just outside of Aspen. The views atop Castle are stunning, even if the actual hiking was over less than enjoyable loose rock and talus. #colorado #14ers #aspen
Sawatch Range Trifecta // Belford-Oxford-Missouri (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-10-24 | Three more 14ers on a beautiful fall day in Colorado's Sawatch range.
Kit Carson Peak + Challenger Point // Finishing the Crestone 14ers The Montaneist 2024-10-19 | Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range beckons again with a pair of 14er summits on a bluebird fall day. Someday I'll have to come back for the North Ridge route.
Indian Peaks Wilderness, CO // Father + Son Backpacking Trip The Montaneist 2024-10-14 | A very special overnight backpacking trip in the Front Range's premier wilderness area, the Indian Peaks. My dad and I started at the Monarch Lake trailhead, spent the night at Crater Lake, and took a side trip to Pawnee Lake. It was an absolute blast to hike and take pictures and video in this beautiful place!
A Saint among Saints - Hiking San Luis Peak, CO The Montaneist 2024-10-11 | I'm back to finish off the 14ers in Colorado's San Juan Mountains with one of the easiest (and, honestly, least interesting) peaks. It was still a great and relatively easy day in the mountains! #colorado #14ers
The Steepest Climb Ive Ever Done - Crestone Needle (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-10-07 | I venture to Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range to climb one of its best 14,000-foot peaks, the Crestone Needle. With its fantastic, solid rock and airy exposure, it was a top 5 14er for me and one I will absolutely return to! #colorado #14ers #mountains
The Trail Ridge Road Skyline Traverse // Rocky Mountain National Park The Montaneist 2024-10-01 | On North America's highest continuous road, several nearby peaks form a prominent skyline for drivers and sightseers in Rocky Mountain National Park. Thus what I'm calling this traverse of several of these peaks, the "Trail Ridge Road Skyline Traverse". Great views and fun exploration in a seldom seen part of the park! I started this from the Milner Pass Trailhead, and the summits I climbed (in order) are Mt Ida, Chief Cheley Peak, Cracktop, Mt Julian, and Terra Tomah Mountain.
Lower 48s Hardest Highpoint - Glacier & Snow Free Route on Gannett Peak The Montaneist 2024-09-24 | There is no question that Gannett Peak, Wyoming's highpoint, was the hardest mountain I've ever climbed. I did this as a three-day backpacking trip from the Green River Lakes trailhead, itself nestled in the Yosemite Valley of Wyoming. I ascended Gannett via the nonstandard Southwest Couloir route, which had no required snow or glacier travel, so I could leave the crampons and ice axe at home. The bushwhacking and boulder hopping was absolutely brutal and I wouldn't take this route ever again, but it is perfect for a late-summer solo excursion. Hope you enjoyed! #mountains #wyoming
San Juan Gentle Giants - Redcloud & Sunshine Peaks (CO 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-09-21 | A relatively chill pair of 14ers was in order after a week of hard San Juan summits. I took the standard route over to Sunshine, then dropped into the basin northwest of Sunshine for a boulder hop / bushwhack back to the main trail (which I don't recommend). Any peak in the SJ's is a blast!
Uncompahgre Peak - Dodging Lightning on a San Juan Sentinel (Colorado Fourteeners) The Montaneist 2024-09-16 | The bad weather before dawn almost turned me back, but I pressed on... and later bad weather didn't give me a choice! But that's part of the fun of the mountains and I couldn't be happier about how the hike and the video turned out. #colorado #14ers
Colorados Middle-Earth Solo Backpacking the Most Isolated Fourteeners The Montaneist 2024-09-09 | The beauty and 14er peak bagging opportunity of the Chicago Basin area in Colorado's San Juan mountains was calling my name this summer, and it delivered! I climbed all four named 14ers in this trip, in order: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, Mt. Eolus, and North Eolus. I did it over three days starting from the Purgatory trailhead with two nights camping in the Weminuche Wilderness. 0:00 - 8:10 Day 1: Approach to Chicago Basin8:10 - 24:22 Day 2: Summit(s) Day: Windom, Sunlight, Eolus, North Eolus24:22 - 30:37 Day 3: Return to Purgatory Trailhead#colorado #14ers
A Truly Great Traverse - El Diente to Mt. Wilson (Colorado 14ers) The Montaneist 2024-08-30 | Two Colorado Fourteeners in a row in peak San Juan mountain country. This was a blast, though I don't think I'll repeat it! I definitely needed this perfect-weather day to complete the traverse safely--that ridge is not a place to be when the lightning comes.I did this on 8/16/24.
Scrambling, Mining Ruins, and a Sea of Mountains - Wilson Peak (Colorado Fourteeners) The Montaneist 2024-08-27 | My second day in the San Juans was scrambling up 14er Wilson Peak's Southwest Ridge, with views of the range in all directions. Not a very long day by San Juans standards starting from the Rock of Ages trailhead.
My New Favorite Colorado Fourteener - Mount Sneffels, CO The Montaneist 2024-08-24 | Day one of a several-day trip into the San Juan range in southwestern Colorado. What an awesome approach and climb! #14ers
Hiking to North Americas Highest Lake Tenmile Range 13ers + Quandary Peak West Ridge, CO The Montaneist 2024-07-27 | My first trip into the Tenmile Range near Breckenridge to bag some 13ers, plus Colorado's most popular 14er, Quandary Peak, by the non-standard West Ridge scramble. The other peaks I climbed are Father Dyer Peak, Crystal Peak, Pacific Peak, and Atlantic Peak. Plus, drinking from the highest lake in North America, Pacific Tarn, at 13,400+ feet. An awesome day in the hills!
Ogalalla Peak - Rocky Mountain National Park 13ers Finisher The Montaneist 2024-07-21 | With this video I've climbed all of the16 13,000-foot peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, and what a great way to tour all the different parts of the park. Even after this there are still corners of the park that (to me) are unexplored!
Indian Peaks Wilderness - 13er Navajo Peak via Niwot Ridge The Montaneist 2024-07-15 | Alpine lakes, soaring Rocky Mountain peaks, and a plane wreckage all feature in this beautiful summer outing. I ascended Navajo via the fun and scrambly Niwot Ridge, and descended the Airplane Gully to visit the 1947 plane crash that lies there. #colorado #rockymountains
Pagoda Mountain & Longs Peak Rocky Mountain National Park The Montaneist 2024-07-09 | One more 13er in the park with some fun scrambling and traverse over to Longs. #colorado #rockymountainnationalpark
Never Summers Ridge Traverse - Top Scramble in Rocky Mountain National Park The Montaneist 2024-07-07 | The Never Summer Mountains lie on the western fringe of Rocky Mountain National Park. In this all-day adventure I traversed from Static Peak to Mt. Richthofen (the range highpoint) to Lead Mountain. The scramble to Lead is a blast but takes forever! #rockymountainnationalpark #colorado
Hiking the Piney River Valley / Attempting Mt. Powell, Eagles Nest Wilderness Gore Range, CO The Montaneist 2024-07-05 | This was originally attempt of Mt. Powell, a 13er that's the highest peak in the Gore Range. Realistically one would have to come back with an axe and crampons, or wait until August or September. Still a beautiful area all the same.
Pilgrimage to Mount of the Holy Cross - Halo Ridge The Montaneist 2024-07-03 | A very special hike I'll remember for a long time.I never mentioned this in the video, but the name of this route is Halo Ridge. The shorter way to do this peak (but without seeing the cross) is going up and down the trail that I came down. #colorado #14ers
Arapaho Traverse + Almost Neva - Indian Peaks Wilderness, CO The Montaneist 2024-06-24 | My favorite ridge traverse I've done so far. Highly recommend! #colorado #mountains
The James Peak Wilderness 13ers Loop, CO The Montaneist 2024-06-15 | A traverse of the Continental Divide in Colorado's James Peak Wilderness. I bagged five 13,000 foot peaks along the way: James Peak, Mt. Bancroft, Parry Peak, Mt. Eva, and Mt. Flora. Overall great conditions for mid-June and a flawless weather day. #colorado #wilderness
Climbing Isolation Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO The Montaneist 2024-05-29 | A wet and gloppy snowshoe to another spectacular RMNP 13er. #rockymountainnationalpark #colorado
Snowshoeing the Fern Lakes area, Rocky Mountain National Park The Montaneist 2024-05-07 | Starting from the Fern Lakes Trailhead, I visited Fern Lake, Odessa Lake, Lake Helene, and some unnamed ponds at 11,000'.
Randos Convo w/ Elijah - TLC & the Church, Tradition, Catholicism, Anglicanism, Beauty The Montaneist 2024-05-05 | Elijah and I had a fantastic 1 on 1 about all sorts of things. We're on the same wavelength in many ways so it was a ton of fun to pick each other's brains. Let us know what you think in the comments. Apologies for the abysmal framerate--I'm still trying to figure out the technical side of recording multi-person calls (for free).
Snowshoeing in Glacier Gorge, CO, With My Dad The Montaneist 2024-05-02 | A classic spot in Rocky Mountain National Park. Longs Peak, Pagoda Mountain, Chiefs Head, and McHenrys Peak all make ethereal appearances through the clouds.
Taking My Dad to Chasm Lake, CO The Montaneist 2024-04-28 | One of the coolest places in Rocky Mountain National Park, nestled right under Longs Peak--even better when you can share it with someone else.
Snowshoeing Copeland Mountain, CO The Montaneist 2024-04-14 | First time going 4K 60 fps, and using a tripod. Work in progress, but I think it turned out decent for this Rocky Mountain National Park 13er summit.
Can ChatGPT Answer My Objections to Mariology? The Montaneist 2024-03-15 | The "maximally relational" argument is extended in my blog post here: https://scribodiscere.home.blog/2021/10/09/a-maximally-personal-understanding-of-the-incarnation/
Climbing Mount Lady Washington, CO in Winter The Montaneist 2024-03-11 | One more Rocky Mountain National Park 13er in the books. The park rarely looks prettier than when covered by fresh snow.
The Boulder Skyline Traverse The Montaneist 2024-03-04 | I did this as a loop hike car-to-car as opposed to the norrmal end-to-end route (which actually made it longer). One of Colorado's classic hikes.
Autistic M.O. & Repetitious Aesthetics, Video Games, Musical Tastes; @PaulVanderKlay & @hoe_math The Montaneist 2024-02-18 | PVK video youtube.com/watch?v=Evdm5PA9Xg4 My story growing an “aspie” in the charismatic church: youtube.com/watch?v=vg8C9NwcVKc Example of the kind of music I’m into:youtube.com/watch?v=q4Za7K6RZAQ
What Lord of Spirits @AncientFaithMinistries and the Orthodox Dont Get About Speaking in Tongues The Montaneist 2024-02-13 | LoS Gods of the Nations youtube.com/watch?v=OPDjt_7GspsAsk an Orthodox Priest youtube.com/watch?v=-OjaF0N-NbM&t=627s&pp=ygUcb3J0aG9kb3ggcHJpZXN0IHBlbnRlY29zdGFscw%3D%3DI briefly mentioned women's ordination. Here's the book review I did on this topic laying out my thoughts youtube.com/watch?v=KkKQx-R8kTQ&t=2s
Climbing Mt. Audubon, CO in Winter The Montaneist 2024-02-03 | Absolutely incredible day snowshoeing this Indian Peaks Wilderness 13er.
Five Days Backpacking in Glacier National Park The Montaneist 2024-01-06 | A very special father-son backpacking trip completed in the second week of Sept 2023. We started from the Two Medicine area and were out for four nights. Wildlife, fall colors, jagged peaks, and alpine lakes abound in the most overall stunning backpacking trip we've been on. Hope you enjoy.0:00 - 8:40 Day 1: Two Medicine to No Name Lake8:40 - 22:42 Day 2: No Name Lake to Morningstar Lake22:42 - 39:00 Day 3: Morningstar Lake to Upper Two Medicine Lake39:00 - 52:15 Day 4: Upper Two Medicine Lake to Cobalt Lake52:15 - 1:00:32 Day 5: Cobalt Lake to Two Medicine
Snowshoeing Comanche Peak Wilderness, CO The Montaneist 2023-12-28 | Climbing Fall Mountain and Comanche Peak in CO.
Dayhiking the Superstition Wilderness, AZ The Montaneist 2023-11-28 | Turns out the mountain does have a name: Superstition Peak. Definitely could have guessed that.
