Name: a.foot hiking adventure | return to sawatch range
Start: 2025-09-05T13:00:00.000Z
Location: Twin Lakes Visitor Center

“Perhaps there’s no better act of simplification than climbing a mountain. For an afternoon, a day, or a week, it’s a way of reducing a complicated life into a simple goal. All you have to do is take one step at a time, place one foot in front of the other, and refuse to turn back until you’ve given everything you have.” ― Ken Ilgunas

Comments from previous attendees:

"Very thorough and very engaging presentation. Excellent use of web and presentation technology. And, very educational!"

Join presenter Bernard Tibbetts as he introduces you to the peaks in Colorado over 14,000 feet. Known as the Colorado Fourteeners, they provide amazing alpine experiences for thousands of people each year at all experience levels: hikers, backpackers, rock climbers and seasoned mountaineers alike.

Bernard will:

• Inspire and motivate you with the awesome images and map technology.
• Introduce you to the Colorado mountain ranges and groups where the Fourteeners are located.
• Discuss "first Fourteener" options.
• Explain how to research route and trailhead locations.
• Explain route ratings and use them to assess route difficulty.
• Present checklists for obtaining proper gear and clothing.
• Discuss ideas for getting fit for the Fourteeners.

Bernard Tibbetts has summited all of the Colorado Fourteeners and has been leading Fourteener hikes for over 10 years.

a·foot 2025 · colorado hiking group

 MV Black

Sherri

Kathleen O’Neill

David Satz

Sandip Ladhani

Michael Chang

Rob S

Rachelle Marshall

Manjunath Bhat

Stephanie

Beth Parsons

Allen

Dawn Bergeron

gene morrison

RobP

Josh Kasman

Shawn

Arlene

tom.e.truman

Beginner's Guide to the Colorado Fourteeners | a.foot outdoor education

Online event

Why does a Marmot Precip jacket costs $100 and an Arc'teryx Alpha SV jacket costs 900? They're both just rain jackets. Right?

Technical clothing is designed to keep you dry and comfortable and to protect you from the elements when exploring the outdoors. But understanding the concepts and the technology can be daunting. Your instructor, Bernard Tibbetts, will take the mystery out of shopping for outdoor technical clothing so that you can be confident in your purchases and save money to boot.

By applying what you learn in this class to future clothing and gear purchases, you will recoup your investment in this class many times over.

This class will teach you the following:

* Poor weather or just poor clothing choices?
* The layering principle.
* Evaluating clothing properties such as insulation, wicking, sun protection, breathability, water protection and wind protection.
* Understanding the various water proofing methods.
* How to prioritize your purchases and build your layers over time.
* When is cotton appropriate for the outdoors?

Your instructor, Bernard Tibbets, had been an outdoor leader and instructor for over a decade and is committed to empowering others to get outdoors and lead their own adventures.

Textycoon 

Brandan Harmon

sherry.black07

Jose

Jordan B.

Jess Spencer

Nalini Khanna

Ray Blacksmith

Jane

Mark FelcanSmith

Melissa Culver

Van Wilson

zaoren

Emily

Bernard Tibbetts

KMac

understanding technical clothing | a.foot outdoor education

We just completed the annual trek to the Great Sand Dunes and Zapata Falls. This is the follow up adventure. We will return and explore the source of Zapata Falls: South Zapata Lake, nestled at the foot of Ellingwood Point at 11,900 feet.

We will meet at the Zapata Falls trailhead and hike up to the lake. We will explore the lake area and the lower section of the couloir. The trail that we will take is part of the climbing route for summitting Ellingwood Pt., which tops out at 14,048 feet. Although we will not be summitting the peak, this hike will introduce you to the fourteener experience as well as the to the northern Sangre de Cristo mountains (which are my favorite).

Miles: 9.7 out and back
Elevation gain: 3,208 FT+
Average time to complete: Approx. 8 hours
Level: Advanced. Strenuous.

You must be fit and comfortable scrambling on Easy Class III talus slopes. I will vet all participants. If you have not hiked with me before, please DM me and tell me about your hiking and climbing experience and rate your current fitness level.

I will open this up to five members of the Denver group and five members of the Santa Fe - ABQ group.

Erin Kahn

Keda M

Anselma

Steve Maffetone

a.foot alpine lake adventure | south zapata lake at ellingwood point

Zapata Falls Trailhead

Join us for a Colorado adventure near Buena Vista and Leadville Colorado. Located in central Colorado, the upper Arkansas River Valley cuts through the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Here, you will find fifteen peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation and eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains. This area is a crossroads for outdoor adventurers seeking hiking, climbing, fishing, rafting, off-roading and more. For those wanting to climb the Colorado fourteeners, there is no better place to bag multiple peaks in one long weekend.

Our focus will be the summit of **La Plata Peak** via the standard route (northwest ridge) near Twin Lakes and Independence Pass. If time permits, we might also:

* Hike to Lost Lake
* Explore Independence Pass
* Ghost town tour: St. Elmo, Vicksburg, Winfield, Hancock / Romely
* Soak at Princeton Hot Springs
* Have dinner in BV or Salida or Leadville
* Climb a second fourteener

I will research campsites near Twin Lakes. You can choose to arrange your own camping and/or lodging.

**The group size will be limited to eight members (four from the a.foot New Mexico chapter and four from the a.foot Colorado chapter).**

You will be placed on waiting list to be vetted. If you have not hiked or climbed with me before, be prepared to tell me your recent hiking experience and rate your current fitness level.

a·foot 2025 · santa fe and abq hiking group

Addie

Alina

DavidA

a.foot hiking adventure | return to sawatch range 

Twin Lakes Visitor Center

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