a·foot 2025 · colorado hiking group

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.

From July 13, 2025 presentation:

"Thank you for all the great info!" - Emily
"Great resources for more accurate weather and trail conditions! Thank you so much!" - Amanda
"Thank you for your time and insightful presentation." - J.

This is the follow-up class for the Beginner's Guide to the Colorado Fourteeners. I will take the researching and planning concepts discussed in the first class and apply them to a mock trip using La Plata Peak as my example.

In this class, you will learn:

• How to use 14ers.com to explore, analyze and choose a route.
• How to download routes from 14ers.com.
• How to upload routes into other apps.
• How to analyze route terrain in CalTopo.
• How to analyze your chosen mountain in Google Earth desktop and mobile.
• How to use the 14ers.com mobile app.
• How to plan for lodging and / or camping.
• How to plan for après hiking activities.
• How to write an itinerary.
• And more...

This is a comprehensive class that will help you plan a safe and enjoyable hike up some of the most spectacular mountains in the US.

Your instructor, Bernard Tibbetts, has climbed all the Colorado Fourteeners and has been an outdoor instructor for over ten years.

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.

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.