CFI's 14er Hiking Use Report on KWGN/2 Daybreak program

Executive Director Lloyd Athearn and KWGN-TV meteorologist Chris Tomer talk about CFI's 2021 14er hiking use report on Channel 2's Daybreak program. Tomer, a 14er finisher, asks some insightful questions, and the program utilizes lots of CFI's b-roll footage of people working, hikers hiking, etc. An insightful look at hiking use trends on the 14ers and why use was down in 2021 compared to the prior season.

[@14erGuy]

On one hand I applaud people getting out to experience the high alpine environment, and do something healthy for themselves. On the other hand, the amount of unprepared people on the trail and the amount trash I've seen on the trail bugs the hell out of me. If you're not going to respect the environment why the hell do you go there? I think most hikers want to escape the crap in the cities, but some bring that crap with them and seem to care less about leaving it all over the forest or alpine areas. I call them out when I see someone dropping litter. I usually get some colorful names yelled at me or a finger to show their IQ level, but I don't care. I'm tired of picking up bags of other peoples trash that don't care about the impact they leave behind them. If fewer people are hiking 14ers, fine by me. Hopefully the amount of trash will go down as well.

[@CO14ersInitiative]

That is why CFI utilizes a number of tactics to try to educate hikers--crews, on-mountain Peak Stewards, educational videos, 14er talks, etc. Always a challenge when some seem resistant to learning or using LNT practices. Still, in all of the time the CFI crew is out on all of the various peaks, things are pretty well respected and I, for one, rarely am needing to carry out someone else's trash. Pretty well protected given the volume of people out on the peaks.

[@CentennialTreks]

So use is down from '20 to '21, but up hugely longer term. I came up the Quandary W ridge on July 22 this year, and counted 149 people I passed as I went down the E side. 15 to 20 years ago, I'd venture to say it wouldn't have been nearly so busy. I think I'll start avoiding the popular routes more.

[@jeremiahmeizis4681]

What's the methodology for these measurements? Depending on the location of counting devices and other trails it seems like it could be measuring people headed to different destinations aside from 14ers or miss people from other routes. Quandary is an example where people coming from the W. Ridge may be missed and if the measurement starts at the parking area it may catch people heading up McCullough Gulch who aren't climbing 14ers.

[@CO14ersInitiative]

The press release accompanying the report posted on CFI's website (14ers.org) explains the methodology. All factors we have looked at for counter locations over the seven years we've been operating the program. With one exception, all counters have been placed beyond any trails to other destinations. We have also placed counters periodically on secondary and tertiary routes to see what use is like there. For example, we had a counter for two seasons on the West Ridge of Quandary. The daily/seasonal use there is negligible in relation to use on the standard East Ridge route. You will notice that the estimates all come in the form of a range. We realize there are always confounding factors, so try to avoid more specific use numbers except for the most climbed peaks where we have good counter data. The Forest Service often uses trailhead counters, which provides pretty unreliable estimates for people actually climbing a peak (or attempting to do so).