Facebook group hopes to foster supportive and inclusive hiking community for 14ers
When you think of the 58 14er peaks in Colorado, you might think of a few words: challenging, dangerous, breathtaking.
Now, "14ers.com" the Facebook page is trying to weed out one word you might have also thought of: Bragging. Or ego.
Brittany Nguyn is one of the page's admins. She admits she's a part of the "new generation" of 14er hikers who have been intertwined with social media on each hike.
She says that's both a good thing and a bad thing.
"I think with all of these blog posts and social media posts bragging about how [Longs Peak is] one of the hardest hikes in the country, a lot of people want to see it as something they can 'bag,'" Nguyn said. "Whether or not they are actually prepared."
That challenge and competitive spirit are still alive on the page, but Nguyn said she makes it a point to help foster the less experienced and even first-time hikers so they feel the community online is just as much for them as for folks who have hit all 58 peaks.
"I come into leading the group with that attitude of like, you can just go do what you enjoy," Nguyn said with a laugh. "You don't have to go risk your like on [Mount] Capital. That's not what you want to do."
The page has tens of thousands of people following along, sharing videos and photos from their hikes, and even helping present current conditions to other hikers so they can know what they are about to get themselves into.
Nguyn said that the crowdsourcing aspect was important, but that they also featured plenty of expert maps and trail guides so it's not just people taking each other's word.
Preparation and safety are a huge part of the culture on the page; deaths happen on climbs, and while it's not always the cause, they want to prevent any ill-prepared hikers from getting themselves into trouble.
"Years ago, there were quite a number of deaths on Capitol [Peak]," Nguyn said. "A lot were either unprepared, didn't know the ropes, came wearing Vans ... Our biggest thing is making sure that people can come to our group and feel welcome to ask the questions they need to ask, feel like they can get the resources they need."
If you are interested in learning more about 14er culture or simply seeing stunning photos and videos, click here or visit 14ers.com.
