Spotlight on Dan Hadlich!
Congratulations
to our latest Grand Slam finisher Dan Hadlich! We
had the opportunity of asking Dan a few quick
questions.
Q: What was
your first fourteener, and when did you climb it?
A: My wife and I hiked up Mt. Elbert on Sept 15th, 2001. This was only 4 days post 9/11. We had free-soloed Vestal Peak's Wham Ridge Route two weeks earlier over Labor Day Weekend 2001 and realized that we wanted to get back into the mountains after focusing on rock climbing for a few years. My close friend Andrew's wedding had been scheduled for Sept 15th, but it had to be canceled due to no one being able to fly to California that week. I was pretty freaked out mentally and sitting on the summit of the highest peak in Colorado made me feel that maybe the world wasn't as crazy as it seemed in those days shortly after the attacks.
A: I guess I committed to finishing them before even starting. After climbing Vestal, I asked a few of my friends here in Albuquerque which 14er guidebooks to buy and went crazy. After looking through Roach and Dawson's Guidebooks, I pretty much had the next 2 years of my life planned. Julia and I even took the time to climb "South Elbert" (14134 ft.) on the way back to the car from Mt. Elbert's summit. I had already committed to climbing all of the 14,000 foot peaks including those Roach lists as hard ranked 14ers, soft ranked 14ers and "Other 14,000-foot Peaks" in his appendix. I think they add up to 75 summits in all.
A: The next one! The ones I got safely up and back down! Are those answers too tacky? Sorry, there are so many routes that I enjoyed in one way or another, but none that really stand out. My favorite descent was the telemark ski off of Mt. Bierstadt in May 2003 after the now famous 5 foot snowfall. Perfect would be an understatement!
A: Huron Peak's West Slopes (I think it is listed as Route 12.1 in Roach's 2nd Edition). We skied up the route on firm snow on April 12th, 2003. On the way back down Julia and I were sinking up to our chests in slush with our skinny tele skis and setting off many small avalanches. The next two weekends, Julia and I bailed on our planned trip up to ski Quandary and Bierstadt. One of those weekends I was quite ill and the other we didn't like the avi conditions. The second weekend ended up being the one my friend Aron went missing for 5 days and that really affected me in a huge way. His ordeal has been well documented in the press, but it affected me way more than I could ever express on paper. All in all, it was a really bad couple of weeks that I don't want to experience again. Maybe I need to go back and do Huron on a nice summer day and all will be well.
A: Going solo up the 3rd class ridge on Mt. Lindsey two days before leaving to my wedding in Banff. Sitting on the summit, I knew I was at a really great time in my life. A close second was on Windom Peak after climbing Eolus, N. Eolus, Sunlight and Windom in a day from Purgatory Trailhead. Tied for a close second was the summit of Capitol Peak, my 59th and final 14er on a perfect day.
A: I don't recall ever being terrified out there. I always have concerns about the weather, rockfall, avalanche potential, etc. but typically mitigate the risks and keep things under control. I only recall not finishing 3 fourteeners that I actually started up (62 attempts to climb all 59 peaks along with several repeats). The closest I've come to a serious fall may have been this past weekend downclimbing the ridge between Snowmass and North Snowmass. All of the north facing boulders had a coating of rime ice over verglas from the Saturday evening storm. It was a little sketchy.
A: Of course!! Over the next few years I hope to finish up the high-13ers, spend some more time climbing in Sierra-Nevada and the Northern Cascades.
A: A few things really help. One: Get fit and stay fit. Run, bike, hike, climb, do whatever you need to do to stay interested in being as fit as possible. Being in shape increases your options both when planning trips and when things start going wrong out there. Two: Climb with people who inspire you and make you better. Those people who I have climbed with over the past 2 years have blown away my notions of what is possible in almost every sense. Thank you Jason Halladay, Aron Ralston and, most of all, my wife Julia. Three: Do your research before you leave home. Look at the weather and avalanche conditions. Stay home if conditions warrant. Study your routes (descriptions and topos, etc.). These things will maximize your probability of success on any route.
A: My wife and I hiked up Mt. Elbert on Sept 15th, 2001. This was only 4 days post 9/11. We had free-soloed Vestal Peak's Wham Ridge Route two weeks earlier over Labor Day Weekend 2001 and realized that we wanted to get back into the mountains after focusing on rock climbing for a few years. My close friend Andrew's wedding had been scheduled for Sept 15th, but it had to be canceled due to no one being able to fly to California that week. I was pretty freaked out mentally and sitting on the summit of the highest peak in Colorado made me feel that maybe the world wasn't as crazy as it seemed in those days shortly after the attacks.
Q: At what point did you commit to finishing them all?
A: I guess I committed to finishing them before even starting. After climbing Vestal, I asked a few of my friends here in Albuquerque which 14er guidebooks to buy and went crazy. After looking through Roach and Dawson's Guidebooks, I pretty much had the next 2 years of my life planned. Julia and I even took the time to climb "South Elbert" (14134 ft.) on the way back to the car from Mt. Elbert's summit. I had already committed to climbing all of the 14,000 foot peaks including those Roach lists as hard ranked 14ers, soft ranked 14ers and "Other 14,000-foot Peaks" in his appendix. I think they add up to 75 summits in all.
Q:
What is your favorite fourteener route?A: The next one! The ones I got safely up and back down! Are those answers too tacky? Sorry, there are so many routes that I enjoyed in one way or another, but none that really stand out. My favorite descent was the telemark ski off of Mt. Bierstadt in May 2003 after the now famous 5 foot snowfall. Perfect would be an understatement!
Q:
What is your least favorite route on a 14er?A: Huron Peak's West Slopes (I think it is listed as Route 12.1 in Roach's 2nd Edition). We skied up the route on firm snow on April 12th, 2003. On the way back down Julia and I were sinking up to our chests in slush with our skinny tele skis and setting off many small avalanches. The next two weekends, Julia and I bailed on our planned trip up to ski Quandary and Bierstadt. One of those weekends I was quite ill and the other we didn't like the avi conditions. The second weekend ended up being the one my friend Aron went missing for 5 days and that really affected me in a huge way. His ordeal has been well documented in the press, but it affected me way more than I could ever express on paper. All in all, it was a really bad couple of weeks that I don't want to experience again. Maybe I need to go back and do Huron on a nice summer day and all will be well.
Q:
What was your most delightful moment on a 14er?A: Going solo up the 3rd class ridge on Mt. Lindsey two days before leaving to my wedding in Banff. Sitting on the summit, I knew I was at a really great time in my life. A close second was on Windom Peak after climbing Eolus, N. Eolus, Sunlight and Windom in a day from Purgatory Trailhead. Tied for a close second was the summit of Capitol Peak, my 59th and final 14er on a perfect day.
Q:
What was your most terrifying moment on a 14er?A: I don't recall ever being terrified out there. I always have concerns about the weather, rockfall, avalanche potential, etc. but typically mitigate the risks and keep things under control. I only recall not finishing 3 fourteeners that I actually started up (62 attempts to climb all 59 peaks along with several repeats). The closest I've come to a serious fall may have been this past weekend downclimbing the ridge between Snowmass and North Snowmass. All of the north facing boulders had a coating of rime ice over verglas from the Saturday evening storm. It was a little sketchy.
Q:
Do you have any plans for future mountain lists?A: Of course!! Over the next few years I hope to finish up the high-13ers, spend some more time climbing in Sierra-Nevada and the Northern Cascades.
Q:
What is the single most important piece of advice that you would give to someone just starting out?A: A few things really help. One: Get fit and stay fit. Run, bike, hike, climb, do whatever you need to do to stay interested in being as fit as possible. Being in shape increases your options both when planning trips and when things start going wrong out there. Two: Climb with people who inspire you and make you better. Those people who I have climbed with over the past 2 years have blown away my notions of what is possible in almost every sense. Thank you Jason Halladay, Aron Ralston and, most of all, my wife Julia. Three: Do your research before you leave home. Look at the weather and avalanche conditions. Stay home if conditions warrant. Study your routes (descriptions and topos, etc.). These things will maximize your probability of success on any route.