Spotlight on Jeff Valliere!

Congratulations to our latest Grand Slam finisher Jeff Valliere! We had the opportunity of asking Jeff a few quick questions.

Q: What was your first fourteener, and when did you climb it?
My first fourteener was Quandary Peak in on August 10^th, 1995 with my longtime friends Joe Mitchell and Kurt Johnson.  I was living in Florida at the time and was visiting them in Breckenridge while on vacation.  I naturally asked what the highest peak around was.  The answer was Quandary Peak and before I knew it, we were heading up the East Slopes route at a late hour in jean shorts and cotton t-shirts.  The weather was cloudy, but not really threatening, until Kurt’s shoulder length hair stood straight up on end.  We found it entertaining at the time and had no idea of the danger we were in.  Nothing ever really happened, but it is funny to look back at that day and realize how little I knew, yet considered myself “experienced” from hiking in the Northeast.

Q: At what point did you commit to finishing them all?
I first talked about climbing all of the fourteeners after my first climb up Quandary on my summer vacation while visiting from Florida.  I was in Colorado for another week and immediately went and climbed Grays and Torreys and biked Mt. Evans.  Before I knew it, my vacation was over and it was time to go back to hot and flat Florida.  I was a pro road cyclist at the time, but my thoughts were strongly focused on moving to Colorado and climbing all those fourteeners.  I moved to Colorado and quit bike racing in June of 1996 and never looked back, it was the best move I have ever made. 

I did however have a several year period after a frightening attempt on S. Maroon where I dismissed the thought of climbing them all and just figured I would climb all of the easy ones, but once I climbed the Crestones for #39 and 40 on the list, my desire to finish them became almost obsessive.

Q: What is your favorite fourteener route?
That is a tough question, as I have truly enjoyed every mountain I have done.  They all have something great to offer whether it be a fun technical route, abundant wildflowers, scenic vistas etc….  I would have to say that the Knife Edge on Capitol was probably the most fun.  The South Face route on Crestone Peak from Cottonwood Lake is high up on the list, as well as the Keyhole route on Longs (minus the people), the North Slopes snow climb on El Diente combined with the Wilson/El Diente traverse, Crestone Needle, Snowmass Lake, Chicago Basin, the Barr Trail on Pikes (again, minus the people and the road and buildings on top). 

Q: What was your most delightful moment on a 14er?
Another tough one, as I have had so many.  Top of the list was proposing to Allison on the top of Missouri (we had already talked about getting married, but I had always wanted to get down on one knee on a fourteener and ask her).  Finishing on Capitol was also quite an amazing moment.  Also the feeling of adrenaline and satisfaction I get after climbing a hard peak, or running up an easier peak as fast as I can is hard for me to surpass in any other way. 

Q: What was your most terrifying moment on a 14er?
Hands down, without a doubt was when I was walking back over Tabegauche to the Jennings Creek trailhead in July of 97 after summiting Shavano.  I had spent much of the day waiting for a much slower friend and we did not summit Shavano until 12:30 or 1:00.  We had parted ways at the saddle where he wanted to go his own route after I had warned him that there was no better way (he eventually spent the night in McCoy Gulch).  Once I crested the summit of Tabegauche, the storm that had seemed somewhat distant but threatening, was now on top of me.  Simultaneous flash bang lightning all around and the buzzing of electricity was constant all around my head, I was sure I was going to get nailed by lightning and die at any moment.  Every footstep I took was literally shocking and I even got a zap when I touched my friend’s dog that was with me.  I bailed off the ridge down a nasty rubble gully where every rock I stepped on knocked down 10 more.  Once I was safe in the valley, I sat and shook and wept over my close call, marveling at how a mountain can transform from the most beautiful place to a very deadly and inhospitable place in the matter of hours or sometimes minutes. 

Q: Do you have any plans for future mountain lists?
I do not currently have any plans for future mountain lists.  My plan now is to just climb anything I feel like at the time, regardless of elevation.  I do plan on climbing many of the highest hundred in Roach’s High Thirteeners book, but who knows if I will feel the pull to climb them all, time will tell.  It is just nice to kick back and not be obsessive over a list.  My wife has climbed 41 fourteeners, so I have be doing many repeat climbs which has been fun, many times taking different routes.  It is great helping her complete the list, maybe even equally satisfying, but I do not feel the same pressure. 

Q: What 14er did you climb last? Did you intentionally save it for last or is it a 14er that previously eluded you?
Capitol was my last one.  I did not plan it that way initially, as I had attempted Capitol on two occasions last year.  As I came into 2005 with only five remaining, I did in the back of my mind hope that I could finish on Capitol since it is such a spectacular peak.  It seemed like a great “graduation” so to speak. 

Q: What is the single most important piece of advice that you would give to someone just starting out?
I can’t just settle for one piece of advice, so here are a few, in no particular order.

1 - Start early, pay attention to weather reports and always watch the sky.
2 - Know your route.  Have the proper guidebooks and maps and do your research before you go on a climb, especially the more difficult ones.
3 - Get the proper gear and don’t cheap out (OK, I cheap out, but that means waiting for the big sales).  Having the proper gear can make a huge difference in your enjoyment and safety.
4 - Take advantage of Fourteenerworld.com, it is a great resource for current conditions and all kinds of other information.  It is also a great way to meet great friends and competent climbing partners.