Spotlight on John Maki!
Congratulations
to one of our latest Grand Slam finisher
John Maki! We had the opportunity of
asking John a few quick questions.Q: What was your first fourteener, and when did you climb it?
A: Mount Bierstadt, September 1994. I didn't really plan to climb a 14er but just set out from Guanella Pass with a friend with the idea to do some hiking, and we just kept going until we reached the summit. I remember being grateful for wearing jeans instead of shorts, as the willows were really nasty before the boardwalk trail went in. We also must have started out fairly late out of ignorance, as we encountered a snowy thunderstorm just before our decent - at one point my companion's hair stood on end.
Q: At what point did you commit to finishing them all?
A: Halloween weekend, 1999 - I got an explicable urge to get outside and experience some new areas of Colorado, so I went on a solo car camping trip. I drove through Glenwood Springs then over McClure Pass, through Crested Butte, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Lake City, Slumgullion Pass, Creede. I didn't do any major hiking on that trip, but being out in the snow and fresh air and seeing Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn for the first time triggered something, and at that point I knew I wanted to climb all the 14ers. I didn't want to wait until the next summer and climbed Mount Belford with my dog Jake in late November. From 1994-1999 I climbed maybe one or two 14ers each year, but in 2000 I climbed 16 including repeats.
Q: What is your favorite fourteener route?
A: That's a tough question, but I'll name off a few candidates: Mount Wilson/El Diente Traverse, Maroon Bells Traverse, Snowmass S Ridge, Capitol Peak - all fun and challenging routes. Closer to home, Kelso Ridge on Torreys Peak and the Tour d'Abyss on Mount Bierstadt and Mount Evans remain climbs I enjoy repeating.
Q: What was your most delightful moment on a 14er?
A: I think it was when I reached Daly Pass on the descent from Capitol Peak. It was then I could relax and let the accomplishment of finishing the 14ers really sink in. Another high point was barely making it to Needleton in time to catch the train back to Durango after climbing the Chicago Basin 14ers in one day.
Q: What was your most terrifying moment on a 14er?
A: Terror is a strong word, implying uncontrolled fear - I don't recall ever feeling that in the mountains. I've had some moments: I slipped on a steep snow slope and had to self arrest, I've forced routes into 5th class terrain and had to backtrack, I've lain awake with Billy the infamous Mad Goat of South Colony Lake pacing around the tent. I think the moment that came closest to terror was waking from a deep sleep in Chicago Basin to the sound of thundering hoofbeats around my camp and briefly thinking rockfall from Mount Eolus was coming down on me.
Q: Do you have any plans for future mountain lists?
A: Right now I'm hesitant to start any new lists - I just want to be free
to climb fun and challenging routes, take the time to smell the flowers and
enjoy myself. However, I'll probably default to a Centennial peak if I find
myself not knowing what I want to climb. I just don't want to fall into
obsessive-compulsive list completion mode like I found myself with the
14ers.
A: Capitol Peak, on September 7, 2004. I had read that Capitol was the most difficult 14er so I saved it for last. I was lucky enough to be chosen for the CMC Culebra lottery while I had only Capitol and Culebra left, which meant I was still able to finish with my chosen peak.
Q: What is the single most important piece of advice that you would give to someone just starting out?
A: Don't be in a big hurry to tackle the tough routes until you've gained solid experience on the easier peaks.