Mountain athlete Christopher Fisher is on the precipice of becoming only the 2nd known person to climb all Colorado 14ers in calendar Winter. The only other known person is Andrew Hamilton who did it 12/21/2017-3/16/2018 (84D13H57M).
In a testament to his character, Hamilton is now helping Fisher break his own record. The two stood atop Longs Peak on a dead calm day last week. And now, the two shared an “epic 21-hour day” on the Bells (3/8/2023).
I actually stumbled on Chris’s journey on accident while scrolling Instagram. I was immediately hooked.
Then my phone chimed. I received a text from Chris about weather forecasts for the remaining 14ers. Big wind was coming and now we’re dealing with two atmospheric river surges. Complications for sure but all part of the challenge.
Fast forward to the Bells. I could tell this was going to be serious. I stressed to Chris that 3/10-3/16 looked unsettled with a powerful jet and warm/heavy Pacific/Pineapple Express moisture overrunning CO. Chris is an amazing endurance athlete with the mindset of a Navy SEAL. He was ready to go at the drop of a hat.
The Bells had to be done before the 1-3 feet of new snow. And, keep in mind, the start of calendar Spring is Monday, March 20 at 3:24pm MT. Chris has 3 peaks remaining (Pyramid, Castle, Conundrum).
The photos from the Bells tells the story of two men who are maestros both physically and mentally.
You can follow both Christopher and Andrew on Instagram:
Chris
Andrew:
Is he climbing and skiing the 14ers, or just climbing?
Climbing but also uses skis for efficiency.