FourteenerWorld Interview with Jean Aschenbrenner         June 2004

I first climbed with Jean Aschenbrenner in July of 1988.  We were both trying to complete the highest 200 peaks in Colorado that summer.  From the Taylor Ranch entrance, we did a nice day trip by working our way south to Purgatoire Peak and wandering the ridge north to Culebra.  After we regained the road, Jean confessed that she had been concerned about keeping up.  Then she proceeded to trade her boots for the running shoes she’d carried all day and push me back down the hill before they closed the gate. 

A little more than five years later, Jean became the fourth person and first woman to climb each of the 637 official Colorado peaks above 13,000’.  She pretty much gave up peak lists after that and decided to be a serious rock climber.  Good thing for me.  While I did lose a regular peak bagging partner, I gained a strong leader that hauled me kicking and screaming up most of the difficult 12ers.

Peace Corps volunteer, peak bagger, mountaineer, rock climber, ice climber, Boulder Mountaineering School instructor, 22,000’ peak climber, Utah canyoneer, full-time IBMer, holder of multiple post-graduate degrees, wonderfully dependable partner, …

Jean’s greatest accomplishment?  There’s absolutely no doubt.  Many years ago, near the end of a very long, hard, scrambling, ridge-running day in the mountains, we stopped for a quick break at treeline.  Out of her small pack, she produced a large bag of crisp seedless grapes.  Not a one was bruised. - Ken Nolan

(Please hold cursor over pictures to see their descriptions)

At what point did you commit to finishing all the 14ers?

Jean: I moved to Colorado in 1977 and heard about the 14ers.  I bought Ormes’ guide book and started climbing them.  There wasn’t really a specific commitment point.   I just assumed I would do them all.

How is it that you came to finish the Highest 100 at the same time that you finished the 14ers?

Jean: In 1978 we backpacked in the San Juans and climbed Arrow, Vestal, Jagged and others.  So, I started working on the highest hundred before I finished the 14ers.  I did several more long, wonderful backpacks in the San Juans and the highest hundred there were done.  Little Bear just never made it to the top of the to-do list until the end.  It got climbed on Labor Day weekend of 1977, at the end of the summer and was the last of my highest 100.

At what point did you commit to finishing all the 13ers, and at what point did you realize or become confident that you were actually going to be able to complete them?

Jean: My goal was the Highest 100, then 200, then 300.  As I started working on each milestone, I did not expect to continue beyond it.  But when I completed each goal, it was natural to continue.  After I finished the 300, I was having such a wonderful time that I knew I wanted to finish all the 13ers – and began thinking about who I could find to lead up Lizard Head.  I was comfortable rock climbing so it was just a question of finding the right hero to lead it.

What is your favorite fourteener & thirteener route? 

Jean: The traverse from Crestone Needle to Crestone Peak is my favorite 14er route.  I’ve done it three times.  I like the challenge – both the technical and the endurance aspect.  It is technical and long.   The conglomerate rock is wonderful.  There are large, globby handholds where a stone is embedded in the rock.   I especially liked one trip where we did the traverse and then climbed Humboldt afterwards.  That seemed like an ultimate mountaineering day!

My favorite 13er route is the normal route on Coxcomb Peak.  There is a challenging chimney to scramble up and a short section at the top where a rope is useful.  And there are great views of the Cimarron’s volcanic terrain from the top.

What is your favorite mountain area in Colorado? in the US? in the Americas? in the world?

Jean: My favorite mountain area in the world is the Needles District of the San Juans.  I have done many backpacking, peak-bagging trips in the heart of the San Juans.  The longest was 14 days.  We started in at Rio Grand Reservoir; climbed Rio Grande Pyramid; wandered around climbing lots of other peaks; and finished by catching the train at Elk Park.  I liked the challenge of Pigeon, Turret and Peak 15.  The goats who guided our way up Animas and Peak 13 were special.  The flowers around Columbine pass are fabulous!  I remember huddling in our tent in a down-pour and looking out at the ptarmigan mama who sat up on the edge of the rock with her babies tucked under her wings.  I was climbing peaks in the Needles District before there were so many people and so many regulations.  Several times we set up a base camp at Twin Lakes under Eolus where we were surrounded by imposing peaks.

I pushed peak-bagging to personal new limits in the San Juans.  Ken Nolan and I did several 8-day backpacks ‘alpine style.’  We set a course across a line of peaks and carried our full packs up and down 13ers to the next camp.  They were long, full days!  I loved the views from the peaks – I could look around and recognize all the other peaks that I’d climbed.

I must say that the area around Huarez in Peru is also a favorite.   I like looking into the blue ice of the glaciers on Huascaran and dealing with the challenges of high-altitude mountaineering. But I could go back to the San Juans many times and still have a great time.

What was your most delightful moment on a summit?

Jean: In December of 1988, Ken Nolan & I climbed Fairview Peak northeast of Gunnison.  It was a beautiful day and we sat on top for an hour in shirt sleeves.  I had done very little winter mountaineering before that and was expecting brutal conditions – so this was quite delightful.

What was your most terrifying moment on a summit?

Jean: Ken and I climbed Blanca Peak in February of 1995.  The wind had been raging, but for the final 30 feet or so, it was simply incomprehensible.  My ski pole was blown away.  I had to literally crawl over to the summit cairn, terrified that I was about to be blasted off the peak into the Huerfano Valley.

I know that you have been very active with the Boulder CMC over the years. Briefly, what have you done with the group?

Jean: I was an instructor in the Boulder Mountaineering School from 1995 to 2000.  I served on its board for about 7 years.  I was also on the Boulder Group Council for 2 years and led both rock and peak trips for the group.

Do you have any plans for future Colorado mountain lists?

Jean: I am working on climbing all the named peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park (125 of them) and hope to finish this coming summer.  I have only 5 remaining.  

I also enjoy climbing the highest 100 in the winter.   I do not expect to finish this list, but it makes for some wonderful experiences as I work on it.

What is the single most important piece of advice that you would give to someone just starting out?

Jean: Keep eating while you hike!  Carbs are best, but balanced is good.  I eat a little bit every time I stop and this keeps up my energy all day.

Within the sport of climbing 14ers there are certain written or unwritten ethical “rules”. For instance, the 300’ drop between the saddle rule, the 3,000’ minimum elevation gain rule, etc. Do these same ethics or rules apply to the 13ers? Do you have your own set of ethics?

Jean: I love climbing and am not overly concerned about the ethics.  I was not careful about the 3000’ gain when climbing the 13ers.  I started climbing the 13ers using a list based on the 300’ drop rule.  I have climbed almost all of the named, unranked peaks (less than 300’ drop to the saddle) but some of them are just too hard and I’ll never get up them.

Within your elite group of Peakbaggers, is there any disagreement as to what the “official” rules or ethics are?

Jean: I am glad that people like Ken Nolan and Gerry Roach are around to worry about philosophical questions like this.

You must have had a few "moments of doubt" as you climbed all of these mountains. Were there times when you thought about quitting "the lists"?

Jean: NO – I loved climbing the 13ers!!  It was an excuse to go to new places and face new challenges.  I was sad when I finished climbing the last peak in an area because I didn’t have an excuse to force me to come back.  The 13er list was a wonderful, special part of my life!

Have you had any memorable celebrations on mountain summits for your major milestones?

Jean: Paiute Peak was my last 13er.  I saved it for last because it is nearby and because it is a reasonable climb.  About a dozen friends went to the top with me and they helped me celebrate with champagne, a regal crown and a special sash.   Ken Nolan dubbed me “Queen of the Thirteeners.”  Debby Reed couldn’t come that weekend but hiked up the weekend before and left a card and memento near the register.  It was a very special summit!

Who were your early mountaineering mentors? Who have been some of your mountaineering mentees?

Jean: I grew up in Iowa and got my start in mountaineering with the Girl Scouts.  During the summer after 9^th grade, we came on a trip to Colorado and stayed on the edge of Garden of the Gods.  I used every free moment to climb on the rock formations, trying to get to the top.  We drove up Pike’s Peak but some of us opted to hike up the last part to the top.  I was hooked!  I loved the rocks and the mountains and knew I wanted to live near them when I grew up.

My junior year in college was spent in Geneva Switzerland.  One of the professors took students rock climbing and I was lucky enough to hook up with him.  We climbed in hiking boots and rappelled using the Dulfersitz.  And I learned to rock climb in ‘French.’ 

Back in the U.S., I wanted to be in the mountains but didn’t know people who would go with me.  So I started going alone.  As a pure novice, I ended up in Aspen and did a 3-day backpack around the Maroon Bells and Snowmass by myself.   During my stint in the Peace Corps in Kenya, I was able to find a few other people who would hike on the peaks with me, but I was the main motivating force. 

Then I made it back to Colorado.  Initially I did many trips by myself but gradually I met more people to hike with.  All this time, I didn’t have a mentor but I did have a role model.  My patron saint is Joan of Arc who dressed in men’s clothing and led the French army to victory.  I often thought about her and what she was able to accomplish.     

When I started hiking with Ken Nolan in 1988, there was a significant change in my approach to mountaineering.  We traveled light and did longer, harder trips.  He advised me as I began winter mountaineering and doing serious high-altitude foreign peaks. 

I lack self-confidence in my mountaineering abilities so I haven’t tended to hike with less experienced people.  I typically hike with more experienced people or by myself.  So I haven’t really had any mentees.  I loved climbing and sharing with Debby Reed as she worked on her 13ers but I definitely was not a mentor – she was completely competent on her own. 

Even though I was not directly a mentor, I hope that I have been a role model and set an example for other women, encouraging them to believe that they CAN DO IT.

For the record-keeping fanatics out there: Do you have a special system to record your trips, summits, comments, etc.? Is it all from memory, or do you have a mountain log to reference?

Jean: My special record-keeping system is named Ken Nolan.  He has been wonderful about tracking my summits in his database.  In addition, for a long time I kept a notebook listing what I did on weekends and vacations.  But I have not been good about maintaining it for the last few years.

What is your favorite piece of mountaineering gear and why?

Jean: My Dana Designs Bridger backpack is my favorite.  I used one for about 12 years until it wore out and then I bought another.  I use it for winter day trips, ski hut trips and week-long summer backpacking trips.  It fits me perfectly, can carry heavy loads, weighs much less than a full-fledged overnight pack, and is comfortable when I am scrambling. 

[Ken said that I should choose my old blue balaclava since I practically live in it – but that is probably just because he has to look at it all the time!]

It seems as if the vast majority of people who have finished the 14ers are male, but 4 of the 9 thirteener finishers are female. How do you explain that? 

Jean: The 14ers can be done by people as a hobby.  The 14er-bagger can climb a few peaks every year and eventually finish.  I think it is more natural for a man to fit this into his life.  Guys may suggest a peak climb during a lunchtime conversation and find a few partners; a woman is less likely to find someone to go with her.   Mountain climbing can be a social outlet for guys who are minimally interested in the peaks; gals are more likely to go shopping or to lunch together.  When a married couple has children, it is common for the father to head for the mountains a few weekends each year, but the mother usually stays close to home.  So it’s not surprising that a smaller proportion of the people who finish the 14ers are women. 

In contrast, the 13ers require a unique dedication that only a few, whether they are men or women, are willing to give.   I think that both men and women have the interest, ability and drive to climb a looooong list of 637 peaks.   This is no longer a social goal – many peaks are climbed solo.  And men and women have completed the list in equal numbers.

What would you say is the predominant characteristic, talent, and/or skill that has helped you achieve your mountaineering goals?

Jean: I have tons of stamina.  When I was anticipating my first hike with Ken Nolan, I really worried whether I was good enough.  On that first hike, we did about 20 miles and 10,000’ elevation gain.  And I was going strong at the end of the day!  Subsequently, we did long backpacking trips in the San Juans where we carried our overnight packs across peak after peak, day after day, and I was ready to go the next day.

How do you balance climbing and a career?

Jean: I work at IBM and am a Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM) software engineer.   My life was balanced only because I had strong competing goals: doing a perfect job at work and completing the 13ers.  Fortunately I had boundless energy.  It was a ‘given’ that I was climbing peaks on the weekend so I worked many late evenings during the week to get my job done.

During the last two years that I was working on the 13ers, I was taking university courses through National Technological University (NTU), working on a masters in Computer Science.  I studied as we drove to and from the mountains.   Like I said, I have incredible energy and drive.  

It was important to me to have a goal of climbing all the 13ers.  When I was tempted to work all weekend or to skip taking vacations, the pull of the ‘list’ got me out of the office.   

What is your favorite USGS quadrangle?

Jean: Storm King in the San Juans.  I love backpacking into the area and living amongst the peaks.  The geology is intriguing, the goats are lovable pests and the peaks are challenging.

Can you contrast peak bagging vs. rock climbing with regard to physical and mental effort required, enjoyment and satisfaction derived, social aspects, etc.?
(Click here to see a full picture of the mountain Jean is shown on top of in the photo to the left)

Jean: I love rock climbing because of the physical and mental challenge.  I must focus intensely to figure out how to make some moves.  I forget all the other problems in my life and concentrate on the rock in front of me.  I use balance and precise, controlled movements to move up the rock.   

For the most part, peak bagging involves a lot of hiking – much of it on trails.  It takes stamina and route-finding, but my mind can wander and I calmly think about my life.  It provides a relaxing, non-stressful time when I am doing something productive. 

I climbed many peaks alone but I do NOT rock climb by myself.  However, the best part of both is sharing with friends.  Teamwork and trust are critical aspects of both.  This is more obvious in rock climbing when you are belaying each other and trusting that your partner will catch you if you fall.  But many of my favorite memories from peak bagging involve teamwork.  I boosted Ken up a steep section and then, from above, he pulled me up.  Debby and I took turns leading up steep sections of snow.  When doing long routes on rock or a peak, you choose a partner who you trust will be able to keep going at the end of a long, hard day.   

I don’t think I could get tired of either peak bagging or rock climbing, but I think I enjoy then both more because I alternate between them.

Between the time that you started and finished the Thirteeners, can you say that you have learned anything about yourself?

Jean: I learned that I am basically a follower and that I’m comfortable in that role.  I naturally let others lead.  I have grown my route-finding ability, my self-reliance and self-confidence by doing trips by myself since I tend to follow when I am with others.   

But I also learned that I am comfortable leading when I need to.  My friend Bonnie liked leading and route-finding and I always followed.  But when she became uncomfortable on Pigeon’s steeper terrain, I easily took the lead.  When Debby let me know that she was tired of route-finding, I happily took over.  But mostly I happily play a supportive secondary role.   

I tend to have a low opinion of my abilities.  This has been reinforced because I do trips with others who are incredibly competent and strong and I am comparing myself to them.  On one CMC trip, we were descending Isolation Peak and I was very concerned that I would be a detriment to the group since I am so slow going down-hill.  So I chose a slightly different line and pushed myself to move quickly down across the big rocks.  When I got to the bottom I was very embarrassed as I waited and waited for the rest of the group who were being supportive of the slower hikers.  Over time, I realized that I am fast compared to many people and that my self-concept is actually not very accurate.  

My self-confidence grew a bit each time I had to take the lead.  It has actually grown quite a bit more since I became a better rock climber.  Now there are more times when my abilities make a difference in our attaining the summit.

My favorite part of mountaineering is teamwork, when we share in accomplishing a goal.   And I think I am good at that when I am with the right people.  I learned that I love being in a well-oiled, smooth-functioning partnership on the mountain.  And that I am not comfortable being in a group where there is disagreement among other members.  

Mostly I learned that I am a relatively competent mountaineer that other people don’t mind hiking with.

Which were your top 5 favorite Thirteeners?

Jean: Coxcomb, Arrow, Kismet (Unranked Point 13694 southeast of Mt. Sneffels), Peak Fifteen, Pigeon

Do you think climbing all the Thirteeners launched your rock climbing interest?

Jean: I always loved scrambling on rocks and I started real rock climbing in 1968 when I lived in Geneva, Switzerland.   I especially liked the rock-climbing parts of the 13ers.  Finishing the 13ers freed up my time so that I could spend more of it rock climbing.

Have you mostly climbed solo, or do you climb with one or more climbing partners?

Jean: When I finished climbing the highest 300, I figured out that I had done 20% of the peaks solo.   I climbed the other 80% with various other friends.   Ken Nolan and I independently completed the highest 200 at about the same time and then started climbing together after that.  I still did peaks on my own, but he became my chief climbing partner.  It was very nice to have someone who shared my goals.

Carl Blaurock said, "I was born a hundred years too soon. We just had hemp rope, and we didn't even use that right." Do you ever wish your mountaineering career had occurred in a different time period? 

Jean: I think I climbed the 13ers at the best possible time.   Transportation to the peaks was easy because of less expensive 4-wheel drive vehicles that were not available earlier.   Mountain roads were somewhat better maintained than earlier.   Good maps were available and some descriptions of approaches were published.  I was on the front edge of climbing the 13ers and there were very few people on the peaks.  There weren’t too many restrictions because they weren’t needed.  Climbing the peaks was really exploring, because we didn’t have exact route descriptions and many feet had not yet entrenched a trail.  There was a real sense of accomplishment when you climbed a peak that you realized had had very few ascents.   And most importantly, you did not get stuck in major traffic jams on the way home.