Mike Downey's Summit List

I've been climbing since I was 7 years old, starting with my first summit Mount San Jacinto in 1994. I grew up in Southern California near Riverside and would climb in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains with my Dad during the summer. I have climbed most of the high points in So Cali including Tahquitz Peak, Anderson Peak and Mt. San Gorgonio, Mt San Jacinto and Santiago Peak. My dad planted the dream in my head of climbing Mt Whitney when I was 9 years old and it became a goal for the following two years. After training during the summers of 1996 and 1997, I climbed Mount Whitney (14,505) in August 1997, the highest in the United States outside of Alaska, at 11 years old. Recently I've been climbing more in Colorado, since I have been spending my summers near Westcliffe, Colorado with my grandpa. I have climbed several peaks in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Wet Mountains and the Sawatch Range. Bagging the "14ers" is now my main interest. I have now done five 14ers in Colorado including Mt Elbert, the highest in the state, Mt Antero, Mt Shavano, Mt Princeton and Tabeguache Peak. In 2007 I hope to add Massive and Harvard to my list as well. In the distant future I'd like to set my sights some even higher mountains such as the Ixtacchiutl in Mexico and maybe some other high peaks such as Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua. My summit List (as of July 8th, 2007):

Mount Whitney (14,505)-Highest in California, Sierra Nevada. This was an incredible 2-day trip done at age 11 with my dad in 1997. The views were amazing and the lush waterfalls and streams were something else. Trip Report

Mount Elbert (14,440)-Highest in Colorado and Rocky Mountains, Sawatch Range. This was a fun, challenging climb with 5,000 feet of vertical gain in 5 miles done with my dad back in 2002. It was during the huge drought year of 2002 when very little snow fell, so the slopes were barren. Trip Report

Mount Harvard (14,427)-CO, Sawatch Range 3rd Highest in state. Climbed Harvard in summer 2007 from the Frenchman Creek trail with Brian. This was a long route with a total of over 14 miles and 5,700 feet of elevation gains. The views from the top were incredible as expected. Trip Report

Mount Antero (14,276)-CO, Sawatch Range 11th highest in state. Did Antero back in 2003 with my Dad from the Baldwin Gulch route. Mostly clear skies and great views all around. Mount Princeton and the Chalk Cliffs looked particularly impressive. Trip Report

Mount Shavano (14,236)-CO, Sawatch Range. Made this climb in 2004 from the Shavano trail with Brian Hall. A very short climb on 4 miles, but huge vertical gain. It literally freezing cold at the saddle. A little bit of powder from the snowstorm the day before could be found between the rocks above timberline. Bagged Tabeguache as well. Trip Report

Mount Princeton (14,205)-CO, Sawatch Range. Made this climb in 2006 from the bottom at the lower parking lot with Brian Hall. Total of 5,400 feet of elevation gain. Trip Report

Tabeguache Peak (14,162)-CO, Sawatch Range. The second peak of the Mount Shavano trip. A short little climb from the "Tabe-Shav" saddle. Some nice views. Easily done in conjunction with Shavano, just watch for weather. Trip Report

Mount Adams (13,941)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where Michael O'Hanlon was killed. Did this one with Brian Hall in 2004. This was the hardest as far as technically challenging of all my climbs (class 3). A huge fog covered the very tiny summit and it was hard to see out. North Crestone Lake is a big lake that can be seen to north. Trip Report

Rito Alto Peak (13,794)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. One of my personal favorites. I made this climb in 2002 after driving an ATV up to Hermit Pass. I'd like to go back and attempt this peak from further down to make it more legit. Trip Report

Gibbs Peak (13,575)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Went with Dewayne Myers and Angela Lankford up though the thick forest and bagged both Gibbs and De Anza. One of the climbs with the most one-day elevation gain. Trip Report

Horn Peak (13,450)-CO Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I've done this one twice (in 2003 and 2004). This is one of the best climbs in the Sangres and one of the shortest. Unfortunately it is also one of the most popular. The views are phenomenal, but this peak is particularly vulnerable to weather. Trip Report 2003

De Anza Peak (13,382)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Done along with Gibbs Peak. Only one person seen the whole day. Great weather. Trip Report

Venable Peak (13,352)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Done along with Comanche Peak. Venable has a nice view of the San Luis Valley to the west. Ran in a wild lightning storm in less than an hour after getting off. Trip Report

Hermit Peak (13,332)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Climbed Hermit on one of my many ATV trips up Hermit Road. The peak has an incredible east face that drops right into Horseshoe Lake.

Comanche Peak (13,277)-CO, Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Comanche is an awesome looking peak that has some popularity given it's close proximity to a major trail. Trip Report

Humphreys Peak (12,633)-Highest in Arizona, San Francisco Peaks. This this one with my dad back in 2003. A decent climb but not long, starting from the ski lift. Humphreys has an incredible view of most of the northern part of the state from Grand Canyon in the north to the the full extent of the Mogollon Rim. Trip Report

Greenhorn Mountain (12,347)-CO, Highest in Wet Mountains. Make this climb in 1997 with my dad. A very short hike to a grassy, sloped summit with some nice views of the Sangre de Cristos to the west and the plains to the east.

Mount San Gorgonio (11,502)-Highest in Southern California, San Bernardino Mountains. My favorite of Southern California as I've done this climb 8 times (all with my dad) from 1995-2002 from Vivian Creek, South Fork-Dollar Saddle, South Fork-Dry Lake and Fish Creek. On a clear day, some nice views of all of Southern California.

Mount Anderson (10,840)-CA, San Bernardino Mountains. Made this trip once with my dad on an overnight trip. Not a particularly spectacular mountain, bit relatively quiet one, compared to it's neighbors.

Mount San Jacinto (10,834)-CA, Highest in San Jacinto Mountains. Made this trip 4 times (all with my dad) since 1994, most recently in May 2007. I like this mountain; Ive done it from Devil's Slide, Marion Mountain, Seven Pines and Deer Springs. The views from this mountain are like no other looking straight down more than 10,000 feet towards Palm Springs below. Trip Report

Mount San Antonio aka "Mount Baldy" (10,064)-CA, Highest in San Gabriel Mountains. Make this trip from the north with my dad. This hike is frustrating because the route goes up and down so that the elevation is gained multiple times. Nice view.

Tahquitz Peak (8,858)-CA, San Jacinto Mountains. Made this trip 3 times (all with my dad). A lower mountain, but a nice one nonetheless, Tahquitz has a nice view to the south of the many scattered mountains and ridges that make up Southern California. The fire look out tower is a nice stop offering an elevated view.

Thumb Butte (6,514)-AZ, the butte over Prescott. Made this climb in 2003 with my dad. The butte is a nice little climb with some scrambling and a very nice view since it raises straight 1,300 feet from just outside Prescott.

Santiago Peak (5,687)-CA, highest in Santa Ana Mountains. Made this trip on Valentines Day in 2004 with my friend Cliff Law. It would have been a much more pleasent trip had I not been sick. There was some snow near the summit. Trip Report

Aqua Tibia Mountain (4,779)-CA, range connecting Aqua Tibia to Palomar Mountain. Made this trip in spring 2004 with my dad and friend Cliff Law. The first few miles mostly arid-type terrain until the oak woods. Then the trip was a wild bushwhack through very thick brush to the summit. The day was so beautiful and the weather so perfect that the view from the top made the bushwhack worth it. Snow-covered peaks all around. Trip Report

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