Winter Nolan

Nolan’s 14

Nolan's 14 is an iconic ultra-endurance test piece in Central Colorado. The route in links 14 of the state's 14,000-foot peaks in the Sawatch Range. Spanning roughly 100 miles with over 44,000 feet of vertical gain, the route stretches from Mount Shavano in the south to Mount Massive in the north. The route is often attempted self-supported or with minimal crew, and typically under a 60-hour time limit. The terrain is rugged and remote, involving long off-trail sections, steep climbs, and variable weather conditions. There has never been a successful continuous winter traverse of the route.

First Summer Attempt

Nolan’s 14 was conceived by mountaineer Jim Nolan in 1991. The route connects 14 peaks by various means of off trail navigation and route finding. The first recorded attempt was made in 1999 by Fred Vance, Blake Woodand Gordon Hardman. The 3 runners ended their attempt after completing half of the route.

First Winter Attempt

In 2020, Aspen-based endurance athlete Eric "Sully" Sullivan attempted to become the first to complete Nolan's 14 on skis in a single push. After multiple delays due to dangerous conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, Sullivan planned to start his attempt in early May 2020, aiming to finish within 100 hours. He had previously attempted the feat, skiing nine of the fourteeners in 36 hours with only 40 minutes of sleep.