Culebra Peak
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One of the hardest 14ers to climb in Colorado has nothing to do with the difficulty of the climb. Culebra Peak (14,047') is on a privately owned ranch with managed access. Climbing permits are limited to 25 people a day on weekends from January through July, as the rest of the year is set aside for hunting. Even with the cost, permits sell out quickly. I requested a permit in January, trying to pick a date that would allow for snowmelt, but before summer monsoons would begin. Mid June seemed like a good compromise.
The limited access to Culebra Peak also means that the area is pristine and essentially "untrailed." Climbers are instructed to avoid hiking single file, avoid sensitive tundra and wet areas, and don't take the same route up and down.
Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. The forecast was for a chance of rain showers with a thunderstorm possible after 1:00 p.m. Instead the day started with low clouds—the parking area at the trailhead was just below cloud level. 
That might explain why the first several groups of climbers left in the wrong direction. Myself included. But I did it to avoid the willows along the creek in the valley, and then turned up the ridge, while those in front continued down the road.
As the climbers disappeared into the clouds, along with no defined trail or signage, the sense of isolation was profound. Until some of the faster climbers passed by heading back down, it was very easy to forget that anyone else was around.
Eventually there was no more uphill. I had reached the summit. The views were fantastic—okay, they were the same in every direction and identical to the views climbing up. My original plan was to traverse the mile over to Red Mountain (13,908') as well, one of the Centennial Peaks. But with no change in the weather expected, I decided I'd make a return trip some day so I could see the view as well.
Surprisingly I was joined on the summit by a couple who cut too far below one of the bumps on the ridge and ended up hiking all the way out the southwest ridge. They requested shadowing me back down.
About a quarter of the way down the clouds started lifting, giving glimpses of the valleys below, and eventually the ridges and peaks around. We joked about going back to the summit.
When we were halfway back, the clouds had totally lifted, showing the approaching rain. We continued down together, except when I made a detour to retrieve my extra water bottle I had cached on the way up.
With this summit, I have now completed all the 14ers in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range.
"Bushwhacking is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you're gonna get."
— cougar signature on 14ers.com
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