A feat of 14,000 feet

• Troy Aupperle

Troy Aupperle of Miltona climbed all 54 mountains in Colorado that are more than 14,000 feet. He is now on the Colorado Mountain Club’s Master List, which includes fewer than 1,500 people. (Contributed photo)

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There’s nothing like a high peak to pique Troy Aupperle’s curiosity – not to mention his determination to get to the top of it.

Aupperle, a Miltona resident, recently completed yet another milestone of mountainous proportions. On September 12, 2012, he became a member of the Colorado Mountain Club’s Master List.

To be included on this elite list, Aupperle climbed all of the 54 mountains in Colorado that are more than 14,000 feet. Since the Colorado Mountain Club’s inception in 1912, fewer than 1,500 people have achieved that climbing feat.

His Colorado ascents are another notch in his mountain climbing belt. Aupperle has also conquered all Seven Summits by climbing to the highest peak on every continent in the world. That journey took a mere three years and 312 days – from July 13, 2005 to May 22, 2009. At that time, only 30 people in the U.S. had reached all Seven Summits.

Aupperle used the Colorado mountain treks as a base and training for climbing the Seven Summits and other major international peaks.

He was inspired to become a member of the Colorado Mountain Club’s Master List in 1991, when his climbing mentor took him up his first “14’er.” When his friend passed away in 2007, Aupperle made a promise to himself that he would complete the peaks.

Upon reaching the top of the 54th 14’er, after 21 years of effort, Aupperle gave thanks to the man who gave him his start.

“This was not only the fulfillment of a very long-term goal, but an incredibly emotional day.”

Tags: life, mountains, climbing