Contiguous US 14ers

[Brian Kalet]

1) Approximately how many people have climbed all the contiguous US
14ers?
2) What was the age of the youngest person to climb all of the
contiguous US 14ers?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, could you let me know
where I could get the answers?

[John Prater]

Some info from Bueler's "Roof of the Rockies:"

1937, when Carl Melzer and his son, Bob, then 9, climbed all the then-known 51 fourteeners in a single season. They were only the fifth and sixth persons to complete them, and Bob was at the time by far the youngest. ... In 1939, Carl and Bob climbed all the fourteeners in California, as well as Washington's Mt. Rainier, becoming the first to climb all U.S. fourteeners outside of Alaska.

Seems like a good chance that Bob Melzer, at age 11 or so, could still be the youngest completer.

[Brian Kalet]

Thanks for the reply.
I just picked up Roof of the Rockies. It looks like a great book.
If Carl Melzer climbed only 51 CO 14ers, then I don't think he completed the 67 peaks on this list.
What page is that quote on?

[John Prater]

Don't have the book handy. Check the index.

If Carl Melzer climbed only 51 CO 14ers, then I don't think he completed the 67 peaks on this list.

Perhaps not the list of 67, but perhaps they did. Bob Melzer might still be around. You could try to contact him. Sounds like they completed the then-known list of "contiguous U.S. 14ers". Clearly, that was their goal. They get credit in my book for being the first completers.