Hiking/14ers

Hey Angie! Great adventure you have planned there. Take a good filtering system for your water - and I know it will add weight, but this is how I think - consider a backup system or take along some iodine tabs, just in case.

You won't have any problems with coyotes - unless they get too noisy at night. There are no wolves in Colorado. Bears are another story. They'll want your food, not you. So bring a length of rope or some way to hang your food out of reach. But I can tell you, in all my nights sleeping in the woods, I've never encountered a bear. If they came by at night, they were very polite and did not wake me, nor, so far as I could tell, did they make an attempt to stand on each other's shoulders to steal my bag of food. Here in town, they visit each night at certain times of year.

Fishing..I have one rule. I always take my fly rod. Bring your fishing stuff. You may encounter some high water in June - runoff will be cooking. But the fishing can still be great. Still, I'd have a backup plan. I've gone hungry a couple of times thinking I'd feed myself with fish.

And I would like to echo Matt's suggestion: It's all in the planning. Do your homework and you'll really increase your chances of a life-altering experience ... in a good way.