Colorado 14ers (2013 – present)

“We go to the mountains to satisfy our own ambitions,
not because others evaluate what we are doing.”
–Anatoli Boukreev

My interests in summiting all the Colorado Fourteeners began during the summer of 2013 while preparing for my first thru-hike. I completed 13 summits that summer and haven’t looked back. Through a bit of research and a lot of help from key sites (14ers.com and summitpost.org), I always have a few in queue. Below the peaks are listed in the order of completion, with a secondary list of all the fourteeners by mountain range at the bottom. Technically the official definition of a fourteener is a mountain peak that is at least 300 feet higher than any connecting ridge or saddle. Thus, two mountains may be over 14,000 high but the taller of the two is the true fourteener. An exception to the rule can be based on sediment and history of the peak, such as with North Maroon Peak and El Diente. But why stop there? My list has been expanded to a total of 63 peaks (whereas the standard typically lists 54 “official” with 4 “unofficial” peaks).

1) Mount Democrat (14,148′) – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
2) Mount Cameron (14,238′) – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
3) Mount Lincoln (14,286′) – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
4) Mount Bross (14,172′) – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013

5) Mount Bierstadt (14,060′) – COMPLETED: 25 June 2013
6) Mount Evans (14,264′) – COMPLETED: 25 June 2013

7) Grays Peak (14,270′) – COMPLETED: 26 June 2013
8) Torreys Peak (14,267′) – COMPLETED: 26 June 2013

9) Mount Shavano (14,229′) – COMPLETED: 3 July 2013
10) Tabeguache Peak (14,155′) – COMPLETED: 3 July 2013

11) Missouri Mountain (14,067′) – COMPLETED: 5 August 2013
12) Mount Belford (14,197′) – COMPLETED: 5 August 2013

13) San Luis Peak (14,014′) – COMPLETED: 25 August 2013

14) Mount Sherman (14,036′) – COMPLETED: 6 September 2015

15) Pikes Peak (14,110′) – COMPLETED: 11 July 2017

16) Mount Elbert (14,433′) – COMPLETED: 13 July 2017
17) South Elbert (14,134′) – COMPLETED: 13 July 2017

17) Mount Massive (14,421′) – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
18) Massive Green (14,300′) – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
19) North Massive (14,340′) – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
20) Far Northwest Massive (14,169′) – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
21) South Massive (14,132′) – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017

21) La Plata Peak (14,336′) – 
22) East La Plata (14,180′) –

23) Mount Oxford (14,153′)
24) Huron Peak (14,003′)

25) Castle Peak (14,265′) –
26) Conundrum Peak (14,060′)

27) Ellingwood Point (14,042′) –
28) Blanca Peak (14,345′) –
29) Little Bear Peak (14,037′) –
30) Mount Lindsey (14,042′) –

31) Mount Harvard (14,420′) –
32) Mount Columbia (14,073′)

33) Redcloud Peak (14,034′) –
34) Sunshine Peak (14,001′) –
35) Handies Peak (14,048′)

36-37) Kit Carson – Challenger Point
38-39) Crestone Peak – Crestone Needle
40) Humboldt Peak
41-42) Upcompahgre Peak – Wetterhorn Peak
43-46) Mount Eolus – North Eolus – Windom Peak – Sunlight Peak
47-49) Mount Wilson – Wilson Peak – El Diente
50-52) North Maroon Peak – (South) Maroon Peak – Pyramid Peak
53-54) Capitol Peak – Snowmass Mountain
55) Longs Peak
56) Culebra Peak
57) Quandary Peak
58) Mount of the Holy Cross
59) Mount Yale
60-61) Mount Princeton – Mount Antero
62) Mount Sneffels
63) South Bross

 

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I have the complete list of 14ers below, more or less arranged by level of difficulty within respective mountain ranges. As mentioned above, I prefer the most inclusive possible array of peaks, thus increasing my list to 63. The list includes the 54 official, 5 unofficial, and 4 theoretical fourteener summits. I also have their peak elevation and elevation rank denoted. For a list organized by level of difficulty (fourteeners by difficulty…).

Elk Range
Castle Peak – 14,265′
Maroon Peak – 14,156′
Capitol Peak – 14,130′
Snowmass Mountain – 14,092′
Conundrum Peak – 14,060′
Pyramid Peak – 14,018′
North Maroon Peak – 14,014′

Front Range
Grays Peak – 14,270′ – COMPLETED: 26 June 2013
Torreys Peak – 14,267′ – COMPLETED: 26 June 2013
Mount Evans – 14,264′ – COMPLETED: 25 June 2013
Longs Peak – 14,255′
Pikes Peak – 14,110′ – COMPLETED: 11 July 2017
Mount Bierstadt – 14,060′ – COMPLETED: 25 June 2013

Mosquito Range
Mount Lincoln – 14,286′ – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
Mount Cameron – 14,238′ – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
Mount Bross – 14,172′ – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
South Bross – 14,020′
Mount Democrat – 14,148′ – COMPLETED: 16 June 2013
Mount Sherman – 14,036′ – COMPLETED: 6 September 2015

San Juan Range
Upcompahgre Peak – 14,309′
Mount Wilson – 14,246′
El Diente Peak – 14,169′
Mount Sneffels – 14,015′
Mount Eolus – 14,083′
Windom Peak – 14,082′
Sunlight Peak – 14,059′
Handies Peak – 14,048′
North Eolus – 14,039′
Redcloud Peak – 14,034′
Wilson Peak – 14,017′
Wetterhorn Peak – 14,015′
San Luis Peak – 14,014′ – COMPLETED: 25 August 2013
Sunshine Peak – 14,001′

Sangre de Cristo Range
Blanca Peak – 14,345′
Crestone Peak – 14,294′
Crestone Needle – 14,197′
Kit Carson Peak – 14,165′
Challenger Point – 14,081′
Humboldt Peak – 14,064′
Culebra Peak – 14,047′
Mount Lindsey – 14,042′
Ellingwood Point – 14,042′
Little Bear Peak – 14,037′

Sawatch Range
Mount Elbert – 14,433′ – COMPLETED: 13 July 2017
South Elbert – 14,134′ – COMPLETED: 13 July 2017
Mount Massive – 14,421′ – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
North Massive – 14,340′ – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
Massive Green – 14,300′ – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
Far Northwest Massive – 14,169′ – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
South Massive – 14,132′ – COMPLETED: 14 July 2017
Mount Harvard – 14,420′
La Plata Peak – 14,336′ –
East La Plata – 14,180′ –
Mount Antero – 14,269′
Mount Shavano – 14,229′ – COMPLETED: 3 July 2013
Mount Belford – 14,197′- COMPLETED: 5 August 2013
Mount Princeton – 14,197′
Mount Yale – 14,196′
Tabeguache Peak – 14,155′ – COMPLETED: 3 July 2013
Mount Oxford – 14,153′
Mount Columbia – 14,073′
Missouri Mountain – 14,067′- COMPLETED: 5 August 2013
Mount of the Holy Cross – 14,005′
Huron Peak – 14,003′

Tenmile Range
Quandary Peak – 14,265′

 

Miscellaneous summit ideas for queued hikes:

23-24) Mount Oxford (14,153′) – Huron Peak (14,003′)

Day One: Mount Oxford – Mount Belford

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 3
  • 8,600 ft elevation gain
  • 14.5 miles
  • Sawatch Range
  • Closest town: Leadville
  • Missouri Gulch TH
  • Missouri Gulch northwest ridge, Elkhead Pass to Belford southwest ridge, return via Belford northwest ridge

Day Two: Huron Peak

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 2
  • 3,800 ft elevation gain
  • 11 miles
  • Sawatch Range
  • Closest town: Leadville
  • Clear Creek/South Winfield TH
  • Huron north ridge from Clear Creek

25-26) Castle Peak (14,265′) – Conundrum Peak (14,060′)

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 3
  • 4,850 ft elevation gain
  • 14.5 miles
  • Elk Range
  • Closest town: Aspen
  • Castle Creek TH – Montezuma Basin Route
  • Castle northeast ridge, traverse, Conundrum northwest ridge

27-30) Ellingwood Point (14,042′) – Blanca Peak (14,345′)
– Little Bear Peak (14,037′) – Mount Lindsey (14,042′)

Day One: Lake Como Approach

  • 3,900 ft elevation gain
  • 5.25 miles
  • Campsite near Lake Como TH

Day Two: Ellingwood Point – Blanca Peak

  • Class 3
  • Exposure 4
  • 3,000 ft elevation gain (from Lake Como)
  • 6 miles (from Lake Como)
  • Sangre de Cristo Range
  • Closest town: Alamosa
  • Lake Como TH
  • Two trail options:
    • Ellingwood south face, traverse, Blanca northwest ridge
    • Ellingwood southwest ridge, traverse, Blanca northwest ridge

Day Three: Little Bear Peak

  • Class 4
  • Exposure 4
  • 2,300 ft elevation gain (from Lake Como)
  • 4 miles (from Lake Como)
  • Sangre de Cristo Range
  • Closest town: Alamosa
  • Lake Como TH
  • LB west ridge and southwest face

Day Four: Mount Lindsey

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 2
  • 3,500 ft elevation gain
  • 8.25 miles
  • Sangre de Cristo Range
  • Closest town: Gardner
  • Huerfano/Lily Lake TH
  • Lindsey north face

31-32) Mount Harvard (14,420′) – Mount Columbia (14,073′)

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 2
  • 6,100 ft elevation gain
  • 15 miles
  • Sawatch Range
  • Closest town: Buena Vista
  • North Cottonwood Creek TH
  • Harvard south slope, saddle, Columbia west slope

33-35) Redcloud Peak (14,034′) – Sunshine Peak (14,001′) – Handies Peak (14,048′)

Redcloud Peak – Sunshine Peak

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 2
  • 4,500 ft elevation gain
  • 10.5 miles
  • San Juan Range
  • Closest town: Lake City
  • Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch TH
  • Redcloud northeast ridge from Silver Creek, saddle, Sunshine northwest face

Handies Peak

  • Class 2
  • Exposure 2
  • 3,650 ft elevation gain
  • 8 miles
  • San Juan Range
  • Closest town: Lake City
  • Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch TH
  • Handies east slope from Grizzly Gulch