Home -> Hiking -> Hikes -> Colorado 14ers

1.  Introduction
2.  Completions
3.  The fourteeners
    3.1  How many 14ers are there in Colorado?
    3.2  The Colorado Summit Criterion
    3.3  The 53 fourteener list
    3.4  Other fourteener lists
        3.4.1  The 54 fourteener list
        3.4.2  The 55 fourteener list
4.  When have you climbed a 14er?
    4.1  The Colorado Rule
5.  The Mighty Mountain Megamarathon (M4)
    5.1  Current M4 record
6.  Routes
    6.1  Basis behind the route list
    6.2  Column meanings
    6.3  The route list

1.  Introduction

Here are statistics for hikes up each of Colorado's 53 ranked 14ers as well as 5 unranked 14ers.

2.  Completions

As of 2010-07-24 (Pyramid Pk), here are my completions:

41/56 days (73.2%).
44/58 14ers (75.9%).
6/9 nearby non-14ers (66.7%).

3.  The fourteeners

3.1  How many 14ers are there in Colorado?

You'd think that this question has an easy answer, but the number has varied over time, and still varies per individual.  The variation is due to minor summits of parent peaks.  To help establish an "official" list of 14ers, the Colorado Summit Criterion was introduced in recent years.  When the Colorado Summit Criterion is applied to all points that rise at least 14,000 feet above sea level, Colorado has 53 ranked 14ers and 5 unranked 14ers.

3.2  The Colorado Summit Criterion

For a summit to be a ranked summit, it must have at least 300 feet of prominence.  A summit's prominence is its rise above the highest saddle connecting the summit to higher ground.  That highest saddle is called the prominence saddle.

3.3  The 53 fourteener list

Here are the 53 peaks that meet the Colorado Summit Criterion, as well as 5 additional peaks that rise above 14,000 but don't meet the Colorado Summit Criterion.

Rank	Peak	Elevation	Range
1	Mt. Elbert	14,433'	Sawatch
2	Mt. Massive	14,421'	Sawatch
3	Mt. Harvard	14,420'	Sawatch
4	Blanca Peak	14,345'	Sangre de Cristo
5	La Plata Peak	14,336'	Sawatch
6	Uncompahgre Peak	14,309'	San Juan
7	Crestone Peak	14,294'	Sangre de Cristo
8	Mt. Lincoln	14,286'	Tenmile-Mosquito
9	Grays Peak	14,270'	Front Range
10	Mt. Antero	14,269'	Sawatch
11	Torreys Peak	14,267'	Front Range
12	Castle Peak	14,265'	Elk
13	Quandary Peak	14,265'	Tenmile-Mosquito
14	Mt. Evans	14,264'	Front Range
15	Longs Peak	14,255'	Front Range
16	Mt. Wilson	14,246'	San Juan
	Mt. Cameron	14,238'	Tenmile-Mosquito
17	Mt. Shavano	14,229'	Sawatch
18	Mt. Belford	14,197'	Sawatch
19	Crestone Needle	14,197'	Sangre de Cristo
20	Mt. Princeton	14,197'	Sawatch
21	Mt. Yale	14,196'	Sawatch
22	Mt. Bross	14,172'	Tenmile-Mosquito
23	Kit Carson Peak	14,165'	Sangre de Cristo
	El Diente Peak	14,159'	San Juan
24	Maroon Peak	14,156'	Elk
25	Tabeguache Peak	14,155'	Sawatch
26	Mt. Oxford	14,153'	Sawatch
27	Mt. Sneffels	14,150'	San Juan
28	Mt. Democrat	14,148'	Tenmile-Mosquito
29	Capitol Peak	14,130'	Elk
30	Pikes Peak	14,110'	Front Range
31	Snowmass Mtn.	14,092'	Elk
32	Mt. Eolus	14,083'	San Juan
33	Windom Peak	14,082'	San Juan
34	Challenger Point	14,081'	Sangre de Cristo
35	Mt. Columbia	14,073'	Sawatch
36	Missouri Mountain	14,067'	Sawatch
37	Humboldt Peak	14,064'	Sangre de Cristo
38	Mt. Bierstadt	14,060'	Front Range
	Conundrum Peak	14,060'	Elk
39	Sunlight Peak	14,059'	San Juan
40	Handies Peak	14,048'	San Juan
41	Culebra Peak	14,047'	Sangre de Cristo
42	Ellingwood Point	14,042'	Sangre de Cristo
43	Mt. Lindsey	14,042'	Sangre de Cristo
	North Eolus	14,039'	San Juan
44	Little Bear Peak	14,037'	Sangre de Cristo
45	Mt. Sherman	14,036'	Tenmile-Mosquito
46	Redcloud Peak	14,034'	San Juan
47	Pyramid Peak	14,018'	Elk
48	Wilson Peak	14,017'	San Juan
49	Wetterhorn Peak	14,015'	San Juan
	North Maroon Peak	14,014'	Elk
50	San Luis Peak	14,014'	San Juan
51	Mt. of the Holy Cross	14,005'	Sawatch
52	Huron Peak	14,003'	Sawatch
53	Sunshine Peak	14,001'	San Juan

3.4  Other fourteener lists

3.4.1  The 54 fourteener list

Before the Colorado Summit Criterion was introduced, most 14er lists had 54 peaks.  In fact, even today, many people still say that there are 54 14ers in Colorado.  When people talk about Colorado's 54 14ers, they are including El Diente Peak and North Maroon Peak (two peaks that don't meet the Colorado Summit Criterion), and excluding Challenger Point.  Challenger Point was excluded due to its proximity to Kit Carson Peak, as well as the fact that the peak didn't have a name until 1987 when it was named in honor of the 1986 Space Shuttle disaster.

3.4.2  The 55 fourteener list

When people talk of the 55 14ers, they are adding Challenger Point to the list of 54 14ers.  These 55 14ers are also the 14ers that are currently climbed in the M4 (see below).

4.  When have you climbed a 14er?

If you drive your car to the top of Mt. Evans, and hike the remaining 50 feet or so to the actual summit, have you climbed Mt. Evans?  Although some people may say that you have, many people would say that you haven't.  Where do you draw the line?  What if you park your car 1000 feet below the summit and then hike to the top?

Although each individual should decide for himself/herself what constitutes a climb of a 14er, there is something called the Colorado Rule that one can use to help make that decision if he/she desires.

4.1  The Colorado Rule

The Colorado Rule describes one set of requirements that allow one to say that he/she has climbed a 14er:

1.  One must ascend at least 3,000 feet in absolute elevation gain on foot from the base of the first peak of a series.  This means that the elevation of the point that you start hiking from must be at least 3,000 feet lower than the summit of the first peak of a series.

2.  Foot traverses are allowed between peaks through traverses.

3.  One must descend on foot at least 3,000 feet in absolute elevation loss back to the starting point or end of a traverse.

5.  The Mighty Mountain Megamarathon (M4)

The Mighty Mountain Megamarathon (M4) is an informal challenge to climb 55 Colorado peaks in the shortest time using the Colorado Rule.  The list of 55 peaks includes all of Colorado's 53 ranked 14ers, and 2 unranked 14ers (El Diente and North Maroon Peak).  The 2 unranked peaks are included for historical reasons.  Once one person did the M4 with 55 peaks, others did as well so that their times could be compared directly.

5.1  Current M4 record

As of September 2000, the M4 record is held by Ted E. "Cave Dog" Keizer.  After two and a half years of scouting and training he was able to fine tune the course to 138,558 vertical feet, and a record time of 10 days, 20 hours, 26 minutes.

6.  Routes

6.1  Basis behind the route list

The following routes meet the Colorado Rule, getting you up each of Colorado's 53 official 14ers as well as 5 unranked 14ers.  The following is true of each route:

1.  It follows the Colorado Rule.

2.  A four wheel drive vehicle is not required to reach the trailhead.

3.  Hiking on roads (jeep trails) is minimized.

4.  Hiking on snow is not required, or at least minimal (crampons, ice axe not required if undesired and climbed at the right time of year).

For the most part, I've chosen the easiest route that meets the above criteria.  However, in some cases I've chosen a more interesting line than the easiest possible route (examples: the Barr Trail up Pikes Peak and Massive Mania on Mt. Massive). 

Some routes also tackle more than one peak (other 14ers as well as non-14ers).  I include more than one peak in a route if one or more of the following applies:

1.  If the easiest way up a peak involves going up and over another peak.

2.  If the routes for the individual peaks of the group share much of the same trail.

3.  If the peaks are connected by one of Colorado's four great fourteener traverses.

4.  If the peaks are within close proximity to each other.

6.2  Column meanings

Here's an explanation of the columns:

Profile

The vertical unit is feet. The horizontal unit at the top of a profile is estimated time in hours. The horizontal unit at the bottom of a profile is miles.

The trail color represents the class of that portion of the trail.

Class	Color
1	Green
2	Blue
3	Purple
4	Red
5	Yellow

Click on a profile to view a map for that profile.

LOE

LOE stands for Level of Effort.  It is a unit developed by me that helps describe the overall level of effort required to complete a hike.

The level of effort of walking one flat class 1 mile is 1.0.  So if the level of effort of a trail is 18.0, then it is approximately the same level of effort as walking 18 flat class 1 miles.

Time

This is the estimated time for hiking the given profile with a small day pack.  Add 3 minutes per LOE if wearing an overnight backpack.  Add 8 minutes per LOE if snowshoeing or hiking in snow.

6.3  The route list

Area Label	Meaning
FR	Front Range
TM	Tenmile-Mosquito Range
SW	Sawatch Range
SC	Sange de Cristo Range
EL	Elk Range
SJ	San Juan Range

The number in parentheses after a summit is the ranking of that summit within the state of Colorado.

Area	Start	Description	Profile	Dist.	El. Gain	Lowest/Highest	LOE	Time (est.)	Way	Notes	Done
FR	Longs Pk TH	Longs Pk (15) via Keyhole Route		13.4 mi.	4855 ft.	9400 ft. (0.0) 14255 ft. (6.7)	22.8	8 h 42 m	Out and Back		2004-09-11
FR	Stevens Gulch TH	Grays Pk (9), Torreys Pk (11)		8.2 mi.	3693 ft.	11230 ft. (0.0) 14270 ft. (3.7)	15.0	5 h 9 m	Out and Back		2004-07-18
FR	West Chicago Creek TH	Hike to Camp		3.8 mi.	1600 ft.	9600 ft. (0.0) 11200 ft. (3.8)	4.8	1 h 27 m	Out
		Mt Evans (14), Mt Spalding, Gray Wolf Mtn (190)		13.0 mi.	3928 ft.	9600 ft. (13.0) 14264 ft. (4.2)	25.4	9 h 58 m	Lollipop
FR	Scott Gomer Creek TH	Mt Bierstadt (38)		13.6 mi.	4440 ft.	9620 ft. (0.0) 14060 ft. (6.8)	24.5	9 h 31 m	Out and Back		2005-07-16
FR	Manitou Springs TH	Hike to Camp		7.0 mi.	3500 ft.	6700 ft. (0.0) 10200 ft. (7.0)	9.6	3 h 3 m	Out		2008-07-04 to 2008-07-05
		Pikes Pk (30)		18.2 mi.	3910 ft.	6700 ft. (18.2) 14110 ft. (5.6)	23.5	9 h 2 m	Out and Back
TM	Lower McCullough Gulch TH	Quandary Pk (13)		5.5 mi.	3405 ft.	10860 ft. (0.0) 14265 ft. (2.7)	11.4	3 h 44 m	Out and Back	The Lower McCullough Gulch Trailhead for Quandary Peak is the public trailhead alternative to the privately owned and closed Monte Cristo Trailhead.	2004-07-03
TM	Montgomery Reservoir TH	Mt Lincoln (8), Mt Cameron, Mt Democrat (28), Mt Bross (22) via Lincoln Amphitheater		9.5 mi.	5750 ft.	10920 ft. (0.0) 14286 ft. (2.0)	27.6	11 h 7 m	Out and Back		2005-07-23
TM	Thompson Park TH	Mt Sherman (45)		13.2 mi.	3756 ft.	10640 ft. (0.0) 14036 ft. (6.6)	21.8	8 h 12 m	Out and Back		2010-05-31
SW	Halfmoon TH	Mt of the Holy Cross (51)		10.8 mi.	5405 ft.	10320 ft. (0.0) 14005 ft. (5.4)	23.0	8 h 46 m	Out and Back		2004-08-28
SW	Mt Massive TH	Mt Massive (2) (Massive Mania)		11.6 mi.	5453 ft.	10050 ft. (0.0) 14421 ft. (5.6)	25.9	10 h 14 m	One Way	The East Slopes route is easier, but this Massive Mania route is an option that crosses each of Mt Massive's summits.	2007-09-07
SW	North Mt Elbert TH	Mt Elbert (1)		7.9 mi.	4463 ft.	10050 ft. (0.0) 14433 ft. (3.9)	15.7	5 h 28 m	Out and Back		2010-05-22
SW	Lake Creek TH	La Plata Pk (5)		8.0 mi.	4236 ft.	10100 ft. (0.0) 14336 ft. (4.0)	21.0	7 h 49 m	Out and Back		2007-07-14
SW	South Winfield TH	Huron Pk (52)		9.5 mi.	3743 ft.	10260 ft. (0.0) 14003 ft. (4.7)	16.2	5 h 41 m	Out and Back		2005-07-31
SW	Missouri Gulch TH	Missouri Mtn (36), Mt Belford (19), Mt Oxford (26)		13.6 mi.	7334 ft.	9640 ft. (0.0) 14197 ft. (7.4)	33.1	14 h 14 m	Out and Back
SW	North Cottonwood TH	Hike to Camp		3.5 mi.	1560 ft.	9880 ft. (0.0) 11440 ft. (3.5)	4.5	1 h 22 m	Out		2010-06-19 to 2010-06-20
		Mt Harvard (3), Mt Columbia (35)		10.5 mi.	4253 ft.	9880 ft. (10.5) 14420 ft. (3.0)	24.9	9 h 42 m	Lollipop
SW	Denny Creek TH	Mt Yale (21)		7.0 mi.	4296 ft.	9900 ft. (0.0) 14196 ft. (3.5)	20.0	7 h 21 m	Out and Back		2004-08-07
SW	Grouse Canyon TH	Mt Princeton (18)		6.8 mi.	5097 ft.	9100 ft. (0.0) 14197 ft. (3.4)	23.8	9 h 10 m	Out and Back		2006-05-27
SW	Browns Creek TH	Hike to Camp		5.0 mi.	2400 ft.	8920 ft. (0.0) 11320 ft. (5.0)	6.7	2 h 4 m	Out	Do the 3V variation to avoid bushwacking. There is no "rocky old road" as described in the Roach book; the hiking is entirely on trails.	2007-07-21 to 2007-07-22
		Mt Antero (10)		9.4 mi.	2949 ft.	8920 ft. (9.4) 14269 ft. (2.2)	19.3	7 h 1 m	Out and Back
SW	Shavano/Tabeguache TH	Mt Shavano (17), Tabeguache Pk (25), Pt 13712 (140), Jones Pk		9.8 mi.	5420 ft.	9800 ft. (0.0) 14229 ft. (4.0)	23.6	9 h 5 m	Lollipop	The old Blank Gulch TH is now closed and gated.	2008-07-11
SC	Cottonwood Creek TH	Hike to Camp		3.5 mi.	2840 ft.	8400 ft. (0.0) 11240 ft. (3.5)	6.2	1 h 55 m	Out	Snow until early August. The traverse between Crestone Pk and Crestone Needle is one of Colorado's four great 14er traverses.	2007-08-31 to 2007-09-01
		Crestone Pk (7), Crestone Needle (20)		7.2 mi.	3371 ft.	8400 ft. (7.2) 14294 ft. (1.4)	23.1	8 h 50 m	Lollipop
SC	Spanish Creek TH	Hike to Camp		3.3 mi.	2940 ft.	8260 ft. (0.0) 11200 ft. (3.3)	6.1	1 h 52 m	Out	I did Humboldt from TH to TH in one day, but I recommend that it be broken into two days. Land owners near the Spanish Creek TH have prohibited camping there. If car camping, consider camping near Willow Creek TH instead.	2006-06-24
		Humboldt Pk (37)		9.9 mi.	3684 ft.	8260 ft. (9.9) 14064 ft. (3.3)	22.5	8 h 32 m	Out and Back
SC	Willow Creek TH	Hike to Camp		3.1 mi.	2620 ft.	8880 ft. (0.0) 11500 ft. (3.1)	5.8	1 h 45 m	Out
		Challenger Pt (34), Kit Carson Pk (23)		7.2 mi.	3307 ft.	8880 ft. (7.2) 14165 ft. (2.0)	22.2	8 h 24 m	Out and Back
SC	Lake Como TH	Hike to Camp		4.6 mi.	3780 ft.	8000 ft. (0.0) 11780 ft. (4.2)	8.3	2 h 36 m	Out	Snow through July. The traverse between Little Bear and Blanca is one of Colorado's four great 14er traverses. It is also the most difficult of the four. The "Hourglass" on Little Bear could be the most dangerous spot on any standard route up a 14er.	2007-08-23 to 2007-08-25
		Little Bear Pk (44), Blanca Pk (4), Ellingwood Pt (43)		5.5 mi.	3704 ft.	11760 ft. (0.0) 14345 ft. (2.1)	21.9	8 h 14 m	Loop
		Hike to TH		4.6 mi.	20 ft.	8000 ft. (4.6) 11780 ft. (0.3)	6.2	1 h 53 m	Back
SC	Huerfano River TH	Mt Lindsey (42), Iron Nipple, 'Huerfano Pk' (93)		9.1 mi.	4450 ft.	10600 ft. (0.2) 14042 ft. (3.7)	19.3	7 h 1 m	Out and Back		2010-07-12
SC	Taylor Ranch Road	Culebra Pk (41), Red Mtn (70)		9.9 mi.	4082 ft.	11000 ft. (0.0) 14047 ft. (4.1)	21.3	7 h 57 m	Out and Back		2007-09-03
EL	Capitol Creek TH	Hike to Camp via 'Capitol Ditch Tr'		6.0 mi.	2200 ft.	9420 ft. (0.0) 11620 ft. (6.0)	7.7	2 h 24 m	Out		2006-09-02 to 2006-09-03
		Capitol Pk (29)		9.3 mi.	2510 ft.	9420 ft. (9.3) 14130 ft. (1.6)	18.7	6 h 45 m	Out and Back
EL	Snowmass Creek TH	Hike to Camp		8.1 mi.	2600 ft.	8400 ft. (0.0) 11000 ft. (8.1)	9.7	3 h 6 m	Out
		Snowmass Mtn (31)		12.9 mi.	3092 ft.	8400 ft. (12.9) 14092 ft. (2.4)	27.9	11 h 17 m	Out and Back
EL	Maroon Lake TH	Hike to Camp		2.0 mi.	620 ft.	9500 ft. (0.0) 10120 ft. (2.0)	2.4	0 h 42 m	Out	The traverse between Maroon and N. Maroon is one Colorado's four great 14er traverses.	2007-08-08 to 2007-08-09
		Maroon Pk (24), North Maroon Pk		7.6 mi.	4270 ft.	9500 ft. (7.6) 14156 ft. (3.2)	30.9	12 h 57 m	Lollipop
EL	Maroon Lake TH	Pyramid Pk (47)		8.0 mi.	4518 ft.	9500 ft. (0.0) 14018 ft. (4.0)	26.7	10 h 39 m	Out and Back		2010-07-24
EL	Conundrum Creek TH	Hike to Camp		8.6 mi.	2480 ft.	8800 ft. (0.0) 11280 ft. (8.6)	10.0	3 h 13 m	Out	There is a cold water spring behind sites 10 and 11. Trekking poles are useful for the hike in for water crossings. Bring something to wear in the hot springs (bathing suit or equivalent) because the springs are fairly popular. Leave camp for the TH early in the morning to avoid heat.
		'Castleabra' (105), Castle Pk (12), Conundrum Pk		4.6 mi.	5156 ft.	11280 ft. (0.0) 14265 ft. (1.9)	28.1	11 h 24 m	Out and Back
		Hike to TH		8.6 mi.	0 ft.	8800 ft. (8.6) 11280 ft. (0.0)	8.9	2 h 50 m	Back
SJ	Stewart Creek TH	San Luis Pk (50)		12.0 mi.	3554 ft.	10460 ft. (0.0) 14014 ft. (6.0)	16.5	5 h 47 m	Out and Back		2006-06-10
SJ	Matterhorn Creek TH	Uncompahgre Pk (6)		14.2 mi.	4629 ft.	10400 ft. (0.0) 14309 ft. (7.1)	20.6	7 h 39 m	Out and Back		2010-07-04
SJ	Matterhorn Creek TH	Wetterhorn Pk (49), Matterhorn Pk (193)		9.1 mi.	4805 ft.	10400 ft. (0.0) 14015 ft. (3.9)	22.0	8 h 17 m	Lollipop		2010-07-03
SJ	Silver Creek - Grizzly Gulch TH	Redcloud Pk (46), Sunshine Pk (53), 'Sun Dog' (300)		9.7 mi.	4467 ft.	10400 ft. (0.0) 14034 ft. (4.4)	20.3	7 h 29 m	Lollipop		2010-06-05
SJ	Silver Creek - Grizzly Gulch TH	Handies Pk (40)		7.5 mi.	3648 ft.	10400 ft. (0.0) 14048 ft. (3.7)	16.2	5 h 41 m	Out and Back		2007-07-07
SJ	Needleton TH	Hike to Camp		6.2 mi.	2888 ft.	8212 ft. (0.0) 11100 ft. (6.2)	8.3	2 h 37 m	Out	See http://www.durangotrain.com/about/wilderness.htm for train information. Reservations should be made 6 weeks in advance. The final move onto the summit block of Sunlight Pk is the hardest move required to reach the summit of a 14er by its easiest route.
		Windom Pk (33), Sunlight Pk (39), Mt Eolus (32), North Eolus		7.2 mi.	5623 ft.	11100 ft. (0.0) 14083 ft. (5.0)	32.5	13 h 52 m	Out and Back
		Hike to TH		6.2 mi.	0 ft.	8212 ft. (6.2) 11100 ft. (0.0)	6.9	2 h 7 m	Back
SJ	East Dallas Creek TH	Mt Sneffels (27)		10.5 mi.	5260 ft.	9340 ft. (0.0) 14150 ft. (4.2)	24.6	9 h 34 m	Loop	Early summer snow.
SJ	Navajo Lake TH	Hike to Camp		4.8 mi.	2000 ft.	9340 ft. (0.0) 11280 ft. (4.0)	6.4	1 h 58 m	Out	Less snow in late summer. The traverse from Mt. Wilson to El Diente is one of Colorado's four great 14er traverses. In 2004, the landowner prohibited access to Silver Pick Basin. Best bet was to approach from Navajo Lake TH (route to Wilson Pk still crossed landowner's property). In November 2007, the Trust for Public Land purchased the land for $3.25 million and Silver Pick Basin was re-opened to the public.	2007-08-18 to 2007-08-20
		El Diente, Mt Wilson (16), Wilson Pk (48)		8.2 mi.	5002 ft.	11200 ft. (0.0) 14246 ft. (2.8)	27.7	11 h 12 m	Lollipop
		Hike to TH		4.8 mi.	140 ft.	9340 ft. (4.8) 11280 ft. (0.8)	5.5	1 h 39 m	Back