This comes at no extra cost to you. Labeled as one of the top 5 toughest and most rugged, this peak was one of the last 14ers to get climbed. Aside from its prestigious 14ers, the range also contains more than 300 peaks above 12,000 feet. Moderate: Greater elevation per mile, may include some scrambling. Missouri, La Plata Peak, Mt. Miles: 7.25 round-trip Elevation gain: 3,700 feet Class: 2 Trail Info: Decalibron Loop The famous Decalibron loop summits four peaks (only three are official) in one giant loop. The trek is more climbing than hiking and is said to hold Colorado's most difficult crux. Bross. It features a snow-field on its eastern face—one of Colorado's largest. Class 2: Moderately difficult, map-reading skills required, may include loose rock, steep summits, snow. Difficulty: … The Elk Mountains are home to 7 fourteeners, the easiest of which is Castle Peak. The highest summit of the Collegiate Peaks and the fourth highest peak in the contiguous U.S., the climb begins gradually and steepens the closer you get to the summit. Formed in 2000 by Breckenridge, Colorado resident Bill Middlebrook, 14ers.com is the premier resource for climbing the high peaks in Colorado. Take your time and pay attention to early signs of altitude sickness. Commemorate your climbs, or give as a gift to climbing partners, our posters featuring each of Colorado's 14ers. It's the easiest climb out of the 3. This strenuous climb is best left to the experts, as there’s plenty of scrambling rock faces and climbing involved. Here's a quick rundown of standard route difficulty rankings, as ranked on 14ers.com. Difficulty levels for 14ers vary from Class 1 (clear, well-worn trail) to Class 5 (technical climbing requiring a rope), and even Class 1 peaks have different trail lengths, elevation gains, and exposure levels. In this post, we’re covering everything to know about these 58 majestic mountains and we’re listing tips on how to hike one, or even all of them if you so choose (a bucket list item for many outdoor adventurers.). This post may contain affiliate links. I've hiked the lower-elevation wilderness trails in shorts and a T-shirt when other high-country paths are mired in snow and mud. Colorado's Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway could be called "the Avenue of Fourteeners." All 15 of the peaks are located within the Leadville and Salida area. Warm clothes for the top (gloves, hat, jacket, pants), A portable phone charger, if you’re into that. If you or your partners experience any symptoms, go down to a lower elevation and stay there until the symptoms go away. Princeton. Beautiful from start to finish, we hiked through lush forests, heading to incredible views of Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks, did a few water crossings and nestled in the basin just below tree line, we found Kroenke Lake.. Work your way up: attempt hikes that average 4-8 hours first, and a few 13ers. Hike Three 14ers in One Day: Mt. Holy Cross is north of US-24. Oxford and Mt. Columbia, Mt. Named after the visible red coloring of its peak, this picturesque mountain is often hiked alongside Sunshine peak. This less famous peak lies just 15 minutes away from its more popular neighbor Mount Eolus. Distance: 6.4-mile loop. Found in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in the San Isabel National forest, you can spot this mountain by its rocky summit and wide-spreading western flank. The climb to its peak isn't technical, although it's steep with a long-exposed ridgeline. Lying in the Mount Evans Wilderness of Pike National Forest, this moderately rated peak is more accessible than other 14ers with its well-maintained trail and close vicinity to Denver. It's said to be the "easiest" 14er in the Elk Range. Cameron's 14er title is debated as the mountains saddle doesn't meet the 300 ft rule. Belford, Mt. This peak easily blends into its neighboring ones. The section is so named because several of the mountains are named for prominent universities. With the highest average elevation of any wilderness in the United States, the Collegiate Peaks and surrounding mountains in the range include 15 … Along its entire length, the Collegiate Peaks continuously rise above the 14,000-foot mark and include such summits as Mount Princeton, Mount Yale and Mount Harvard. Collegiate Peaks North to South Linkup ; A group of friends, including my wife and I, set out to link peaks in the northern and southern portions of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Princeton is a great first Sawatch climb. The Collegiate Peaks are named after famous American Ivy League universities with names such as Mt. Needless to say, it's a serious condition that you should be prepared for. A stunning, grand mountain found in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness; this sharp-edged peak is said to be the most difficult 14er. Groups that perform these duties through our Adopt-A-Peak program provide an invaluable service to Colorado’s high peaks by preventing future damage and promoting full recovery from past impacts. In addition, mountains like 14ers have a difficulty rating—or “class rating”—of 1-5 based on the Yosemite Decimal System: * Class 5 hikes may also include decimals or letters after them (5.1, 5.1a) for further climbing details. Shadowed in the southern portion of the Sawatch, this less popular 14er sits right beside the more prominent Mt. Columbia, Mt. It also includes 8 closely knit 14ers called the Collegiate Peaks, which are each named after famous U.S. Ivy League Universities. Class 4: Tactical climbing with ropes, dangerous terrain, high exposure, more climbing than hiking. The area is home to rich minerals and mining towns and a variety of class 1-4 mountains for hikers and climbers alike. 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