The Colorado 14ers. One of the greatest mountaineering challenges in the lower 48 states, with 53 ranked summits breaking the elevation threshold. While all the summits can be climbed by nontechnical means, the range of difficulties presented on these summits scattered across the state make this a massive undertaking. The first Colorado 14er I climbed was La Plata Peak in August 2011, and I had knocked off about 1/5 of them prior to the inception of this site. Therefore, the list below is not a complete running tally, with many of the missing trip reports being the easier summits closer to Denver.
Disclaimer: Many (although not all) of my trips involve cross country travel with varying degrees of technical difficulty. All distances and elevation gain are taken directly from my GPS. All reports include a “crux” given in the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). This graded system is very subjective, and ratings I’ve given are either based on personal experience or overall consensus of a route within the community. Know that routes, conditions and risk factors can all change so practice your own judgement whenever setting out on your own adventures. For those less familiar with the YDS system click here for an overview article from REI.
| Summit Name | Distance | Elevation Gain | Crux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Peak | 11.1 | 5,250' | Class 3 |
| Handies Peak | 6.6 | 2,700' | Class 1 |
| Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre | 13.9 | 6,450' | Class 3 |
| Redcloud and Sunshine Peak | 10.3 | 4,500' | Class 3 |
| Mount Princeton | 5.0 | 2,650' | Class 2 |
| Mount Evans | 3.3 | 2,000' | Class 2 |
| Mount Massive | 7.9 | 4,010' | Class 2-3 |
| Mount Harvard and Columbia | 15.2 | 7,200' | Class 3 |
| Mount Shavano and Tabeguache Peak | 9.7 | 5,340' | Class 3 |
| San Luis Peak | 13.9 | 5,900' | Class 3 |
| Mount Sneffels | 5.5 | 2,960' | Class 3 |