What Is a 14er? [Hiking 14,000-Foot Peaks in Colorado]

Scott, let’s go bag our 25th 14er this weekend!

Before I moved to Colorado, I didn’t even know what a 14er was. I had a friend who told me about her recent trip to Colorado where she camped and then hiked up to the top of a mountain and back.

I remember thinking, “What’s the big deal? It’s just a hike!”

Today, I’m truly amazed that she went from almost sea level (Iowa) to successfully conquering a 14,000-foot mountain.

It’s time to introduce you to 14ers: those epic peaks rising above everything around them, just begging to be climbed.

What You’ll Find in This Guide

• What is a 14er?
• 14ers in Colorado
• Other 14ers in the U.S.
• What’s it like to climb a 14er?
• Preparing for the Altitude When Climbing a 14er
• FAQ (Questions You’ve Probably Thought But Were Embarrassed to Ask)
• Conclusion

 

What is a 14er?

A 14er is a mountain with a peak that reaches 14,000 feet or higher in elevation. Colorado is the best-known state in the U.S. for its 14ers (or “fourteeners”). It boasts 50+ mountain peaks that surpass 14k feet, far more than any other state in the country. Alaska comes in second place with 29 (12 of which are over 15,000 feet!). Then we have California with 13 and Washington with 2.

Across the U.S., mostly in the West, there are a total of nearly 100 peaks that qualify as 14ers.

Getting Technical

Some argue that a true 14er must have a peak that rises 300 feet or more above the “saddle” that connects it to another nearby 14er. For example, the Decalibron is a 7-mile loop where hikers can hit four fourteeners in one fell swoop.

• Democrat (De): 14,148 feet
• Cameron (Ca): 14,238 feet
• Lincoln (Li): 14,286 feet
• Bross (Br): 14,172 feet

While each of these peaks is well over 14,000 feet, Mt. Cameron is right next to Mt. Lincoln and the saddle connecting them isn’t at least 300 feet lower. So many don’t consider Mt. Cameron a true 14er.

Fun Fact: According to AllTrails, the DeCaLiBron is a “rite of passage for all Colorado hikers.” 

14ers in Colorado

We’ll start with Colorado and then cover other 14ers you can’t miss if you’re planning on bagging all the peaks in the U.S. in your lifetime.

How many 14ers are there in Colorado?

According to most sources, Colorado has 53 official peaks above 14,000 feet of elevation. If you want to count the unranked 14ers, it brings the list up to 59.

Official Colorado 14ers

Peak	Mountain Range	Elevation
Mount Elbert	Sawatch Range	14,440 ft
Mount Massive	Sawatch Range	14,428 ft
Mount Harvard	Sawatch Range	14,421 ft
Blanca Peak	Sangre de Cristo Mountains	14,351 ft
La Plata Peak	Sawatch Range	14,343 ft
Uncompahgre Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,321 ft
Crestone Peak	Sangre de Cristo Mountains	14,300 ft
Mount Lincoln	Mosquito Range	14,293 ft
Castle Peak	Elk Mountains	14,279 ft
Grays Peak	Front Range	14,278 ft
Mount Antero	Sawatch Range	14,276 ft
Torreys Peak	Front Range	14,275 ft
Quandary Peak	Mosquito Range	14,271 ft
Mount Evans	Front Range	14,271 ft
Longs Peak	Front Range	14,259 ft
Mount Wilson	San Miguel Mountains	14,252 ft
Mount Shavano	Sawatch Range	14,231 ft
Mount Princeton	Sawatch Range	14,204 ft
Mount Belford	Sawatch Range	14,203 ft
Crestone Needle	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,203 ft
Mount Yale	Sawatch Range	14,200 ft
Mount Bross	Mosquito Range	14,178 ft
Kit Carson Mountain	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,171 ft
Maroon Peak	Elk Mountains	14,163 ft
Tabeguache Peak	Sawatch Range	14,162 ft
Mount Oxford	Collegiate Peaks	14,160 ft
Mount Sneffels	Sneffels Range	14,158 ft
Mount Democrat	Mosquito Range	14,155 ft
Capitol Peak	Elk Mountains	14,137 ft
Pikes Peak	Front Range	14,115 ft
Snowmass Mountain	Elk Mountains	14,099 ft
Windom Peak	Needle Mountains	14,093 ft
Mount Eolus	San Juan Mountains	14,090 ft
Challenger Point	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,087 ft
Mount Columbia	Sawatch Range	14,077 ft
Missouri Mountain	Sawatch Range	14,074 ft
Humboldt Peak	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,070 ft
Mount Bierstadt	Front Range	14,065 ft
Sunlight Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,065 ft
Handies Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,058 ft
Culebra Peak	Culebra Range	14,053 ft
Ellingwood Point	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,048 ft
Mount Lindsey	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,048 ft
Little Bear Peak	Sangre de Cristo Range	14,043 ft
Mount Sherman	Mosquito Range	14,043 ft
Redcloud Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,041 ft
Pyramid Peak	Elk Mountains	14,025 ft
Wilson Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,023 ft
San Luis Peak	La Garita Mountains	14,022 ft
Wetterhorn Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,021 ft
Mount of the Holy Cross	Sawatch Range	14,011 ft
Huron Peak	Sawatch Range	14,010 ft
Sunshine Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,007 ft

Unofficial Colorado Fourteeners

If you decide you want to bag the “14ers” without 300 or more feet of topographic prominence, here they are.

Peak	Mountain Range	Elevation
Mount Cameron	Mosquito Range	14,238
El Diente Peak	San Juan Mountains	14,159
North Conundrum Peak	Elk Mountains	14,040+
North Eolus	Needle Mountains	14,039
North Maroon Peak	Elk Mountains	14,014
Sunlight Spire	San Juan Mountains	14,001

What is the easiest 14er in Colorado?

First off, let’s be honest. No 14er is easy. Hiking to the top of a mountain requires miles of hiking and thousands of feet of elevation gain. The air’s thin, the weather risks are real, and drop-offs exist around every corner.

However, some 14er hikes are much easier and less technical than others. Pikes Peak is sometimes called the “easiest” because you can literally drive up to the top. If you hike it, however, easy probably won’t be a word in your vocabulary that day. Mount Evans is also drivable, apart from a short 5–10-minute jaunt from the parking lot.

All cheating aside, here are the easiest 14ers to hike up from acceptable trailheads. *Wink* (Note: All these hikes still fall into the “hard” category.)

Easiest 14ers In Colorado

Peak	Class	Total Mileage (Round Trip)
Mount Evans	2	5.5 miles
Quandary Peak	1	7 miles
Grays Peak	1	8 miles
Torreys Peak	2	8 miles
Mount Bierstadt	2	7 miles
Mount Antero	2	7 miles

Class 1: You’re on a well-established trail.
Class 2: Involves hiking a steep incline and scrambling.
Class 3: Steep climbing that requires using your hands, falling is possible.

What’s the most popular 14er in Colorado?

The most popular 14ers in Colorado are:

• Grays Peak
• Torreys Peak
• Quandary Peak
• Bierstadt

The Decalibron (Lincoln, Cameron, Bross, and Democrat) is also very popular, as is Mt. Elbert.

Other 14ers in the U.S.

California

California has 13 ranked 14ers.

• Mount Whitney: 14,505 ft
• Mount Williamson: 14,379 ft
• White Mountain Peak: 14,252 ft
• North Palisade: 14,248 ft
• Mount Shasta: 14,179 ft
• Mount Sill: 14,159 ft
• Liberty Cap: 14,118 ft
• Mount Russell: 14,094 ft
• Split Mountain: 14,064 ft
• Mount Langley: 14,032 ft
• Mount Tyndall: 14,025 ft
• Mount Muir: 14,018 ft
• Middle Palisade: 14,018 ft

Washington

There are only two 14ers in the state of Washington.

• Mount Rainier: 14,417 ft
• Liberty Cap: 14,118 ft

Alaska

Alaska has 29 14ers, 16 of which are over 15,000 feet!

• Denali: 20,310 ft
• Denali North Peak: 19,470 ft
• Mount Saint Elias: 18,009 ft
• Peak 17400: 17,450 ft
• Mount Foraker: 17,400 ft
• Mount Bona: 16,550 ft
• Mount Foraker Southwest Peak: 16,550 ft
• Mount Blackburn: 16,390 ft
• Mount Blackburn Southeast Peak: 16,286 ft
• Mount Sanford: 16,237 ft
• South Buttress: 15,885 ft
• Peak 15800: 15,850 ft
• Good Neighbor Peak: 15,715 ft
• Mount Bona West Peak: 15,660 ft
• Mount Churchill: 15,638 ft
• Mount Fairweather: 15,325 ft
• Mount Hubbard: 14,951 ft
• Mount Bear: 14,831 ft
• Peak 14700: 14,750 ft
• East Buttress: 14,730 ft
• Peak 14630: 14,630 ft
• Mount Hunter: 14,573 ft
• Mount Alverstone: 14,500 ft
• University Peak: 14,470 ft
• Aello Peak: 14,445 ft
• The Snave: 14,260 ft
• Mount Wrangell: 14,163 ft
• Mount Augusta: 14,070 ft
• Mount Wrangell West Peak: 14,013 ft

What’s it like to climb a 14er?

Now we get to the fun part. What’s it like climbing up a 14,000-foot mountain starting thousands of feet below the peak?

The Questionable Bits

Well first off, you have to wake up at an ungodly hour to get to the trailhead in time to park, hike to the top of the mountain, and make it safely back down before storms roll in. You can expect to do quite a bit of huffing and puffing. You’ll get really hungry and thirsty. You’ll probably need to take breaks. (Unless you’re Superwoman Sally who runs the whole thing. You’re bound to see some of those out there.)

There’s a chance that you’ll experience altitude sickness. You might get a few blisters. And your back will probably hurt before you’re finished.

Why It Should Be on Your Bucket List

On the other hand, you’ll see some of the most epic views of your life – both on the journey up to the top and on the peak. You’ll probably meet some super friendly hikers along the way, maybe even pick up a new friend or two. You might see wildlife. You’ll definitely get to know your hiking buddies better. And you’ll have something to be dang proud of yourself for when you’re done.

Get that bucket list out – it’s time to do some damage! Or better yet, let your first 14er inspire you to start bagging all the rest.

Preparing for the Altitude When Climbing a 14er

No one wants to feel miserable when they’re on the side of a mountain. Here are some tips to help prevent altitude sickness.

What is altitude sickness?

If you travel to a higher elevation too fast, you can experience altitude sickness. You’ll have a harder time breathing due to less oxygen in the air and may experience a myriad of other pretty uncomfortable side effects.

Here are the most common symptoms of altitude sickness, AKA acute mountain sickness (AMS):²

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Feeling sick
• Vomiting
• Losing your appetite
• Trouble breathing
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping

In other words, it pretty much feels like a bad hangover.

Tips for Preventing Altitude Sickness on a 14er

• Drink lots of water several days before your trip, during your hike, and after you’re finished. Take at least 2 liters of water with you. In other words, stay hydrated!
• Don’t go from zero (no elevation) straight to a 14er. Start with less extreme hikes, like 11ers, 12ers, or 13ers. If you’re not from Colorado or a state with high elevation, plan to travel early and spend time in the region at least 3-5 days before your hike to acclimate.¹ Livestrong actually suggests acclimating for at least 10 days.
• Train properly. If you don’t think you’re ready to hike 5-10 hours up a mountain, you’re probably not. Work your way up gradually starting from where you are today. Work on your fitness by exercising regularly, including hiking and other forms of cardio and strength training.
• Don’t go too fast.
• Take breaks when you need them.
• Pack enough snacks. Jerky, trail mix, fruit, energy bars, and chocolate are all good options that curb the appetite on the trail. PB & J is another great option. Shoot for a combination of carbs, healthy fats, and protein to keep you energized.
• Stop and let someone know if you’re feeling unwell.
• Turn around if you’re not feeling up to it when you get out there (i.e., you’re too tired, underprepared, or feeling sick).
• Take the switchbacks. These will give you the safer (and often only legal) path and make steep climbs more manageable.
• Use the restroom right before you begin your ascent. Trust me on this one.
• Bring sunscreen. Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs sunblock when climbing a 14er.
• Take lots of photos (when it’s safe to do so!).
• Don’t forget your sunnies – and a hat!
• Wear breathable clothing.
• Bring an extra layer in case the temperatures change.
• Make sure your hiking boots are already worn in and have good traction.
• Leave no trace. Be respectful by staying on the designated trails and tucking away your trash until you can dispose of it at the end of your hike.
• Leave the pup at home (usually).
• A small first aid kit isn’t a bad idea.

FAQ (Questions You’ve Thought But Were Embarrassed to Ask)

What does it mean to do a 14er?

Doing a 14er means hiking a mountain with a peak that reaches at least 14,000 feet!

Why do people hike 14ers?

For the photos. For Instagram. To build endurance and strength. To check off the bucket list. For exercise. To spend time with friends and family. For fresh air and spectacular views. To grow. To take on a new challenge. For the thrill of it.

How long does it take to climb a 14er?

The time it takes to hike a 14er can vary greatly. Quandary Peak, one of the easiest 14ers, takes an average of 5.5 hours to complete. To hike one of the harder mountains like Longs Peak can take closer to 15-16 hours on average.

When does 14er season start?

14er season in Colorado usually starts in June or July. By this point, most of the snow has melted off the mountains and the trails are dry and safe to hike.

What are switchbacks?

Switchbacks are zigzag paths with hairpin turns. They make ascending steep paths more manageable.

Conclusion

Hey, now you know what a 14er is! Hundreds of thousands of people hike Colorado 14ers each year.³ Whether you’re ready to bag your first or 50th peak this summer, don’t forget to enjoy the summit when you reach it. You’ll basically be on top of the world. And then you can head home with lifetime memories and the feeling that you can conquer just about anything now.

To the trails!

Micah