Mount Elbert

Despite its lofty height, the highest peak in the state has a good trail all the way to the top. Mount Elbert, at 14,433 feet, is the highest peak in Colorado. Only Mount Whitney in California is higher in the 48 contiguous U.S. It is named after Samuel Elbert, a governor of the Colorado territories, and a Colorado Supreme Court judge in the 1870s and 1880s. This route, although steep, is the easiest, and poses no special problems to the hiker. But don’t underestimate it. Get an early start and be on the lookout for fast moving, afternoon storms. Despite its lofty height, gentle-sloped Mount Elbert does not seem to get much respect from fourteener lovers. Leadville locals that think Elbert’s neighbor, the more impressive looking Mount Massive (#2 on the list), is more deserving of the top spot, have spawned plans to pile enough rocks to make up the 12 foot difference.