So I generally shy away from 14ers as the tourists crap everywhere on the trail leaving toilet paper widely seen For those visiting please dig a cathole 6 inches deep and PACK your toilet paper out Elbert is a wonderful trail well maintained and easy to hike...compared to Capitol or Longs. Start early 5-6am Bring 2-3 liters of water, snacks,and proper layers of clothing 2nd highest peak in the continuous United States read more

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Despite not being as challenging as some 14ers, Mount Elbert near Leadville can be an unforgettable experience. At ten miles roundtrip with a 4,700' gain, the Class One will still remind your body it's not just a walk-up. This time of year, temps can be absolutely perfect -- or bitter cold -- and potentially hypothermia-inducing if you get soaked. We're getting into the shoulder season a bit early, so know your route, target summit time and weather conditions to be faced before embarking. Depending on experience, for some hikers, the forecast probably already makes this a no-go. read more

Summiting the tallest mountain in Colorado. Second tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. This was a challenging hike. With spectacular views and a nice accomplishment to check off my bucket list. I did a few months of training in preparation. I am very glad I did. It made the hike much more enjoyable. The views of the alpine terrain, mountains and trees were breathtaking! The trail was very well maintained. My recipe for success: Train up prior, made it easier Planning according to weather reports Early start in order to be back to tree line by noon Carb load the night before, I ate pizza Canned iced coffee morning Water Energy gummies Sturdy boots read more

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Very steep very difficult climb, but a very fun challenge nonetheless. Lost my partner on the way up, the workers working on the mountain were very kind and help send up a message to me that my friend was alive and safe about halfway down the mountain. Beautiful views and literally being the highest person in the US in one way possibly two ways at one point. read more

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This is the highest 14er in Colorado, which makes it feel like such a huge accomplishment to summit! Although that may sound daunting, this is a very doable 14er and one of my friends in my group did this as her first one (she did so well!). The road up is 2WD and there's lots of places to park even if the lot is full. They have restrooms at the trailhead and I found the trail easy to follow. We did the north trail, which is standard route. No bouldering needed, just keep hiking! There are a few false summits...why you got to tease us like that Elbert? But it makes the real summit that much more exciting! It's a pretty one, not the prettiest in my opinion, but very nice. Clocked the trip around 11miles and over 4K elevation! read more

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Arrived on Saturday morning at 6:00 am. Lot was full. Just FYI there is not really a way to turn around in the lot. Or maybe people were parked wonky the day I came in. I had to back out which was not so fun. Small dirt lot. Cars were lining the road already in both directions. There is bathrooms at the lot. No dog poop bags or trash cans. Be sure to plan on packing out what you pack in. Including your dogs poop (and your own ;) ) Trail is well maintained. Through the treeline is a nice trail. Moderatly gradual incline until 12,000 feet. After that it does get more steep and as you get closer to false summits more rocky. There ARE 2 false summits. You can not see the actual peak until you are nearly to the top of the 2nd false summit. The 2 false summits are the beast of this hike. Once you get to the top of the 2nd false summit, it is a easy jaunt over to the peak. There is a geological marker on this peak. Due to the amount of people coming down was a little tricky as my pace coming down seemed to be a lot faster than many others. If you have someone coming up behind you, please do be kind and just let them pass you verses making them just walk behind you. Also UPHILL has the right of way. On our way up so many people did not seem to understand that rule and the downhill folks were more than happy to try to plow us over. If you are going to hike, be sure to understand the common courtesy of being out on the mountain. Beautiful hike! not sure if i will be back again. But thought it was lovely!!!! Plenty of dispersed camping around if you want to try to do that so you are closer to the lot. Road coming into this 14er is not that bad. I would say pretty accessible for all types of vehicles. read more

Absolutely amazing hike! This was my first time hiking a 14nr, so I had no experience of what it would be like, and it was difficult to say the least! You gain over 4500 feet in elevation, and this is the highest peak in the rock mountains in North America. That constant incline was killer but not impossible! They are doing lots of construction on the trail, which will likely make it safer and / or easier to navigate. Im pretty scared of heights thankfully there was only a short section that was on a cliff edge, and the hiking poles helped me feel secure. There are 2 false summits, so don't feel let down when you reach them and have to keep going, the last false summit is very close to the top! The views at the top make it worthwhile, you can see for miles, including the beautiful twin lakes. This hike was overall 10.5 miles and took 8.5hrs to complete, I took lots of breaks for snacks and rest, but im a native so the altitude wasn't a problem for me but could be for others. Make sure to bring plenty of water and food! I recommend this hike, but maybe not for your first 14nr if you are not acclimated to this altitude. read more

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Mount Elbert's views are stunning, but don't be fooled by this class 1, it is a beast. Worth the 9.5 miles/14,440 climb?...Absolutely! However, I would not recommend this for someone's first 14er or for someone not acclimated to higher altitude. Like any 14er, you have to make sure you arrive to the trailhead early. I would not recommend starting past 6am because storms roll in around noon/1pm, and if you're above tree line, you are in big trouble. If you don't live close by, I highly recommend taking advantage of the dispersed camping nearby - there is a ton of it. We were originally going to stay at Elbert Creek Campground, but each site ($20 per site) only allows 2 tents, and we had a bigger group. You can easily find a camping spot close to the trailhead for free - most spots have fire rings too (extra bonus). We camped, got to the trailhead at 6, and started to climb. The cons: The false summits - about 3 - that will kick you in the gut. Just when you think you're there, you see the next climb. The hike is also long - about 9.5 miles. If you think summiting was tough, the walk down is just as brutal because your knees will be on fire. Altitude sickness also hits the best of them on this hike - multiple people on my hike (who live in Denver and who have climbed 14ers) felt dizzy, had headaches, had trouble breathing, and one even vomited (tip: bring an oxygen can and lots of water/Gatorade). The pros: THE VIEWS ARE BREATHTAKING. Thew view of Twin Lakes and the other mountains are phenomenal. It's pretty awesome to be able to climb the tallest peak in Colorado/2nd tallest peak in the contiguous US. Also, the trail through the woods is amazing, and the path is pretty well kept. Mile 2 going up is the best because it's pretty flat. I definitely recommend hiking Elbert to people who have climbed a 14er before. If you're looking for your 1st 14er, consider Bierstadt or Quandary. read more

People whine about this hike. It's a 14er. You can't knock it for the weather or how hard it is people. Or the parking. The hiking trail itself is legit. Clean. Easy to navigate. It gets a bit vague after mile 4 but if you really look for what I call the goat trail it's easy to see. Parking: I was reading people get there at 1am. 4am. Ect. Insanely early! I guess it all depends on your fitness level, how close you are commuting and day of the week you go. I went on a Wednesday. Hit the lot at about 0504. There's only about 60ish spots in the lot. When we got there, about 15 to20 spots left. I can't even imagine trying to do this thing on a weekend or any day attached to it. Hike itself? Started about 0519. Only needed my flashlight for about 10mins. I personally didn't think it got hard til around mile 4. It is challenging don't get it twisted. Espeically if you are not a cardio athlete (legs) and/or not acclimated. I say start early to avoid the sun cuz the last couple miles are out of the treeline. Made it up in 2h23m. Down in 1h51m. That's fast for reference. I passed 37 people. Only about 5 on top that beat me that started before me. Weather? Most days in this area for this time of year consist of sun with garanteed thunderstorms in the afternoon. I was out there about 4 days. It appeared thunderstorms ranged from starting around 11am to 2pm. Every day. You should start the hike early just based on that. We passed people coming up around 930 to 1015 and I thought: they aren't gonna beat the weather. That's day it started pounding rain around 11. Views? The views from Mount Lincoln are better I think lol I know that's gonna hurt yelpers and Colorado people's feelings but it's true. Its just doesnt have that "auro" about the view. Way better views from Lincoln. And, Lincoln has a WAY harder mile section than this hike. Should you do it? Yes. Just for the credit of conquering the highest peak in CO. Take pictures. Wear a hat. Start early. Be proud of yourself. read more

5 star experience to be sure! We started out from the trailhead in the middle of the night to make it to the top by sunrise. The trail is well maintained and easy to follow, even in the dark! The false peaks are always a bit of a letdown, but nothing could rain in my parade today! My fiancé and I said our vows at the top, and since you can self-solemnize in Colorado, now he's my husband! We had a fantastic day, everyone on the mountain was so nice, and we're excited to share this story for the rest of our lives together! read more

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Didn't know I could recommend a mountain! See it, snap pics, & hike it. We love our mountains and you will too. Please just be sure to leave no trace that you came, pack it in, pack it out :) read more

This was not easy at all, so heed this warning: if you've never climbed a mountain before, do not make this your first one. By all accounts, I would have summited many mountains of lesser difficulty with the same preparation and less effort. Coming from Kansas City, we geared up at the REI near our home. The store told us to bring various things, survival equipment, Osprey daypacks, Three-Liter Hydration bladders, layers of clothing, food, etc. Hauling thirty pounds of equipment up 2,000 ft. elevation is arduous to say the least, and that's only to the tree line - the halfway point. The drive from Leadville to the uppermost north trailhead is about 30 minutes - Mostly highway, but then it turns into a gravel road. It's a washboard road, which means it has the most softball-sized potholes you will ever encounter. I drove a little fast to compensate, and it was smoother. Get stuck behind an impala driving it, and you will feel each hole that the 5 mph car in front of you is forced to travel. First off, this hike is nearly a 4,500 ft. elevation, uphill, at about a thirty-degree grade for most of it. Entering the forest is beautiful for about 3 or so hours, but don't be fooled; that first half of the hike from the parking lot at 10,195 ft. elevation, through the forest, and to the tree line of 12,200 feet is nothing compared to what awaits - a high school field trip hiked this near us, and were annoyingly camped at the tree line. Once you arrive at the tree line, you break for reconfigure, and then you finally get to see the rock path separating you from glory: 2,200 or so feet of desolate tundra, and speckles of people dotting the formidable horizon above on their journey up or down. If you're not acclimated by now - having slept above 10k for more than a day or so - you will not be feeling very good about now. Take Ibuprofen, or Advil in American talk - it helped tremendously on my hiking journey through Colorado. The problem isn't one of having less oxygen to breathe; the oxygen levels are the same on Elbert as on the beach in Miami. The problem is, the oxygen molecules are farther apart the higher you go, so it's harder to capture the adequate amount required by your hemo/myoglobin for oxygenating body tissue. The resulting effect is that if you're not a high-altitude human by nature, 10 steps uphill will feel like 100 steps uphill. Reaching the tree line with my trekking poles (Essential!) was taxing, but climbing the rocky tundra to the top is downright miserable with a thirty-pound daypack, layers of clothing, and trekking poles. The wind is unforgiving, freezing, and relentless. When you make it to a section guarded by a hill, the wind stops and you have to take off your windproof jacket because you sweat; this transition is all very laborious, and repetitious. Humans were not made for this environment, nor was a tree. You must stay hydrated so that you don't dehydrate and get AMS - cold, fast wind and exercise above 12k will dehydrate you faster than walking in the Sahara. After many breaks, many self-deprecating admonishments, and 3,400 ft. elevation gain, I ran out of water. I am 6 ft. 200 lbs. I drank 3 liters of water in the six hours it took us to climb within one thousand feet of the summit. Many people coming back down from the summit stopped and told me from my point, it should take a little over an hour to climb the rest of the way, but that I should turn back. These kind souls coming down actually gave me much of their water reserves for my return trip, and then they ran down after. A common theme of success I found was that lighter people, runner types, with a small camelback and some food in a bag, running shoes, no trekking poles, and shorts, made it to the top and back in record time. I was prepared for an arduous hike, but too prepared. Although I suspect that the four hours it took to carefully lower myself down the mountain with trekking poles saved my knees, opposed to those many runners that were training for parkour. For heaven sakes, my palms were bruised from the sticks alone - my palms! All in all, the views from 13,600 feet are nearly as nice as those from 14,433 - I've heard. A 6:30 a.m. trailhead start left us arriving back at our vehicle at around 4:45 p.m. The sunken cost fallacy is a killer; in my respect, you ascend just ten more feet, and find out what you're made of. Past all the nonsense, and opinion, and strife, you find truth in your humanity, and the limits to your resolve. Mine was surprising and exciting to me, and I'm okay with not summiting. Climb as I did, and you'll know what I mean. I don't think I'll do it again, but it probably changed my character in some way for the better, so it was worth it. Try to go light, fast, and full of water. Take tasty and delicious snacks, but don't bring Gorp. I did, and now I can't eat it: the Pavlovian effect is strong in me, if you understand. Ten hours. But remember, what goes up hill, must come down, and down, and down. read more

Climbing Mount Elbert, the highest summit in Colorado, and the second highest in the Continental United States at 14,440ft., was a three day strenu- joyous adventure. Approaching from the east after a stop in Leadville for supplies, and setting up base camp at Beaver Creek, I slept like a hibernating ursa in the shadow of the giant, knowing that 4:00 am would arrive too soon, and by the light of dawn we would begin our serious ascent. The climb was only 4,100 feet from where we lay, but with questionable weather, and a serious oxygen deficit for a flatlander, I had reservations about our plan to go after Elbert first, and then Mount Massive, its baby brother just down the Sawatch Range, the next day. Even though smaller by 12 feet, Massive turned out to be the harder lift. Oh, but the view from the summit was like standing in Heaven. Everything was below us; eagles and clouds. The geology of the mountain showed it to be both glacial, fire bred, and high pressure metamorphic. It looked different than the mountains surrounding it - without the north face jagged bowl orientation, and lacking heavy snow cover. The rock at the summit a tortured schist that 2 billion years ago was at the bottom of the what the glaciers gouged out and ripped apart. One of the HIGHlights of my life. read more

This was my very first 14'er. I massively underestimated the leg strength required to hike up this beast. My friend and I went, well prepared. We wore layers, packed plenty of food and water. We're both in okay shape but getting up was a struggle due to the altitude. The roundtrip took me 9.5 hours with tons of stops. We parked at the upper trailhead on the eastern route. This definitely requires an SUV though I saw some small sedans (corolla) make it up there (not sure how). I will definitely be back climbing more 14'ers soon! read more

Coming from Wisconsin (1000 ft above sea level) this was a most difficult trek. We made it to about 200 feet of the first false summit and decided to turn back. We got a late start and a storm was on the horizon. My two lessons from this are start early (by 6 AM) and be fit. read more