Summary
This fourteener on the Continental Divide west of Denver is a perfect "first-teener" for budding mountaineers.

Location
West of Denver

Hike
Different regions of the country have their own outdoor traditions that reinforce their identities. New Yorkers stroll through Central Park finding new and entertaining ways to complain. People in San Francisco watch the sun set over the ocean and discuss why the rest of the country can't be more like them. And on the Front Range, people climb fourteeners en masse and exchange brief, breathless hellos on the trail, expressing an unspoken understanding that these mountains are truly awesome. For anyone not yet initiated in this tradition, Grays Peak is an excellent choice for a first 14,000-foot summit. The trail is wide and easy to follow, and though it is steep, it doesn't have any scrambling or edging along cliffs like some routes up mountains this size. The trail climbs steeply for the first mile, then relents slightly as it comes into a bowl under Grays Peak, on the left, and Torreys Peak, on the right. Within another mile, the trail starts to climb again. It zig-zags above tree line on the rocky face of Grays Peak. Don't worry about getting lost here. The trail usually has a steady stream of summer hikers to follow. It eventually winds to a saddle at 13,800 feet. From here, turn left and follow a clear trail less than a mile to the top. When you're ready, after soaking up the views, retrace the route down. Parties who have the moxie for another summit can branch off at the saddle and climb less than a mile up Torreys Peak.

To get there
To access the Steven's Gulch trailhead, drive west on I-70 from Denver about 50 miles to the Bakerville exit (221). Turn left and follow a steep dirt road into the gulch. The road is graded, but often rutted and rocky; four-wheel drive is recommended. Hikers with cars may have to park before the trailhead and walk the last mile of the road.

Trip Log
4 boots. 8.5 miles roundtrip. 2,200 feet elevation gain.

Details
This is the highest point on the Continental Divide in the lower 48 states. Snow-free season is usually mid June to mid September. Information: Arapaho National Forest, 1-303-567-3000.
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