How the 14ers Got Their Names [Part 3]

Every true Coloradan has made the trek up at least one 14er, some have made the trek up all of them. While the “official” number of 14ers is still debated from time to time, we did the research to determine where the 53 most legitimate ones got their names. For tips on how to climb and where to find each 14er, just click the links! Enjoy!

1. Mount Columbia – 14,077 feet

Part of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, Mount Columbia was named to honor Columbia University in the City of New York. What did they do to deserve the namesake of a Colorado 14er? Their rowing team won a famous English race in 1878, the Henley Royal Regatta.

2. Mount Democrat – 14,155 feet

The naming history of Mount Democrat is another interesting tale. It should be mentioned that while it has gone by both Republic Mountain and Mount Buckskin, “Mount Democrat” was officially selected by miners who didn’t like Republican President Lincoln and really hated that nearby Mount Lincoln was named after him. They changed this peak to Mount Democrat to even the scales.

3. Mount Elbert – 14,440 feet

The tallest mountain in the state, Mount Elbert was named after Samuel Hitt Elbert. Samuel Hitt Elbert was a Colorado statesman that served as Governor of the Territory of Colorado from 1873-1874 and as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Colorado from 1879-1883.

4. Mount Eolus – 14,090 feet

Mount Eolus got its name from the Greek god of wind, but it’s actually a misspelling. The proper word is Aeolus, but this was changed by the Wheeler Survey of 1878.

5. Mount Evans – 14,271 feet

Originally named Mount Rosalie by Albert Bierstadt after a woman he fancied (same Bierstadt that the 14er is named after), the Colorado legislature officially renamed the peak Mount Evans in 1895 after John Evans, the second governor of the Colorado Territory.

6. Mount Harvard – 14,421 feet

This one is simple, it’s named after Harvard University, which makes sense as it’s part of the Collegiate Peaks.

7. Mount Lincoln – 14,239 feet

Mountain Lincoln is another one that’s practically common sense. It’s named after President Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States.

8. Mount Lindsey – 14,048 feet

Once known as Old Baldy, this name was changed to Mount Lindsey in 1954 to honor an influential chaperone of the Juniors of the Colorado Mountain Club, Malcolm Lindsey.

9. Mount Massive – 14,428 feet

Mount Massive’s name comes from it’s long shape, stretching to have over 5 summits that top 14,000 feet. A bitter subject between locals for years, it’s only 12 feet shorter than the tallest mountain in Colorado, Mt. Elbert. This had competitive locals once stacking rocks at Massive’s highest summit in attempt to make their peak taller.

10. Mount Oxford – 14,160 feet

Another mountain in the Collegiate Peaks that’s namesake isn’t much of a surprise, Mount Oxford is named after the University of Oxford.

11. Mount Princeton – 14,197 feet

Following suit with other mountains that make up the Collegiate Peaks, Mount Princeton is named after Princeton University.

Curious about more 14ers? Keep on reading through the links below:

[Part 1] Blanca Peak – Handies Peak

[Part 2] Humboldt Peak – Mount Bross

[Part 4] Mount Shavano – San Luis Peak

[Part 5] Snowmass Mountain – Windom Peak