The 14ers of Colorado, ranked by difficulty
Looking to get into fourteener climbing this summer? It's important that you know how difficult the mountains you're climbing are before you hit the trailhead. Here's a quick rundown of standard route difficulty rankings, as ranked on 14ers.com. Visit their website for detailed accounts of multiple routes up every peak. Doing your own research is key. Additionally, here's a list of a few BASIC tips that can help you get started climbing Colorado's beautiful mountains.
Editor's Note: The lower the ranking on this list gets, the more difficult the standard route to the summit is. However, it's important to remember that no 14er climb is "easy." Be aware of your abilities and know what you're getting into before you start the climb. "Class 1" means fairly standard trail hiking, "Class 2" means possible exposure, lose rock, off-trail hiking, and snow, "Class 3" means scrambling or unroped climbing required, "Class 4" means handholds and footholds will be used for progress with extreme exposure. For a more thorough explanation, click here.
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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58. Handies Peak
Standard Route: Southwest Slopes
Elevation Gain: 2,500 feet
Distance: 5.75 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Photo Credit: Daniel Jensen
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
57. Grays Peak
Standard Route: North Slopes
Elevation Gain: 3000 feet
Distance: 8 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Photo Credit: LinksProductionsLLC (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty hh
56. Quandary Peak
Standard Route: East Ridge
Elevation Gain: 3450 feet
Distance: 6.75 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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55. Mount Elbert
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,700 feet
Distance: 9.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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54. San Luis Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 3,600 feet
Distance: 13.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Photo Credit: Rachael Ketchledge; Reader submission
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
53. Pikes Peak
Standard Route: East Slopes
Elevation Gain: 7,500 feet
Distance: 26 miles
Difficulty: Class 1
Note: While this is a Class 1 climb, it's quite long at 26 miles. For a shorter trip that's also not too exposed, check out the Crags route.
iStock
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
52. Mount Sherman
Standard Route: Southwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 2,100 feet
Distance: 5.25 Miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Spencer McKee
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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51. Mount Bross
Standard Route: West Slopes
Elevation Gain: 2,250 feet
Distance: 3.25 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Notes: Bross is often climbed in a 4-pack with Lincoln, Cameron, and Democrat.
Photo Credit: Matt Vincent
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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50. Mount Cameron
Standard Route: West Ridge
Elevation Gain: 2,250 feet
Distance: 4.75 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Notes: Cameron is often climbed as a 4-pack with Lincoln, Bross, and Democrat.
Photo Credit: paguy14
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
49. Mount Lincoln
Standard Route: West Ridge
Elevation Gain: 2,600 feet
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Adventure_Photo (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
48. Mount Bierstadt
Standard Route: West Slopes
Elevation Gain: 2,850 feet
Distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: SWKrullImaging (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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47. Mount Democrat
Standard Route: East Slope
Elevation Gain: 2,150 feet
Distance: 4 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Mofussy
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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46. Huron Peak
Standard Route: Northwest Slopes
Elevation Gain: 3,500 feet
Distance: 6.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Blake Letourneau
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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45. Torreys Peak
Standard Route: South Slopes
Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet
Distance: 8 miles
Difficult: Class 2
Photo Credit: eschuette1
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
44. Mount Princeton
Standard Route: East Slopes
Elevation Gain: 3,200 feet
Distance: 6.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: jhayes44 (iStock)
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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43. Culebra Peak
Standard Route: Northwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 2,700 feet
Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: David Herrera
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
42. Mount Evans
Standard Route: West Ridge via Mount Spalding
Elevation Gain: 2,000 feet
Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Shogun_X
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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41. Redcloud Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 3,700 feet
Distance: 9 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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40. Mount Belford
Standard Route: Northwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 8 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Simpsora
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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39. Uncompahgre Peak
Standard Route: South Ridge
Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet
Distance: 7.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: due_mele
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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38. Mount Shavano
Standard Route: East Slopes
Elevation Gain: 4,600 feet
Distance: 9 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Jeff Mitton
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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37. Humboldt Peak
Standard Route: West Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,200 feet
Distance: 11 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Meniscus
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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36. Mount Columbia
Standard Route: West Slopes
Elevation Gain: 4,250 feet
Distance: 11.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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35. Mount Yale
Standard Route: Southwest Slopes
Elevation Gain: 4,300 feet
Distance: 9.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: John Fielder
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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34. La Plata Peak
Standard Route: Northwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 9.25 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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33. Sunshine Peak
Standard Route: Via Redcloud Peak
Elevation Gain: 4,800 feet
Distance: 12.25 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Dean Barto
Missouri Mountain
32. Missouri Mountain
Standard Route: Northwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 10.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: jl_2 (Flickr)
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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31. Mount Massive
Standard Route: East Slopes
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 14.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Josh Friesema
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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30. Mount Oxford
Standard Route: Via Mount Belford
Elevation Gain: 5,800 feet
Distance: 11 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: Roger Dellinger
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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29. Tabeguache Peak
Standard Route: Via Mount Shavano
Elevation Gain: 5,600 feet
Distance: 11 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: David Herrera
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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28. Mount Antero
Standard Route: West Slopes
Elevation Gain: 5,200 feet
Distance: 16 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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27. Mount Harvard
Standard Route: South Slopes
Elevation Gain: 4,600 feet
Distance: 14 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: R. Scott Rappold
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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26. Mount of the Holy Cross
Standard Route: North Ridge
Elevation Gain: 5,600 feet
Distance: 12 miles
Difficulty: Class 2
Photo Credit: R. Scott Rappold
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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25. Castle Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,600 feet
Distance: 13.5 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Photo Credit: John Fielder
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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24. Conundrum Peak
Standard Route: Via Castle Peak
Elevation Gain: 4,850 feet
Distance: 14.5 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Photo Credit: Jeremiah LaRocco
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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23. Challenger Point
Standard Route: North Slope
Elevation Gain: 5,400 feet
Distance: 12.5 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Photo Credit: Dave Herrera
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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22. Windom Peak
Standard Route: West Ridge
Elevation Gain: 6,000 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Photo Credit: Aubrey Laurence
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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21. Ellingwood Point
Standard Route: South Face
Elevation Gain: 6,200 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Photo Credit: Alethe88
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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20. Blanca Peak
Standard Route: Northwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 6,500 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 2
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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19. Mount Sneffels
Standard Route: South Slopes
Elevation Gain: 2,900 feet
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy Class 3
Photo Credit: John Fielder
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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18. Mount Lindsey
Standard Route: Northwest Gully
Elevation Gain: 3,500 feet
Distance: 8.25 miles
Difficulty: Easy Class 3
Photo Credit: Meniscus
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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17. Kit Carson Peak
Standard Route: Via Challenger Point
Elevation Gain: 6,250 feet
Distance: 14.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy Class 3
Photo Credit: Fredlyfish4
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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16. Wetterhorn Peak
Standard Route: Southeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 3,300 feet
Distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
15. Longs Peak
Standard Route: Keyhole Route
Elevation Gain: 5,100 feet
Distance: 14.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: Alyssa Barg
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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14. Wilson Peak
Standard Route: Southwest Ridge
Elevation Gain: 5,000 feet
Distance: 10 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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13. North Eolus
Standard Route: South Ridge
Elevation Gain: 6,000 feet
Distance: 16.75 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: Joel
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
12. Mount Eolus
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 6,100 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: robertcicchetti (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
11. El Diente Peak
Standard Route: North Slopes
Elevation Gain: 5,000 feet
Distance: 15 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: EE One
Crestone Peak Spencer McKee
10. Crestone Peak
Standard Route: South Face
Elevation Gain: 5,700 feet
Distance: 14 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: Spencer McKee.
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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9. Maroon Peak
Standard Route: South ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,800 feet
Distance: 11.5 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
8. Crestone Needle
Standard Route: South Face
Elevation Gain: 4,400 feet
Distance: 12 miles
Difficulty: Class 3
Photo Credit: Alex Burke.
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
7. Snowmass Mountain
Standard Route: East Slopes
Elevation Gain: 5,800 feet
Distance: 22 miles
Difficulty: Hard Class 3
Photo Credit: RoschetzkyistockPhoto (iStock)
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
6. North Maroon Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 9.25 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Photo Credit: AndrewSoundarajan (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
5. Pyramid Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 8.25 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Photo Credit: photographix (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
4. Mount Wilson
Standard Route: North Slopes
Elevation Gain: 5,100 feet
Distance: 16 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Photo Credit: Ron and Patty Thomas (iStock).
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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3. Sunlight Peak
Standard Route: South Face
Elevation Gain: 6,000 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Photo Credit: John Fielder
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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2. Little Bear Peak
Standard Route: West Ridge and Southwest Face
Elevation Gain: 6,200 feet
Distance: 14 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Colorado’s 14ers Ranked by Difficulty
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1. Capitol Peak
Standard Route: Northeast Ridge
Elevation Gain: 5,300 feet
Distance: 17 miles
Difficulty: Class 4
Photo Credit: Katie Botwin, OutThere Colorado contributor
(2) comments
It would have helped if you had fixed the identification errors from when this article was first posted. Most glaring example: #4 Mount Wilson is actually Mt. Sneffels from Dallas Divide.
Did Mt. Sherman in my flip flops because I was dumb. Really regretted it on the way down with the straps broken and putting my tender feet on the pointy rocks. Kinda matched my pointy head.
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