Mount Elbert
Leadville, CO
Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert is not the most scenic fourteener in Colorado, but it can certainly hold its own-and it does happen to be the highest mountain in the state! The peak was named in 1871 after Samuel Elbert, the territorial governor of Colorado, and it was first climbed 3 years later by members of the Hayden Survey Expedition. At that time no one realized that Mount Elbert was the highest peak in Colorado. That honor was mistakenly bestowed upon Pikes Peak and later upon Mount Massive. We now know, however, that the stately Mount Elbert is not only the highest peak in Colorado, but it is the second loftiest summit outside Alaska in the entire United States. Only Mount Whitney in California is higher.
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Directions to: Mount Elbert
print directionsTrail Statistics & Information
| Activity | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Nearby City | Leadville |
| Length | 8.8 mi |
| Elevation Gain | 4,400 ft |
| Skill Level | Well marked, easy to follow. |
| Duration | 7.5 hours |
| Season | Midsummer through mid-fall. The higher parts of the trail are usually covered with snow from November through early July. |
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