Mount Elbert | Hiking The Highest Peak in Colorado

Hiking the tallest 14er in Colorado at 14,438 feet (4,401m) on September 9, 2023.
Directions to Trailhead:
From Leadville, drive 3 miles south on US Hwy 24. Take Colorado 300 west 3/4 of a mile to Lake County Road 11. Follow signs to Elbert Creek Campground, trailhead is just past the campground. There are also dispersed camping options near the trailhead.
Round Trip Distance: 9.5 miles (15.3m) round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Gain: 4,458 feet (1,359m)
Difficulty: Not very technical but don't underestimate the altitude
Conditions:
Beautiful day
Camera equipment used:
GoPro HERO8 Black (4K30 Wide FOV)

[@n125jt]

Need to come back and finish that hike!

[@atravelpath]

Amazing, what a beautiful day for that too. Surprised how many people were at the peak.

[@AustinsADV]

Thanks, great weather! It’s actually pretty common to have a bunch of people on the top of the peaks out here. They aren’t crowded later in the afternoon, but then weather is more likely to be an issue.

[@gabicerrahikes]

It’s crazy because even though it’s at 14,000 feet, it doesn’t look that big because the towns below are at such a high elevation! It looks like the mountains out here in New England that are like 3-4k feet above the towns. But they are only between 4 to 6000 feet.

[@AustinsADV]

Very true, the nearest town, Leadville is at over 10,100 feet, so around 4,500 feet of elevation gain, so it's similar to what you have out east. 14ers like Longs Peak that are further east feel tall because the towns to the east are at 5,000 feet, so you are over 9,000 feet higher. The trailhead is still at 9,400 feet, they don't want to make things too hard for us, lol.

[@JimL2883]

Any tips for altitude training when you’re living at 2,800’ ? Enjoying the videos!

[@AustinsADV]

Thanks for the compliment on the videos! Are you looking to climb some 14ers? I grew up at low altitude in the Midwest and short of an altitude tent, I don’t know that there is much you can do at 2,800 ft to prepare other than staying active. What usually works once you arrive in a higher altitude area like Colorado is to start out with shorter lower hikes to acclimate, then save the big high altitude ones until the end of the trip.

[@JimL2883]

@@AustinsADV I do plan to tackle some Class 1 or 2 14ers eventually. I will be doing Acatenango, Guatemala next week, which will be my highest at just over 13,000ft. I have been doing all I can to build cardio since I don't have anything over 6,800' around here. Thanks for the info!

[@AustinsADV]

Awesome! Sounds like that will be a fun climb! I think the most important thing is to pace yourself, don’t let your heart rate get too high and stay hydrated.

[@JimL2883]

@@AustinsADV Volcanoes Acatenango and Fuego were amazing. All my training helped make it a great hike. I worked on cardio and stairs as well as a training mask. The altitude didn’t affect my 52 year old self, but my healthy and active daughter hit the wall on the climb. Preparation is everything.

[@AustinsADV]

Thanks for the update, sounds amazing! Looks like you did a great job at preparing. It’s interesting how altitude works, happy to hear it wasn’t an issue. I got altitude sickness once when I was younger and in better shape, not fun.