Mount Elbert : Ask Biography

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Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America, at 14440 ft (4401.3 m), the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado, and the high point of the Sawatch Range. It is located in Lake County, approximately 10 mi (16.1 km) southwest of Leadville. It lies within the San Isabel National Forest.

The mountain was named after Colorado statesman Samuel Hitt Elbert, who was active in the formative period of the State.

Mount Elbert is the second highest mountain in the contiguous United States, after Mount Whitney in California, and is only 65 ft (19.8 m) shorter than Whitney's 14505 ft (4421.1 m).

There are three main routes up the mountain, all of which gain over 4000 ft (1219.2 m) of elevation. The standard route ascends the peak from the east, starting from the Colorado Trail. The most difficult is the Black Cloud Trail, which takes ten to fourteen hours depending on the pace, and has 5300 ft (1615.4 m) of elevation gain. Nearby fourteeners include Mount Massive to the north and La Plata Peak to the south.