Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet ~ Paperback ~ James Dziezynski

Colorado has 53 14ers, more than 600 13ers, and hundreds of other peaks that can be reached without special equipment or expertise. Numerous guides dryly catalog these trails, but Best Summit Hikes in Colorado stands out from them all. Author James Dziezynski has meticulously selected 80+ of the state's absolute best peaks in more than 50 superlative hikes, and his opinionated narrative brings each route to life. Each summit is included because of a notable feature--whether it's the site of a ghost mine or airplane wreckage, has thundering waterfalls or colorful floral meadows, is the best summit for spotting wildlife or bringing out-of-town friends, or is very accessible. Some peaks offer unique opportunities, such as a trailhead accessible only via a steam-powered railroad. Several summits are described in no other publication. Covering all Colorado's major mountain ranges, including the well-known Sangre De Cristo, Gore, Sawatch, Indian Peaks, and Maroon Bell wilderness areas to the lesser-known Grenadiers, Medicine Bow, and Outer San Juan peaks, this distinctive guide makes it easy to select exactly the right hike for the right day, the right mood, and the right companions.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments v Hike Locator Map vi List of Peaks and Elevations vii Preface xi Introduction 1 The Colorado Rocky Mountains 3 Overview 3 Geology and Biology: A Very Brief History 3 Human History in the Colorado Rockies 6 Wildlife 8 Animal Encounters 14 Trees, Plants, Fungi, and Flowers 16 Safety in the Mountains 20 Altitude: This Is Your Brain on Thin Air; Any Questions? 20 Weather: The Wild World Above the Mountains 28 General First Aid 33 Suggested First-Aid Kit 39 Nutrition: Eating Smart 40 Gear 42 Hiking Ethics 47 The 10 Essentials 47 Leave No Trace 47 Trail Ethics 47 Using This Book 49 Driving Directions 49 Vehicle Recommendations 49 GPS 50 Ratings 50 The Hikes 1 James Peak 57 2 Navajo Peak 63 3 Jasper Peak 69 4 Guardians of the Flatirons: Green Mountain, Bear Peak, and South Boulder Peak 75 5 Lead Mountain 81 6 Clark Peak 87 7 Mount Richthofen 91 8 Longs Peak 97 9 Mount Alice 103 10 Mount Ida--Chief Cheley Peak Traverse 109 11 Mount Chapin--Mount Chiquita--Ypsilon Mountain Traverse 115 12 Mount Sniktau--Grizzly Peak Traverse 119 13 The Citadel 123 14 Peak 1--Tenmile Peak Traverse 129 15 Pacific Peak 135 16 Mount Powell 139 17 Deming Mountain 145 18 Stanley Mountain and Vasquez Peak 151 19 Mount Elbert 155 20 Mount Sherman--Gemini Peak--Dyer Mountain Traverse 159 21 Mount Hope 165 22 Huron Peak 169 23 Mount Ouray 173 24 Mount Shavano--Tabeguache Peak Traverse 177 25 Mount Yale 183 26 Fools Peak 187 27 Mount Thomas 193 28 Mount of the Holy Cross 199 29 Bison Peak 205 30 Mount Zirkel 209 31 Hahns Peak 213 32 Geissler Mountain Rimwalk 217 33 Summit Peak 221 34 Hesperus Mountain 227 35 Mount Sopris 233 36 Treasury Mountain 237 37 Belleview Mountain 241 38 East Beckwith Mountain--Far East Peak Traverse 245 39 West Spanish Peak 251 40 Blanca Peak--Ellingwood Point Traverse 257 41 Mount Adams 263 42 Eureka Mountain--Hermit Peak 269 43 Chicago Basin 14er Circuit: Windom Peak-- Sunlight Peak--Mount Eolus 275 44 Cross Mountain--Base of Lizard Head Traverse 281 45 Storm King Peak 287 46 Uncompahgre Peak 293 47 Redcloud Peak--Sunshine Peak Traverse 297 48 Golden Horn 303 49 Mount Sneffels 310 50 Lone Cone 315 Afterword: Hike Your Heart Out 320 Appendix A: "Best" Hikes and Others of Note 322 Appendix B: Mountain Miscellany 328 Appendix C: Colorado's 100 Highest Peaks 331 Appendix D: Works Consulted/Recommended Reading 335 Index 336 About the Author 339