Easiest Winter 14ers in Colorado

What are the easiest Winter 14ers?  This is a question I get asked ALL THE TIME and I am finally going to tackle it in this blog post. Let’s first start with this, there are no easy winter 14ers. If you haven’t already, check out my video on Winter hiking tips and Spring hiking tips as there are a ton of helpful information that I won’t cover here. Without further rambling, here is my list of the easiest winter 14ers, these are not ranked in any way. 

Easiest Winter 14ers: Tenmile Range

Quandary Peak

When reading about the easiest winter 14ers, almost all of the lists have Quandary on it. A few reasons for this: the TH access is almost identical to the summer, avalanche risk is fairly low and the best factor is that it is SUPER popular during winter months. This means that you will likely not be breaking trail. In addition, additional gear (technical gear) is not usually required for this hike making it super attractive for more beginner hikers.  As of 2022, winter parking reservations are not required, but that will likely change in the future. More information about parking and the winter hike can be found here. Quandary is a great option for those looking to ski or board down. 

Easiest Winter 14ers: Front Range

Mt Bierstadt

One of the most popular summer 14ers also makes my list of easiest winter 14ers. The hike up Mt Bierstadt in the winter starts on the seasonally closed Guanella Pass. Usually, this means at least 4 additional miles of hiking up the closed road. However, once you reach the summer TH, the hiking is almost the same as the non-snowy months. In some ways the trail through the willows and frozen creeks can be more direct. You may need snowshoes and even microspikes but other than that, the hike is fairly straightforward. Unlike some of the other mountains on this list, Bierstadt usually gets very windblown and sees relatively less snow than other 14ers. Check out more information on a winter hike up Mt Bierstadt here. 

Pikes Peak

You would have to really like pain to attempt the standard route up this 14er in the winter, but luckily Pikes Peak has an alternative to the Barr Trail, its northwest slopes route. This 14er makes the easiest winter 14er route because the mountain usually has fairly low levels of snow, requires minimal additional winter gear and best of all, can be a one way hike if you have someone to snag you on the summit as the road stays open year round. However, this is one of the longer winter 14er routes on this list at over 16 miles with the road closure. If you do get a ride down from the top, you will need to shuttle to the other side of the mountain back to your car. Worst case scenario, the buildings on top could provide you with a break from the weather or a spot to snag some food and water. Check the weather before attempting this hike because Pikes Peak can get VERY windy in the winter. 

Easiest Winter 14ers: Mosquito Range

DeCaLiBron

The DeCaLiBron, otherwise known as Mt Democrat, Mt Cameron, Mt Lincoln and Mt Bross is the next group of mountains on doable winter 14ers. When looking at these four 14ers, the easiest one to tackle would be Mt Bross or Mt Democrat. However, with the right conditions, you could easily tackle all four of these 14ers. Unlike most of the other mountains on this list of easiest winter 14ers, Bross and parts of the other mountains are privately owned. If you are not familiar with privately owned 14ers, read more here, but essentially it makes these mountains very unpredictable in terms of access. Outside of trespassing, trailhead access adds a few miles to the winter closure and both Democrat and Bross do have sections where avalanches can occur. Knowing the avalanche forecast and terrain is crucial for this hike. These four 14ers can also get very windblown meaning that snow may not be consistent on the ground and could lead to deep pockets of snow. Snowshoes, microspikes and maybe even crampons are needed for this one during most attempts. Check out my trip up Mt Bross during the winter here. Mt Bross has a few gullies that are great to board down and so does Democrat. However, taking these puts hikers into higher avalanche risk. 

Mt Sherman

Mt Sherman during the winter is probably the biggest wildcard on this list of easiest winter 14ers. The reason? Trailhead access. Like most mountains in Colorado, this hike starts from a Forest Service Road that is not maintained during winter months. Low snow year? You could easily get close to the TH making this the easiest of all winter 14ers. Lots of snow? This one turns into a SLOG. Mt Sherman during the winter has two options, from the east side (standard route) or west side. I have only hiked this from the east side which has low avalanche risk and a more direct route up to the summit. The standard route is usually guarded by a large cornice which forces hikers to change course. Sherman can have lower levels of snow up high, but usually requires at least microspikes and snowshoes to hike. Crampons may be necessary depending on how “bulletproof” the snow is. Mt Sherman can be a nice option to ski or board down, but you do need somewhat high levels of snow which turns the hike into a slog. 

Easiest Winter 14ers: Sawatch Range

Mt Elbert

Similar to many 14ers on this list, Mt Elbert has an alternative route to the standard summer version to tackle its summit during the winter months. For a winter attempt of Colorado’s highest peak, take the East Ridge route. This trail avoids avalanche terrain and starts from a TH which hikers can get to year round. Sure, you have to hike an extra 3-4 miles vs a summer start, but this one is also very well traveled which means a lower chance of breaking trail (the hardest part about winter hiking). Mt Elbert winter hike starts from Twin Lakes and uses the Colorado Trail before heading up towards the summit. Snow on this one can get VERY deep before you reach the ridge so snowshoes are a must. Once through the trees, hiking can vary from wind drifted snow to hard packed snow which microspikes can usually handle. Elbert can also get very windy which means that a ski or snowboard descent can be tough. Read more about a winter hike up Elbert here. 

Easiest Winter 14ers: Sangre de Cristo Range

Culebra Peak

The final mountain on my easiest Winter 14ers list is Culebra Peak. I know this one might ruffle some feathers because paying to hike a mountain is not a loved idea in the hiking community. However, Winter can be the best time to hike Culebra if you want to because it’s usually a time of year where the privately owned 14er owners allow hikers. The Sangre de Cristo Mountain range has a load of wind and usually relatively low snow. Trailhead access? Well, that depends on where the ranch owners allow you to start. If you start from the ranch HQ check-in, 14 miles. If you can drive higher, subtract 4-5 miles or so. In either case, this mountain is not technical but without an established trail, hikers need to have a map, GPS and know the general direction on where to head. Read more about a winter hike up 14er Culebra Peak here. 

Winter 14er Honorable Mentions

Some other mountains to mention when talking about easiest winter 14ers would be Mt Evans, Humboldt Peak, La Plata Peak, Mt Princeton and Mt Antero. If you are looking for a SLOG of a hike near the Front Range of Colorado, look no further than Mt Evans. For this version, you will have to hike from Echo Lake which will make your day 17+ miles. Expect lots of snow and some avalanche risk. Snowshoes are a must for this one in addition to lots of food, water and layers. This would not be my first choice for a winter 14er. Humboldt Peak is a hell of a hike during the winter at over 13 miles and 5,600ft of elevation gain. I have not done this one myself, but know that trail finding is going to be key for this. La Plata Peak is one that I have done during the winter and requires extra careful route finding, technical gear and good avalanche knowledge. Even the winter route is loaded with avalanche terrain and this route will have VERY deep snow almost the entire hike from the car to the summit. Finally, Mt Princeton and Mt Antero which biggest challenge lies in the extra hiking and dealing with snow to get up their summer roads. You could get lucky on both Princeton or Antero during the winter and be able to drive some way up the road but in both instances, parking is non-existent and could present its own logistical challenges. I mention both though because snow levels are relatively low which translate to low avi risk as well. 

There you have it, my list of easiest winter 14ers. As I said at the start, none of these hikes are easy. In fact, most of these are harder than even some of the more moderate 14ers during dry conditions. However, if you want to hike a winter 14er, I would start here. Missed one or have you hiked one of the mountains on this list? Let me know in the comments below!