Fourteener

The Maroon Bells: Maroon Peak (14,156 feet) and North Maroon Peak (14,014 feet). They are some of the most photographed peaks in Colorado and are among the most difficult "Fourteeners" to summit.

Main article: Mountain peaks of the United States

This article is about mountains. For the concept in poetry, see Fourteener (poetry). For the NBA Development League team, see Colorado 14ers.

In mountaineering terminology in the United States, a fourteener is a mountain that meets or exceeds an elevation of above mean sea level. Colorado has the majority of fourteeners in the contiguous United States (53), followed by California, which has the second largest group of such peaks in the lower 48 states (12). Climbing all of Colorado's fourteeners is a popular pastime among peak baggers; another popular target is climbing all of the fourteeners in the contiguous United States. Various ski mountaineers have completed ski descents of all the Colorado fourteeners, and the first attempts are being made to complete ski descents of all U.S. fourteeners.

Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface. Topographic prominence is the elevation difference between the summit and the highest or key col to a higher summit. Topographic isolation is the minimum great circle distance to a point of higher elevation.

All elevations in the 48 states of the contiguous United States include an elevation adjustment from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). If a summit elevation or prominence has a range of values, the arithmetic mean is cited.

Qualification criteria

Not all summits over 14,000 feet qualify as fourteeners. Summits which qualify are those considered by mountaineers to be independent. Objective standards for independence include topographic prominence and isolation (distance from a higher summit), or a combination of the two. However, fourteener lists do not always consistently use such objective rules.

A rule commonly used by mountaineers in the contiguous United States is that a peak must have at least 300 feet (91 m) of prominence to qualify. By this rule, Colorado has 53 fourteeners, California has 12, and Washington has two.

According to the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, it is standard in Alaska to use a 500-foot (150 m) prominence rule rather than a 300-foot (91 m) rule. By this rule, Alaska has at least 21 peaks over 14,000 feet (4,267 m) and its 12 highest peaks exceed 15,000 feet (4,572 m).

For comparison, Canada has 15 fourteeners, and Mexico has 8; however, the importance of the 14,000-foot mark is minimal outside of the U.S. (due in large part to the otherwise universal usage of the metric system). In Europe, a 2,500-metre (8,202 ft) peak would be considered high (similar to the 10,000 feet mark in the U.S.), and it is very common to attempt to climb all of the independent 4,000-metre (13,123 ft) peaks in the Alps; that pastime roughly corresponds to fourteener-bagging in the U.S.

14ers.com is a free website created to document information on Colorado 14ers, as well as inform climbers of current conditions on these mountains. The site has numerous current photos of mountains as well as an extremely active community on its forums.

Table

The United States Fourteeners
The 89 mountain peaks of the United States with at least 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) of elevation and at least 300 feet (91.44 m) of prominence

Rank	Mountain Peak	State	Mountain Range	Elevation	Prominence	Isolation	Location
1	Denali	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003619353600000000♠20,320 ft 6194 m	7003614900000000000♠20,174 ft 6149 m	7006745024000000000♠4,629 mi 7,450 km
2	Denali North Peak	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003593445600000000♠19,470 ft 5934 m	7002402336000000000♠1,320 ft 402 m	7003280000000000000♠1.74 mi 2.80 km
3	Mount Saint Elias	Alaska Yukon	Saint Elias Mountains	7003548883800000000♠18,008 ft 5489 m	7003342900000000000♠11,250 ft 3429 m	7004411900000000000♠25.6 mi 41.2 km
4	Mount Foraker	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003530352000000000♠17,400 ft 5304 m	7003220980000000000♠7,250 ft 2210 m	7004229600000000000♠14.27 mi 23.0 km
5	Mount Bona	Alaska	Saint Elias Mountains	7003504444000099999♠16,550 ft 5044 m	7003210312000000000♠6,900 ft 2103 m	7004800400000000000♠49.7 mi 80.0 km
6	Mount Blackburn	Alaska	Wrangell Mountains	7003499567200099999♠16,390 ft 4996 m	7003354787200000000♠11,640 ft 3548 m	7004976400000000000♠60.7 mi 97.6 km
7	Mount Blackburn Southeast Peak	Alaska	Wrangell Mountains	7003496397300000000♠16,286 ft 4964 m	7002163373000000000♠536 ft 163 m	7003247000000000000♠1.53 mi 2.47 km
8	Mount Sanford	Alaska	Wrangell Mountains	7003494903800099999♠16,237 ft 4949 m	7003234299800000000♠7,687 ft 2343 m	7004647900000000000♠40.3 mi 64.8 km
9	Denali South Buttress	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003484174800099999♠15,885 ft 4842 m	7001960120000000000♠315 ft 96 m	7003409000000000000♠2.54 mi 4.09 km
10	Mount Vancouver South Peak	Alaska Yukon	Saint Elias Mountains	7003478000000000000♠15,682 ft 4780 m	7002120000000000000♠394 ft 120 m	7003263000000000000♠1.63 mi 2.63 km
11	Mount Churchill	Alaska	Saint Elias Mountains	7003476646200000000♠15,638 ft 4766 m	7002346862000000000♠1,138 ft 347 m	7003416000000000000♠2.58 mi 4.16 km
12	Mount Fairweather (Fairweather Mountain)	Alaska British Columbia	Saint Elias Mountains	7003467106000000000♠15,325 ft 4671 m	7003396100000000000♠12,995 ft 3961 m	7005200730000000000♠124.7 mi 201 km
13	Mount Hubbard	Alaska Yukon	Saint Elias Mountains	7003455676000000000♠14,950 ft 4557 m	7003245700000000000♠8,061 ft 2457 m	7004343500000000000♠21.3 mi 34.4 km
14	Mount Bear	Alaska	Saint Elias Mountains	7003452048900099999♠14,831 ft 4520 m	7003154000000000000♠5,052 ft 1540 m	7004323500000000000♠20.1 mi 32.4 km
15	Denali East Buttress	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003448970400000000♠14,730 ft 4490 m	7002115824000000000♠380 ft 116 m	7003240000000000000♠1.49 mi 2.40 km
16	Mount Hunter	Alaska	Alaska Range	7003444185000000000♠14,573 ft 4442 m	7003141671000000000♠4,648 ft 1417 m	7004110700000000000♠6.88 mi 11.07 km
17	Mount Whitney	California	Sierra Nevada	7003442100000000000♠14,505 ft 4421 m	7003307200000000000♠10,079 ft 3072 m	7006264947000000000♠1,646 mi 2,649 km
18	Mount Alverstone	Alaska Yukon	Saint Elias Mountains	7003441960000000000♠14,500 ft 4420 m	7002594360000000000♠1,950 ft 594 m	7003362000000000000♠2.25 mi 3.62 km
19	University Peak	Alaska	Saint Elias Mountains	7003441045600000000♠14,470 ft 4410 m	7002978408000000000♠3,210 ft 978 m	7003597000000000000♠3.71 mi 5.97 km
20	Aello Peak	Alaska	Saint Elias Mountains	7003440283600000000♠14,445 ft 4403 m	7002440436000000000♠1,445 ft 440 m	7003632000000000000♠3.93 mi 6.32 km
21	Mount Elbert	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003440120000000000♠14,440 ft 4401 m	7003277150000000000♠9,093 ft 2772 m	7006107916000000000♠671 mi 1,079 km
22	Mount Massive	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003439760700000000♠14,428 ft 4398 m	7002598018000000000♠1,962 ft 598 m	7003815000000000000♠5.06 mi 8.15 km
23	Mount Harvard	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003439740000099999♠14,427 ft 4397 m	7002709300000000000♠2,327 ft 709 m	7004240100000000000♠14.92 mi 24.0 km
24	Mount Rainier	Washington	Cascade Range	7003439438700000000♠14,417 ft 4394 m	7003403433300000000♠13,236 ft 4034 m	7006117672000000000♠731 mi 1,177 km
25	Mount Williamson	California	Sierra Nevada	7003438580700000000♠14,389 ft 4386 m	7002511150000000000♠1,677 ft 511 m	7003870000000000000♠5.41 mi 8.70 km
26	Blanca Peak	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003437411100000000♠14,351 ft 4374 m	7003162336500000000♠5,326 ft 1623 m	7005166360000000000♠103.4 mi 166.4 km
27	La Plata Peak	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003437170000000000♠14,343 ft 4372 m	7002567232999900000♠1,861 ft 567 m	7004101000000000000♠6.28 mi 10.10 km
28	Uncompahgre Peak	Colorado	San Juan Mountains	7003436500000000000♠14,321 ft 4365 m	7003130360000099999♠4,277 ft 1304 m	7005136890000000000♠85.1 mi 136.9 km
29	Crestone Peak	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003435857200000000♠14,300 ft 4359 m	7003138805900000000♠4,554 ft 1388 m	7004440700000000000♠27.4 mi 44.1 km
30	Mount Lincoln	Colorado	Mosquito Range	7003435650000000000♠14,293 ft 4357 m	7003117710000099999♠3,862 ft 1177 m	7004363100000000000♠22.6 mi 36.3 km
31	Castle Peak	Colorado	Elk Mountains	7003435220000000000♠14,279 ft 4352 m	7002720900000000000♠2,365 ft 721 m	7004337100000000000♠20.9 mi 33.7 km
32	Grays Peak	Colorado	Front Range	7003435200000000000♠14,278 ft 4352 m	7002844000000000000♠2,769 ft 844 m	7004402700000000000♠25.0 mi 40.3 km
33	Mount Antero	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003435140000099999♠14,276 ft 4351 m	7002762900000000000♠2,503 ft 763 m	7004285600000000000♠17.75 mi 28.6 km
34	Torreys Peak	Colorado	Front Range	7003435100000000000♠14,275 ft 4351 m	7002171000000000000♠561 ft 171 m	7003105000000000000♠0.65 mi 1.05 km
35	Quandary Peak	Colorado	Tenmile Range	7003434990000099999♠14,271 ft 4350 m	7002342900000000000♠1,125 ft 343 m	7003509000000000000♠3.16 mi 5.09 km
36	Mount Evans	Colorado	Front Range	7003434800000000000♠14,265 ft 4348 m	7002843990000000000♠2,769 ft 844 m	7004157600000000000♠9.79 mi 15.76 km
37	Longs Peak	Colorado	Front Range	7003434600000000000♠14,259 ft 4346 m	7002896000000000000♠2,940 ft 896 m	7004701900000000000♠43.6 mi 70.2 km
38	Mount Wilson	Colorado	San Miguel Mountains	7003434408000000000♠14,252 ft 4344 m	7003122651500000000♠4,024 ft 1227 m	7004532100000000000♠33.1 mi 53.2 km
39	White Mountain Peak	California	White Mountains	7003434400000000000♠14,252 ft 4344 m	7003219330000000000♠7,196 ft 2193 m	7005108550000000000♠67.4 mi 108.6 km
40	North Palisade	California	Sierra Nevada	7003434282900000000♠14,248 ft 4343 m	7002882091000000000♠2,894 ft 882 m	7004517600000000000♠32.2 mi 51.8 km
41	Mount Shavano	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003433770000000000♠14,231 ft 4338 m	7002493500000000000♠1,619 ft 494 m	7003609000000000000♠3.78 mi 6.09 km
42	Mount Princeton	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003432930000000000♠14,204 ft 4329 m	7002663600000000000♠2,177 ft 664 m	7003836000000000000♠5.19 mi 8.36 km
43	Mount Belford	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003432910000000000♠14,203 ft 4329 m	7002407500000000000♠1,337 ft 408 m	7003531000000000000♠3.30 mi 5.31 km
44	Crestone Needle	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003432900900000000♠14,203 ft 4329 m	7002139294000000000♠457 ft 139 m	7002720000000000000♠0.45 mi 0.72 km
45	Mount Yale	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003432880000000000♠14,202 ft 4329 m	7002577900000000000♠1,896 ft 578 m	7003893000000000000♠5.55 mi 8.93 km
46	Mount Shasta	California	Cascade Range	7003432180000000000♠14,179 ft 4322 m	7003299680000000000♠9,832 ft 2997 m	7005538680000000000♠335 mi 539 km
47	Mount Bross	Colorado	Mosquito Range	7003432160000000000♠14,178 ft 4322 m	7001951000000000000♠312 ft 95 m	7003160000000000000♠0.99 mi 1.60 km
48	Kit Carson Mountain	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003431926500000000♠14,171 ft 4319 m	7002312420000000000♠1,025 ft 312 m	7003208000000000000♠1.29 mi 2.08 km
49	Maroon Peak	Colorado	Elk Mountains	7003431700000000000♠14,163 ft 4317 m	7002712000000000000♠2,336 ft 712 m	7004129700000000000♠8.06 mi 12.97 km
50	Mount Wrangell	Alaska	Wrangell Mountains	7003431688200099999♠14,163 ft 4317 m	7003171084200000000♠5,613 ft 1711 m	7004238100000000000♠14.79 mi 23.8 km
51	Tabeguache Peak	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003431670000000000♠14,162 ft 4317 m	7002138690000099999♠455 ft 139 m	7003121000000000000♠0.75 mi 1.21 km
52	Mount Oxford (Colorado)	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003431590000099999♠14,160 ft 4316 m	7002199000000000000♠653 ft 199 m	7003197000000000000♠1.22 mi 1.97 km
53	Mount Sill	California	Sierra Nevada	7003431572200000000♠14,159 ft 4316 m	7002113690000000000♠373 ft 114 m	7003102000000000000♠0.63 mi 1.02 km
54	Mount Sneffels	Colorado	Sneffels Range	7003431540000099999♠14,158 ft 4315 m	7002929600000000000♠3,050 ft 930 m	7004253200000000000♠15.73 mi 25.3 km
55	Mount Democrat	Colorado	Mosquito Range	7003431450000000000♠14,155 ft 4315 m	7002234100000000000♠768 ft 234 m	7003204000000000000♠1.27 mi 2.04 km
56	Capitol Peak	Colorado	Elk Mountains	7003430881600000000♠14,137 ft 4309 m	7002533400000000000♠1,750 ft 533 m	7004119800000000000♠7.44 mi 11.98 km
57	Liberty Cap	Washington	Cascade Range	7003430133800000000♠14,112 ft 4301 m	7002149962000000000♠492 ft 150 m	7003159300000000000♠0.99 mi 1.59 km
58	Pikes Peak	Colorado	Pikes Peak Massif	7003430231000000000♠14,115 ft 4302 m	7003168554000000000♠5,530 ft 1686 m	7004978200000000000♠60.8 mi 97.8 km
59	Snowmass Mountain	Colorado	Elk Mountains (Colorado)	7003429730000000000♠14,099 ft 4297 m	7002351100000000000♠1,152 ft 351 m	7003377000000000000♠2.34 mi 3.77 km
60	Mount Russell	California	Sierra Nevada	7003429589100099999♠14,094 ft 4296 m	7002344000000000000♠1,129 ft 344 m	7003117000000000000♠0.73 mi 1.17 km
61	Windom Peak	Colorado	Needle Mountains	7003429550300000000♠14,093 ft 4296 m	7002306934000000000♠1,007 ft 307 m	7004427300000000000♠26.6 mi 42.7 km
62	Mount Eolus	Colorado	Needle Mountains	7003429425500000000♠14,089 ft 4294 m	7002665683000000000♠2,184 ft 666 m	7003272000000000000♠1.69 mi 2.72 km
63	Challenger Point	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003429364099999999♠14,087 ft 4294 m	7001917450000000000♠301 ft 92 m	7002360000000000000♠0.22 mi 0.36 km
64	Mount Columbia	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003429080000000000♠14,077 ft 4291 m	7002272200000000000♠893 ft 272 m	7003305000000000000♠1.90 mi 3.05 km
65	Missouri Mountain	Colorado	Collegiate Peaks	7003428980000000000♠14,074 ft 4290 m	7002258200000000000♠847 ft 258 m	7003211000000000000♠1.31 mi 2.11 km
66	Mount Augusta	Alaska Yukon	Saint Elias Mountains	7003428853600000000♠14,070 ft 4289 m	7003154900000000000♠5,082 ft 1549 m	7004231900000000000♠14.41 mi 23.2 km
67	Humboldt Peak	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003428849700000000♠14,070 ft 4288 m	7002366979000000000♠1,204 ft 367 m	7003227000000000000♠1.41 mi 2.27 km
68	Mount Bierstadt	Colorado	Front Range	7003428700000000000♠14,065 ft 4287 m	7002219000000000000♠719 ft 219 m	7003224000000000000♠1.39 mi 2.24 km
69	Sunlight Peak	Colorado	Needle Mountains	7003428698700000000♠14,065 ft 4287 m	7002121615000000000♠399 ft 122 m	7002770000000000000♠0.48 mi 0.77 km
70	Split Mountain (California)	California	Sierra Nevada	7003428660000000000♠14,064 ft 4287 m	7002475000000000000♠1,558 ft 475 m	7004109900000000000♠6.83 mi 10.99 km
71	Handies Peak	Colorado	San Juan Mountains	7003428480000000000♠14,058 ft 4285 m	7002581600000000000♠1,908 ft 582 m	7004180000000000000♠11.18 mi 18.00 km
72	Culebra Peak	Colorado	Culebra Range	7003428326599999999♠14,053 ft 4283 m	7003147127000000000♠4,827 ft 1471 m	7004570700000000000♠35.5 mi 57.1 km
73	Ellingwood Point	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003428179100000000♠14,048 ft 4282 m	7002104242000000000♠342 ft 104 m	7002830000000000000♠0.52 mi 0.83 km
74	Mount Lindsey	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003428169300000000♠14,048 ft 4282 m	7002470002000000000♠1,542 ft 470 m	7003364000000000000♠2.26 mi 3.64 km
75	Little Bear Peak	Colorado	Sangre de Cristo Range	7003428021100000000♠14,043 ft 4280 m	7002114910000000000♠377 ft 115 m	7003158000000000000♠0.98 mi 1.58 km
76	Mount Sherman	Colorado	Mosquito Range	7003428020200000000♠14,043 ft 4280 m	7002259080000099999♠850 ft 259 m	7004129700000000000♠8.06 mi 12.97 km
77	Redcloud Peak	Colorado	San Juan Mountains	7003427957800000000♠14,041 ft 4280 m	7002437693000000000♠1,436 ft 438 m	7003790000000000000♠4.91 mi 7.90 km
78	Mount Langley	California	Sierra Nevada	7003427688500000000♠14,032 ft 4277 m	7002365000000000000♠1,198 ft 365 m	7003705000000000000♠4.38 mi 7.05 km
79	Mount Tyndall	California	Sierra Nevada	7003427482600000000♠14,025 ft 4275 m	7002343000000000000♠1,125 ft 343 m	7003231000000000000♠1.44 mi 2.31 km
80	Pyramid Peak (Colorado)	Colorado	Elk Mountains (Colorado)	7003427470000000000♠14,025 ft 4275 m	7002499300000000000♠1,638 ft 499 m	7003336000000000000♠2.09 mi 3.36 km
81	Wilson Peak	Colorado	San Miguel Mountains	7003427425900000000♠14,023 ft 4274 m	7002261214000000000♠857 ft 261 m	7003243000000000000♠1.51 mi 2.43 km
82	San Luis Peak	Colorado	La Garita Mountains	7003427380000000000♠14,022 ft 4274 m	7002948800000000000♠3,113 ft 949 m	7004434100000000000♠27.0 mi 43.4 km
83	Wetterhorn Peak	Colorado	San Juan Mountains	7003427367500000000♠14,021 ft 4274 m	7002498348000000000♠1,635 ft 498 m	7003445000000000000♠2.77 mi 4.45 km
84	Mount Muir	California	Sierra Nevada	7003427271500000000♠14,018 ft 4273 m	7002101000000000000♠331 ft 101 m	7002800000000000000♠0.50 mi 0.80 km
85	Middle Palisade	California	Sierra Nevada	7003427269300000000♠14,018 ft 4273 m	7002341000000000000♠1,119 ft 341 m	7003417000000000000♠2.59 mi 4.17 km
86	Mount Wrangell West Peak	Alaska	Wrangell Mountains	7003427116200000000♠14,013 ft 4271 m	7002171602000000000♠563 ft 172 m	7003235000000000000♠1.46 mi 2.35 km
87	Huron Peak	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003427080000000000♠14,012 ft 4271 m	7002433700000000000♠1,423 ft 434 m	7003516000000000000♠3.21 mi 5.16 km
88	Mount of the Holy Cross	Colorado	Sawatch Range	7003427050000000000♠14,011 ft 4271 m	7002643400000000000♠2,111 ft 643 m	7004298100000000000♠18.52 mi 29.8 km
89	Sunshine Peak	Colorado	San Juan Mountains	7003426947400000000♠14,007 ft 4269 m	7002152705000000000♠501 ft 153 m	7003205000000000000♠1.27 mi 2.05 km

Topographic prominence

The table above uses a topographic prominence criterion of 300 feet. If a criterion of 100 meters of prominence is used instead, the table above shrinks to 85 summits. If a criterion of either 150 meters or 500 feet of prominence is used, the table above shrinks to 76 summits.

The following U.S. summits have 14,000 feet of elevation, but have less than 300 feet of topographic prominence:

• Denali, Browne Tower, 14,530, Alaska. Prominence = 25–125 feet (7.6–38.1 m). It is unclear why this became included on some fourteener lists.
• Mount Cameron, 14,238, Colorado. Prominence = 118 feet.
• El Diente Peak, 14,159, Colorado. Prominence = 239 feet. On many fourteener lists.
• Point Success, 14,158, Washington. Prominence = 118 feet.
• Polemonium Peak, 14,080+, California. Prominence = 160–240 feet.
• Starlight Peak, 14,080, California. Prominence = 80–160 feet.
• North Conundrum Peak, 14,040+, Colorado. Prominence = 200–280 feet.
• North Eolus, 14,039, Colorado. Prominence = 159–199 feet.
• North Maroon Peak, 14,014, Colorado. Prominence = 234 feet. On many fourteener lists.
• Thunderbolt Peak, 14,003, California. Prominence = 223 feet.
• Sunlight Spire, 14,001, Colorado. Prominence = 195–235 feet.

Gallery

• 

  Denali (North Peak), Alaska

• 

  Mount Saint Elias, Alaska

• 

  Mount Foraker, Alaska

• 

  Mount Blackburn, Alaska

• 

  Mount Sanford and Mount Wrangell, Alaska

• Elbert.JPG

  Mount Elbert, Colorado

• 

  Mount Williamson, California

• 

  White Mountain Peak, California

• Longs.JPG

  Longs Peak, Colorado

• Mount Shasta 1.jpg

  Mount Shasta, California

• 

  Maroon Bells (Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak), Colorado

• 

  Pikes Peak, Colorado

• 

  Blanca Peak, Colorado

• San Miguel Mountains.jpg

  Wilson Peak, Colorado

See also

• Outline of the United States
• Index of United States-related articles
• 4000 meter peaks of Alaska
• 4000 meter peaks of California
• 4000 meter peaks of Colorado
• 4000 meter peaks of North America
• 4000 meter peaks of the United States
• List of California fourteeners
• List of Colorado fourteeners
• Table of the highest major summits of the United States (uses 500 meter prominence criteria)
• Thirteener

External links

• Colorado 14ers, California 14ers, and the Alaska 14ers maps, photos, and summit history on peakery.com
• 14ers.com: Home of Colorado's Fourteeners
• Colorado 14er stickers
• with prominence information
• peaklist.org (More prominence information for high-prominence peaks)
• Information on the fourteeners in Colorado
• Trip reports from Colorado Peaks
• California Thirteeners (VRMC) with interactive maps
• California Fourteeners (VRMC) with interactive maps