More than one summit

Combos & traverses

Some fourteeners sit so close together that you climb them in the same day, from the same trailhead. This page lists those combos, from easy pairs like Grays and Torreys to the four great traverses: the ridge climbs that link Colorado’s hardest neighbours.

The four great traverses

Colorado’s classic ridge climbs

These four are known as the great fourteener traverses. Each one links two summits along an exposed ridge with no easy way off. They are the graduation climbs of the 14er list. Do them only after you’ve climbed the standard routes on both peaks, and in dry weather.

Sangre de Cristo

Little Bear to Blanca

A mile of narrow, broken ridge between two Lake Como fourteeners, and widely called the hardest of the four. Most parties climb Little Bear through the Hourglass first, then follow the crest to Blanca. The rock is loose and the exposure is constant, with short Class 5 moves and almost no easy way off once you commit.

Class: Class 5
Round trip: 17 mi
Gain: 8,000'
Trailhead: Lake Como Road

Blanca Peak + Little Bear Peak

Sangre de Cristo

Crestone Peak to Crestone Needle

A short ridge between the two Crestones, on the steep, knobby conglomerate the range is known for. The holds are good but route-finding around the towers and gullies is the challenge, and the exposure is serious. Usually done Peak-to-Needle from a South Colony Lakes camp, descending the Needle’s standard route.

Class: Class 5
Round trip: 14 mi
Gain: 7,000'
Trailhead: South Colony Lakes

Crestone Peak + Crestone Needle

Elk

The Maroon Bells

Maroon Peak to North Maroon or the other way round, across the notch between the Bells. It is short, but the Elk Mountain rock is rotten mudstone that breaks under your hands, and the downclimbs into the saddle are exposed. Helmets, a clear forecast and a partner who knows the Elks.

Class: Class 5
Round trip: 9.5 mi
Gain: 4,850'
Trailhead: Maroon Lake

Maroon Peak + North Maroon Peak

San Juan

El Diente to Mount Wilson

About a mile of ridge past the Organ Pipes, a row of rock towers between El Diente and Mount Wilson. You bypass most of them on ledges to the south. Class 4, long and exposed, and usually done from a Navajo Basin or Kilpacker Basin camp. The mileage shown covers the ridge only, so add your approach.

Class: Class 4
Round trip: 1 mi
Gain: 500'
Trailhead: Kilpacker Basin

Mount Wilson + El Diente Peak

Combo routes

19 combos

Front Range 4 combos

Grays and Torreys Grays Peak + Torreys Peak

2 summits

Class 1

Grays Peak (Stevens Gulch) 8.25 mi · 3,600'

Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky Mount Blue Sky + Mount Bierstadt

2 summits

Class 3

Guanella Pass 10.5 mi · 3,900'

Tour de Abyss Loop Mount Blue Sky + Mount Bierstadt

2 summits

Class 3

Mount Blue Sky summit road 5.75 mi · 3,000'

Longs and Meeker via the Loft Longs Peak + Mount Meeker (13er) Loft saddle to both summits in one day.

2 summits

Class 3

Longs Peak Ranger Station —

Mosquito 1 combo

Decalibron Mount Lincoln + Mount Cameron + Mount Bross + Mount Democrat

4 summits

Class 2

Kite Lake 7.5 mi · 3,500'

Sawatch 4 combos

Belford, Oxford and Missouri Mount Belford + Mount Oxford + Missouri Mountain

3 summits

Class 2

Missouri Gulch 15 mi · 7,600'

Harvard and Columbia Traverse Mount Harvard + Mount Columbia

2 summits

Class 2

North Cottonwood Creek 15 mi · 6,100'

Shavano and Tabeguache Mount Shavano + Tabeguache Peak

2 summits

Class 2

Blank Cabin (Shavano / Tabeguache) 12 mi · 5,600'

Belford and Oxford Mount Belford + Mount Oxford

2 summits

Class 2

Missouri Gulch 11 mi · 5,900'

Elk 1 combo

Castle and Conundrum Castle Peak + Conundrum Peak

2 summits

Class 2+

Castle Creek 14.5 mi · 4,850'

San Juan 6 combos

Redcloud and Sunshine Redcloud Peak + Sunshine Peak

2 summits

Class 2

Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch 12.25 mi · 4,800'

Eolus and North Eolus Mount Eolus + North Eolus Up the Catwalk to the saddle, tag North Eolus, then Eolus. From a Chicago Basin camp.

2 summits

Class 3

Needleton (Durango & Silverton train) —

Chicago Basin Four Sunlight Peak + Windom Peak + Mount Eolus + North Eolus All four Chicago Basin fourteeners, usually over two days from a basin camp.

4 summits

Class 4

Needleton (Durango & Silverton train) —

Wilson group: Wilson Peak, Mount Wilson and El Diente Mount Wilson + El Diente Peak + Wilson Peak All three San Miguel fourteeners, with the El Diente–Mount Wilson traverse in the middle.

3 summits

Class 4

Navajo Lake / Rock of Ages —

Windom and Sunlight Windom Peak + Sunlight Peak Both from Twin Lakes above Chicago Basin. Sunlight’s summit block is the crux.

2 summits

Class 4

Needleton (Durango & Silverton train) —

Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson Mount Wilson + Wilson Peak Two of the three Wilson group peaks, usually from a Navajo Basin camp.

2 summits

Class 4

Rock of Ages / Navajo Lake —

Sangre de Cristo 3 combos

Blanca and Ellingwood Blanca Peak + Ellingwood Point

2 summits

Class 3

Lake Como Road 18 mi · 6,800'

Challenger Point and Kit Carson Kit Carson Peak + Challenger Point

2 summits

Easy Class 3

Willow Creek 15 mi · 6,250'

Lake Como Three Blanca Peak + Little Bear Peak + Ellingwood Point Little Bear, the Little Bear–Blanca traverse, then over to Ellingwood. A huge, committing day.

3 summits

Class 5

Lake Como Road —

The second summit is where people get hurt

On a combo you are more tired, higher and later in the day on the second peak than on the first. Decide your turnaround time for the whole day before you start, and let the weather, not the checklist, decide whether you go for the next summit.