Mount Elbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert seen from Turquoise Lake
Highest point
Elevation	14440 feet (4401 m); 14437.6 feet (4401 m)  NAVD 88; NAPGD2022 (preliminary)
Prominence	9,093 feet (2772 m)
Isolation	671 miles (1079 km)
Listing	North America highest peaks 27th North America prominent peaks 23rd North America isolated peaks 8th US highest major peaks 14th U.S. state high points 3rd Colorado highest major peaks 1st Colorado fourteeners 1st Colorado county high points 1st
Naming
Etymology	Samuel Hitt Elbert
Geography
Mount Elbert Location in Colorado
Location	High point of Lake County and the State of Colorado, U.S.
Parent range	Highest summit of the Rocky Mountains, Southern Rocky Mountains, Sawatch Range, and Elbert Massif
Topo map	USGS 7.5' topographic map Mount Elbert, Colorado
Climbing
First ascent	1874 by Henry W. Stuckle
Easiest route	Northeast Ridge: Hike, class 1

Mount Elbert is the tallest mountain in the Rocky Mountains of North America. Standing 14,440 feet (4401 meters) tall, it is also the highest point in the state of Colorado. It is the second tallest peak in the mainland United States, just a bit shorter than Mount Whitney in California.

This very tall mountain, known as a "fourteener" because it is over 14,000 feet high, is the tallest peak in the Sawatch Range. It is also the highest point in the huge area where all water flows into the Mississippi River. Mount Elbert is found in the San Isabel National Forest, about 12 miles (19.4 km) southwest of the city of Leadville in Lake County, Colorado.

The mountain was named after Samuel Hitt Elbert, who was a governor of Colorado when it was still a territory. He was active in shaping the state. Henry W. Stuckle was the first person to officially climb it in 1874. The easiest ways to climb it are considered simple hikes. Because of this, Mount Elbert is often called the "gentle giant" that tops all others in the Rocky Mountains.

Exploring Mount Elbert's Location

You can see Mount Elbert southwest of Leadville. It often has snow on its top, even in summer! Many other mountains over 14,000 feet tall surround Elbert in all directions. It is also very close to the "Collegiate Peaks" in central Colorado.

Nearby Mount Massive, to the north, is the second tallest peak in the Rocky Mountains. It is the third tallest in the mainland United States. La Plata Peak, to the south, is the fifth tallest in the Rockies. The small town of Twin Lakes is right at the bottom of Mount Elbert. Denver is about 130 miles (209 km) to the east. Vail is 50 miles (80 km) to the north, and Aspen is 40 miles (64 km) to the west. Leadville, about 16 miles (26 km) to the northeast, is the nearest large town. Mount Whitney in California is considered Elbert's "parent peak" because it is taller. Including Alaska and Hawaii, Mount Elbert is the 14th tallest mountain in the entire United States.

Mount Elbert's Weather: What to Expect

The weather on Mount Elbert can change very quickly. Summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms. You might even see hail or snow any time of year! A big thunderstorm on the summit in July 1894 was so unusual that it was written about in a science magazine.

Mount Elbert's Geology: How it Formed

Panoramic view of Mount Elbert in June 2008

Mount Elbert is part of the Sawatch Mountain Range. This range was pushed up from the Earth's crust a very long time ago, about 28 million years ago. It separated from the Mosquito Range to the east. Huge glaciers once covered the tops of these mountains. They left behind special shapes and clues about their past.

At the eastern base of Elbert, you can see rocks that were formed by heat (igneous) or changed by pressure (metamorphic). These rocks were uncovered when the glaciers melted away. They left behind piles of rock and dirt called a "lateral moraine." Higher up on the eastern side, there is a big bowl-shaped hollow called a "cirque" with a small lake inside it, called a "tarn."

There are also lakes to the north and south: Turquoise Lake and Twin Lakes. Twin Lakes formed naturally from glacier deposits. Turquoise Lake was made by people when they built the Sugar Loaf Dam.

Mount Elbert is mostly made of a hard rock called quartzite. However, the very top ridge has ancient metamorphic rocks. These rocks are about 1.7 billion years old! You can also find other rocks like pegmatite, as well as bands of gneiss and schist. Unlike some other tall mountains, Elbert does not have snow all year round. It also does not have a big north-facing cirque. This is because it is surrounded by other tall mountains, which means it does not get as much snow and rain.

Mount Elbert's History: Naming and Rivalries

Mount Elbert was named after Samuel Hitt Elbert

Miners named Mount Elbert after Samuel Hitt Elbert. He was the governor of Colorado when it was a territory. In 1873, he helped create an agreement with the Ute people. This agreement opened up a huge area of land for mining and building railroads. The first recorded climb was by H.W. Stuckle in 1874. He was exploring the mountain for a survey team.

Mount Elbert's height was first measured as 14,433 feet (4399 meters). Later, in 1988, scientists updated its official height to 14,440 feet (4401 meters). This change happened because of new ways to measure sea level. Some people were not happy about the new measurement.

After the Great Depression, there was a friendly rivalry about which mountain was taller: Mount Elbert or its neighbor Mount Massive. They are only 12 feet (3.7 meters) different in height! Supporters of Mount Massive even tried to make it taller by piling up rocks on its summit. But Mount Elbert fans would just knock them down! In the end, Mount Elbert remained the tallest peak in Colorado. The first time a vehicle reached the summit was in 1949. A Jeep was driven up, possibly to see if the mountain would be good for skiing.

Plants and Animals: Life on Mount Elbert

Platanthera hyperborea (Northern Green Orchid)

The very top of Mount Elbert is an "alpine tundra" environment. This means it is cold and windy, and only special plants can grow there. You might see plants like Phacelia sericea (silky phacelia), Hymenoxys grandiflora (old-man-of-the-mountain), and Geum rossii (alpine avens). Other plants include Carex atrata var. pullata, Salix desertorum, Platanthera hyperborea, Thalictrum fendleri, Aquilegia canadensis, Chenopodium album, Gentiana detonsa var. hallii, and Bigelovia parryi.

Below the "treeline" (where trees stop growing), the mountain is covered in thick forests. You will find trees like lodgepole pine, spruce, aspen, and fir.

As you climb, you might spot animals like black bears, marmots, mule deer, pikas, and pocket gophers. Many different kinds of birds also live here. In the summer, elk, grouse, turkeys, and bighorn sheep can be seen in the area. Grizzly bears no longer live in this area.

Hiking Mount Elbert: Your Adventure

The north-east ridge

There are three main paths to climb Mount Elbert. All of them go up more than 4,100 feet (1250 meters)! The most common path starts from the east, near Twin Lakes, on the Colorado Trail. The 4.6 miles (7.4 km) long North (Main) Elbert Trail begins close to the Elbert Creek Campground. It climbs about 4,500 feet (1372 meters). People can hike, ride horses, mountain bike, and hunt on this trail during certain times of the year.

An easier, but longer, path is the South Elbert Trail. It is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long and climbs 4,600 feet (1402 meters). It is not as steep as the North Elbert Trail and comes from the south.

The hardest main path is the Black Cloud Trail. It is a "Class 2" climb, meaning it is a bit more challenging than a simple hike. This trail can take 10 to 14 hours and climbs 5,300 feet (1615 meters). You also climb a smaller peak called South Elbert, which is 14,134 feet (4308 meters) tall. Even strong and experienced climbers find this route very tough. It is very steep, rocky, and uneven in many places. You can also find paths from the western side and southwestern ridge. These start from the South Halfmoon Creek Trailhead and Echo Canyon Trailhead.

While climbing Mount Elbert is hard work and requires you to be fit, you do not need special climbing skills or gear for the main trails. The biggest dangers are common to all tall mountains, especially "altitude sickness." This can happen to anyone, even if you are used to high places. It is important to listen to your body and go down if you feel sick. Hikers should start climbing early, around 6 AM or before. It is best to reach the top and start heading down before early afternoon. This helps avoid afternoon thunderstorms, which can be dangerous at high elevations. Most people hike, but a speaker named Anna Elizabeth Dickinson once rode a mule to the top!

See also

In Spanish: Monte Elbert para niños

• List of mountain peaks of North America
  • List of mountain peaks of the United States
    • List of mountain peaks of Colorado
      • List of Colorado county high points
      • List of Colorado fourteeners
• List of U.S. states by elevation
• List of the highest major summits of the United States
• List of the most prominent summits of the United States
• List of the most isolated major summits of the United States