East ridge on a beautiful winter day - warm, calm and sunny - for Sarah's winter 14er finisher. Congrats again Sarah!
iamrwood - Jan 14, 2014 2:54 am Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2013
Black Cloud Trail
Took the Black Cloud Trail up to Mount Elbert with Pocket Rocks
Cambot - Jan 13, 2014 11:29 am Date Climbed: Jan 11, 2014
first black toenail
Brief windy weather window between storms and only one other climber on the mountain. Deep snow below treeline and lovely snowfields for glissading on the ridge. Unfortunately wore new boots!
Kevintheclimber - Dec 27, 2013 9:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2012
A walk up
Didn't even stop once on the ascent, drank two beers on summit. Awesome day.
RaymondShevsky - Dec 19, 2013 5:49 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2010
Class 1 trail
Crowded, popular summit with incredible views over the Rockies.
Judd97 - Dec 11, 2013 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2013
HP #22
Wore snowshoes to the summit and back. Perfect Black Friday conditions, sunny and warm, no wind!
Woodswalker - Nov 24, 2013 8:43 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2005
AFmountaineer - Oct 23, 2013 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2013
Top of the world
Hiked through at times maybe a couple feet of snow and it was certainly quite cold but the views were amazing, definitely felt like i was on top of the world.
jamesglaze - Oct 18, 2013 12:33 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2013
HP No. 23
Summited with my two daughters (No. 11) and a long time friend and fellow ExxonMobil annuitant. We also had the company of a good 150 others and a dozen dogs on this great day for climbing. We started about 4:15 a.m., summited 9:15, back down 1:15, just ahead of a rain/hail storm. Hiked via the northeast ridge route, which is very steep (the girls feel it is tougher than Whitney) with four false summits. This is one I have targeted for many years so was very happy to bag it. The pizza in Leadville afterward was very good as well. Mt. Elbert was number 3 on a 5 state highpoint trip.
bruno baschung - Oct 8, 2013 12:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2013
north east route
A very enjoyable hike on Colorado's highest and contiguous US highest N°2 on a very windy day (it was gusting up there at 45/50 mph), and there was some snow above 13500 ft or so, whihc make the summit quite intresting to reach on that day (several hikers didn't push all the way to main top).
But at least there was no issue of thunderstorms. The landscape was very beautiful (nice colours of early autumn, nice view as well). The NE route is easy and quite rapid to go donw as well, which is also enjoyable. Though reaching the top late (3pm), going down slowly it took me only 3h20 to reach trail head.
Bruno Baschung
DanielL - Oct 4, 2013 11:44 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2013
East Ridge Ski
Climbed and skied the East Ridge route - a bit bony in places but a great ski route!
thefinalfrontier - Oct 1, 2013 7:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2013
NE Ridge-Tough but Awesome!
Mt. Elbert was my first 14er! I really had a good time and even though I was super tired at the top, it was so incredible seeing all the mountains and lakes around you. It was breathtaking! Would recommend! Start early though!
Route: NE Ridge
Start Time: 5:30 am
Summit Time: 10:21 am
Time on Summit: 1 hour
Return Time: 3:30 pm
Total Time: ~10 Hours
Marlin - Sep 28, 2013 7:21 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2002
1st Colorado 14'er; 2nd HP
Climbed via the North Mount Elbert Trail on September 9th, 2002. My second state highpoint. Unfortunately, a light drizzle greeted me at timberline and accompanied me to the summit. Visibility on the summit was limited to approximately 50'. Quite the workout for a "flatlander" like myself.
Southeast ridge. The climb out of Black Cloud Gulch is a workout!
Swithich - Sep 11, 2013 12:19 am Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2013
Oh, my legs!
Great trip up. Not a bad little hike. Didn't even feel the elevation...yay for living at 5,000 feet elevation.
The trip down, however, was a beast. I jogged down to the trailhead like I normally do. That 4400 feet of elevation loss was a bit too much. Spent the next 3 days waddling like a duck as my quads would not relax. Not sure how to avoid that, except by possibly climbing more often (injured for a month before the climb) or by descending slower. Unfortunately, the view wasn't good since we had clouds hanging right around 14000 feet and as I drove out into the Arkansas River watershed, it started to pour. Rained all the way back to New Mexico...I was hoping for Mount Massive, but it just wasn't going to happen. Next time!
Climbed with my two youngest sons, ages 9 yr 1 mo, and 5 yr 11 mo. The only assistance to the youngest was to carry his camelbak most of the way and hold his hand when the trail was wide enough:)
chicagotransplant - Jan 19, 2014 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Jan 18, 2014
East RidgeEast ridge on a beautiful winter day - warm, calm and sunny - for Sarah's winter 14er finisher. Congrats again Sarah!
iamrwood - Jan 14, 2014 2:54 am Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2013
Black Cloud TrailTook the Black Cloud Trail up to Mount Elbert with Pocket Rocks
Cambot - Jan 13, 2014 11:29 am Date Climbed: Jan 11, 2014
first black toenailBrief windy weather window between storms and only one other climber on the mountain. Deep snow below treeline and lovely snowfields for glissading on the ridge. Unfortunately wore new boots!
Kevintheclimber - Dec 27, 2013 9:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2012
A walk upDidn't even stop once on the ascent, drank two beers on summit. Awesome day.
RaymondShevsky - Dec 19, 2013 5:49 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2010
Class 1 trailCrowded, popular summit with incredible views over the Rockies.
Judd97 - Dec 11, 2013 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2013
HP #22Wore snowshoes to the summit and back. Perfect Black Friday conditions, sunny and warm, no wind!
Woodswalker - Nov 24, 2013 8:43 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2005
Mount ElbertLove Colorado mountains!
MadGrad96 - Nov 1, 2013 7:41 am
ElbertStandard route
alpineair - Oct 28, 2013 9:55 am
ElbertNo crowds in winter.
AFmountaineer - Oct 23, 2013 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2013
Top of the worldHiked through at times maybe a couple feet of snow and it was certainly quite cold but the views were amazing, definitely felt like i was on top of the world.
jamesglaze - Oct 18, 2013 12:33 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2013
HP No. 23Summited with my two daughters (No. 11) and a long time friend and fellow ExxonMobil annuitant. We also had the company of a good 150 others and a dozen dogs on this great day for climbing. We started about 4:15 a.m., summited 9:15, back down 1:15, just ahead of a rain/hail storm. Hiked via the northeast ridge route, which is very steep (the girls feel it is tougher than Whitney) with four false summits. This is one I have targeted for many years so was very happy to bag it. The pizza in Leadville afterward was very good as well. Mt. Elbert was number 3 on a 5 state highpoint trip.
bruno baschung - Oct 8, 2013 12:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2013
north east routeA very enjoyable hike on Colorado's highest and contiguous US highest N°2 on a very windy day (it was gusting up there at 45/50 mph), and there was some snow above 13500 ft or so, whihc make the summit quite intresting to reach on that day (several hikers didn't push all the way to main top).
But at least there was no issue of thunderstorms. The landscape was very beautiful (nice colours of early autumn, nice view as well). The NE route is easy and quite rapid to go donw as well, which is also enjoyable. Though reaching the top late (3pm), going down slowly it took me only 3h20 to reach trail head.
Bruno Baschung
DanielL - Oct 4, 2013 11:44 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2013
East Ridge SkiClimbed and skied the East Ridge route - a bit bony in places but a great ski route!
thefinalfrontier - Oct 1, 2013 7:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2013
NE Ridge-Tough but Awesome!Mt. Elbert was my first 14er! I really had a good time and even though I was super tired at the top, it was so incredible seeing all the mountains and lakes around you. It was breathtaking! Would recommend! Start early though!
Route: NE Ridge
Start Time: 5:30 am
Summit Time: 10:21 am
Time on Summit: 1 hour
Return Time: 3:30 pm
Total Time: ~10 Hours
Marlin - Sep 28, 2013 7:21 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2002
1st Colorado 14'er; 2nd HPClimbed via the North Mount Elbert Trail on September 9th, 2002. My second state highpoint. Unfortunately, a light drizzle greeted me at timberline and accompanied me to the summit. Visibility on the summit was limited to approximately 50'. Quite the workout for a "flatlander" like myself.
Vagabond Manifesto - Sep 24, 2013 11:30 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2013
ElbertSoutheast ridge. The climb out of Black Cloud Gulch is a workout!
Swithich - Sep 11, 2013 12:19 am Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2013
Oh, my legs!Great trip up. Not a bad little hike. Didn't even feel the elevation...yay for living at 5,000 feet elevation.
The trip down, however, was a beast. I jogged down to the trailhead like I normally do. That 4400 feet of elevation loss was a bit too much. Spent the next 3 days waddling like a duck as my quads would not relax. Not sure how to avoid that, except by possibly climbing more often (injured for a month before the climb) or by descending slower. Unfortunately, the view wasn't good since we had clouds hanging right around 14000 feet and as I drove out into the Arkansas River watershed, it started to pour. Rained all the way back to New Mexico...I was hoping for Mount Massive, but it just wasn't going to happen. Next time!
The trip was 5h 30m from car to summit to car.
-Swithich
shanman - Sep 10, 2013 3:08 pm Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2013
Possible youngest Elbert climber?Climbed with my two youngest sons, ages 9 yr 1 mo, and 5 yr 11 mo. The only assistance to the youngest was to carry his camelbak most of the way and hold his hand when the trail was wide enough:)
Chandra - Sep 7, 2013 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2013
North Mount Elbert trailA terrific walk up to the very top of the Rockies. And the views are just... endless.
WZimmerman - Sep 6, 2013 4:41 am Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2008
Mount ElbertGot a late start and encountered some rain and corn snow on the return. But this is a wonderful mountain.