Colorado has 53 14ers, more than 600 13ers, and hundreds of other peaks that can be reached without special equipment or expertise. Numerous guides dryly catalog these trails, but Best Summit Hikes in Colorado stands out from them all. Author James Dziezynski has meticulously selected 80+ of the state's absolute best peaks in more than 50 superlative hikes, and his opinionated narrative brings each route to life. Each summit is included because of a notable feature--whether it's the site of a ghost mine or airplane wreckage, has thundering waterfalls or colorful floral meadows, is the best summit for spotting wildlife or bringing out-of-town friends, or is very accessible. Some peaks offer unique opportunities, such as a trailhead accessible only via a steam-powered railroad. Several summits are described in no other publication. Covering all Colorado's major mountain ranges, including the well-known Sangre De Cristo, Gore, Sawatch, Indian Peaks, and Maroon Bell wilderness areas to the lesser-known Grenadiers, Medicine Bow, and Outer San Juan peaks, this distinctive guide makes it easy to select exactly the right hike for the right day, the right mood, and the right companions.

Acknowledgments v
Hike Locator Map vi
List of Peaks and Elevations vii
Preface xi
Introduction 1
The Colorado Rocky Mountains 3
Overview 3
Geology and Biology: A Very Brief History 3
Human History in the Colorado Rockies 6
Wildlife 8
Animal Encounters 14
Trees, Plants, Fungi, and Flowers 16
Safety in the Mountains 20
Altitude: This Is Your Brain on Thin Air; Any Questions? 20
Weather: The Wild World Above the Mountains 28
General First Aid 33
Suggested First-Aid Kit 39
Nutrition: Eating Smart 40
Gear 42
Hiking Ethics 47
The 10 Essentials 47
Leave No Trace 47
Trail Ethics 47
Using This Book 49
Driving Directions 49
Vehicle Recommendations 49
GPS 50
Ratings 50
The Hikes
1 James Peak 57
2 Navajo Peak 63
3 Jasper Peak 69
4 Guardians of the Flatirons: Green Mountain,
Bear Peak, and South Boulder Peak 75
5 Lead Mountain 81
6 Clark Peak 87
7 Mount Richthofen 91
8 Longs Peak 97
9 Mount Alice 103
10 Mount Ida-Chief Cheley Peak Traverse 109
11 Mount Chapin-Mount Chiquita-Ypsilon Mountain Traverse 115
12 Mount Sniktau-Grizzly Peak Traverse 119
13 The Citadel 123
14 Peak 1-Tenmile Peak Traverse 129
15 Pacific Peak 135
16 Mount Powell 139
17 Deming Mountain 145
18 Stanley Mountain and Vasquez Peak 151
19 Mount Elbert 155
20 Mount Sherman-Gemini Peak-Dyer Mountain Traverse 159
21 Mount Hope 165
22 Huron Peak 169
23 Mount Ouray 173
24 Mount Shavano-Tabeguache Peak Traverse 177
25 Mount Yale 183
26 Fools Peak 187
27 Mount Thomas 193
28 Mount of the Holy Cross 199
29 Bison Peak 205
30 Mount Zirkel 209
31 Hahns Peak 213
32 Geissler Mountain Rimwalk 217
33 Summit Peak 221
34 Hesperus Mountain 227
35 Mount Sopris 233
36 Treasury Mountain 237
37 Belleview Mountain 241
38 East Beckwith Mountain-Far East Peak Traverse 245
39 West Spanish Peak 251
40 Blanca Peak-Ellingwood Point Traverse 257
41 Mount Adams 263
42 Eureka Mountain-Hermit Peak 269
43 Chicago Basin 14er Circuit: Windom Peak-
Sunlight Peak-Mount Eolus 275
44 Cross Mountain-Base of Lizard Head Traverse 281
45 Storm King Peak 287
46 Uncompahgre Peak 293
47 Redcloud Peak-Sunshine Peak Traverse 297
48 Golden Horn 303
49 Mount Sneffels 310
50 Lone Cone 315
Afterword: Hike Your Heart Out 320
Appendix A: "Best" Hikes and Others of Note 322
Appendix B: Mountain Miscellany 328
Appendix C: Colorado's 100 Highest Peaks 331
Appendix D: Works Consulted/Recommended Reading 335
Index 336
About the Author 339