Hiking In Colorado
Hiking In Colorado

Hiking Question: Mt. Elbert, Colorado?
I have never been hiking. I want to hike a 14er. I have read that Mt. Elbert is a fairly easy hike and that it is a 14er. Can I hike this with my limited (non-existant) hiking experience? I am not in bad shape, but not in the greatest shape either (I have been working out consistantly for the past 6 weeks) Can my dog handle it? He is a very active outdoor dog.
Also, how long would it take roundtrip?
Well, first off my question would be, are you from Colorado? If not, you need to get used to altitude first before attempting anything.
Here is a link with some info:
http://www.summitcountyexplorer.com/HIKES/Mt%20Elbert%20%20-%20Hiking%20Trail.htm
It says Difficulty rating is advanced, elevation gain is 4700ft.
I am an avid hiker and in great shape (run 5 miles a day) and for me it would a challenge.
The other thing about hiking 14er's - you need to start out very, very early to be off that mountain before the afternoon storms.
Hope this info helps. If you've never been hiking you may want to start smaller and work your way up and just do some regular hiking.
Also, in regards to your dog - I would not recommend it. We have a friend who did Long's Peak with his dog and had to carry the dog down.
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Couple hiking below Mount Baker, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United Photo Mugs Couple hiking below Mount Baker, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States of America, North America.... |
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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder: Including Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Rocky Mountain National Park List Price: $17.95 Sale Price: $6.82 Used From: $6.81 |
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Denver, Boulder, and the surrounding region offer an amazing natural panorama for outdoor enthusiasts and contain some of the best hiking in the world. With such a bewildering wealth of hikes at their disposal, author Kim Lipker presents travelers with a variety of the very best trails in the area, and most within an hour's drive or less... |
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100 Classic Hikes Colorado List Price: $21.95 Sale Price: $14.43 Used From: $10.87 |
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The most popular guidebook to Colorado is now the most up-to-date guidebook to the state. Updated to current conditions, this spectacular third edition features 10 new hikes, including Bear Peak, Lake Isabelle, Mount Falcon, Devil's Head, Red Rock Canyon, North Cheyenne Cañon, French Pass, Tater Heap Loop, Mosca Pass, and No Name Lake... |
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Hiking Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness Areas, 2nd (Regional Hiking Series) List Price: $16.95 Sale Price: $7.31 Used From: $9.62 |
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Fifty-seven comprehensive trail descriptions for Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas. |
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Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 feet List Price: $17.95 Sale Price: $10.94 Used From: $11.20 |
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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 featurewhether 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... |
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Colorado's Fourteeners, 3rd Ed.: From Hikes to Climbs List Price: $22.95 Sale Price: $14.48 Used From: $14.37 |
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A classic guidebook known for its accuracy and comprehensiveness, Colorado's Fourteeners has been updated to include GPS coordinates, revised topographic maps, expanded route details, and new descriptions reflecting alterations to trail access... |
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Hiking Colorado, 3rd: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures (State Hiking Guides Series) List Price: $18.95 Sale Price: $8.66 Used From: $10.76 |
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Experience 50 of the best hikes in Colorado. This book includes detailed shaded relief maps, GPS waypoint coordinates for each hike, accurate route profiles showing the ups and downs of each hike, tips on equipment, trip planning, and hiking with dogs and children, accurate directions, difficulty ratings, trail contacts, and more. |
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The Best Durango Hikes (Colorado Mountain Club Pack Guide) (Best Hikes) List Price: $12.95 Sale Price: $10.15 Used From: $11.00 |
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The only guidebook you will ever need to hike one of Colorado's great mountain towns. Surrounded by mountains in southwestern Colorado, Durango is the perfect high country town with a ski area up the road, the Indian mesa country an hour away, and a gold medal trout stream running right through town... |
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Hiking Colorado's Summit County Area: A Guide to the Best Hikes in and around Summit County (Regional Hiking Series) List Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $8.49 Used From: $4.98 |
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The Colorado Trail (Colorado Mountain Club Guidebooks) List Price: $24.95 Sale Price: $22.98 Used From: $6.45 |
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Completely revised guide to the extraordinary Colorado Trail that stretches 468 miles from Denver to Durango • The only guide available for thru-hikers, day hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners, XC skiers, and equestrians... |
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Afoot and Afield: Denver/Boulder and Colorado's Front Range: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide List Price: $19.95 Sale Price: $10.92 Used From: $6.59 |
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This guidebook takes hikers throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountains and their foothills, rivers, and plains. Featuring more than 200 trips, from trails near the state’s Wyoming border to Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, author Alan Apt maps out hikes both long and short, exploring trails accessible from Denver, Boulder, and other Front Range communities... |
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Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 feet List Price: $17.95 Sale Price: $10.94 Used From: $11.20 |
|
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 featurewhether 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... |
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Best Hikes with Children in Colorado List Price: $16.95 Sale Price: $10.33 Used From: $6.69 |
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Short hikes for short legs (and those still young at heart) in Colorado. *86 hikes chosen for kid appeal *Trails accessible from Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Vail, Aspen, and Crested Butte *New "Great Getaways" chart of Colorado's 18 best family fun destinations for hiking, camping, swimming, and more Lichen Loop, Piedra River Trail, Baby Bathtubs Trail: these are just a few of the new hikes families will enjoy together in the completely updated edition of this popular guide... |
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100 Classic Hikes Colorado List Price: $21.95 Sale Price: $14.43 Used From: $10.87 |
|
The most popular guidebook to Colorado is now the most up-to-date guidebook to the state. Updated to current conditions, this spectacular third edition features 10 new hikes, including Bear Peak, Lake Isabelle, Mount Falcon, Devil's Head, Red Rock Canyon, North Cheyenne Cañon, French Pass, Tater Heap Loop, Mosca Pass, and No Name Lake... |
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Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 feet List Price: $15.95 |
|
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 featurewhether 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... |
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Hiking Circuits in Rocky Mountain National Park: Loop Trails, with Special Sections for Combining Circuits and Using the Shuttle Bus to Complete a Cir List Price: $19.95 Sale Price: $14.77 Used From: $14.75 |
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This is the first guide dedicated entirely to the loop trails of Rocky Mountain National Park, trails that return hikers to their starting point without the necessity of retracing steps or walking on roads... |
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Hiking Video Guide - Hanging Lake Sale Price: $1.99 |
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Hiking Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness Areas, 2nd (Regional Hiking Series) List Price: $16.95 Sale Price: $7.31 Used From: $9.62 |
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Fifty-seven comprehensive trail descriptions for Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas. |
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Garmin Oregon 200 Portable GPS System List Price: $366.99 Sale Price: $274.90 Used From: $155.00 |
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Get in touch with the great outdoors with Oregon 200. This next-generation handheld features a rugged, touchscreen along with a built-in basemap, a high-sensitivity receiver, microSD card slot, picture viewer and more... |
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Colorado River in The Grand Canyon Map - 4th E-RiverMaps Sale Price: $39.99 |
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RiverMaps map books - go with the flow. Each map is oriented so the river flows upward on the page. No more turning your map upside down or twisting your head to read it. Printed on water-resistant paper specially made for all-weather use... |
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Finally, a really hot beef jerky with flavor! The smoked beef and habanero flavors really come through. Mountain America Jerky has been selling gourmet jerky products since 1997. Mountain America is a small company that smokes their product on a daily basis... |

















