Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
- lukePlumley
- Posts: 79
- Joined: 8/14/2007
- 14ers: 52
- 13ers: 232
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
West Beckwith is my favorite so far. Very exposed but reasonable and a remote seldom-climbed spot. Check it out!
https://www.listsofjohn.com/mobile/peak/1605
https://www.listsofjohn.com/mobile/peak/1605
"Ain't nothing to it, Listsofjohn made me do it!" -- Ice Cube
- jfm3
- Posts: 272
- Joined: 8/2/2016
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 24
- Trip Reports (12)
- Contact:
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
I really liked Mt. Toll. Great views on both sides of the Divide from the top. Peaks 1-4 are also excellent. The top of Peak 2.5 is one of my favorite places in Colorado, particularly looking southwest over I-70 and Copper to the Sawatch.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/2596507" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie.mothersbaugh.3rd/
Garmin inReach Map: https://share.garmin.com/jfmiii
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie.mothersbaugh.3rd/
Garmin inReach Map: https://share.garmin.com/jfmiii
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
I don't keep track of 12ers I've hiked, probably not many anyway, but a few are standouts and have been mentioned here already....Bison (5 or 6x for me) and McCurdy in LCW are both pretty cool.
Big Agnes and Zirkel are nice, with BA probably the better of the two for views.
I liked Toll.
McMillan off Red Mtn Pass is a nice winter outing, having done it twice from slightly different approaches, but both from starting at Red Mtn Pass. The views of San Juans from there are awesome!
Peak W in Gore is of course wicked.
Arrowhead in RMNP too! Can't forget that one...
Big Agnes and Zirkel are nice, with BA probably the better of the two for views.
I liked Toll.
McMillan off Red Mtn Pass is a nice winter outing, having done it twice from slightly different approaches, but both from starting at Red Mtn Pass. The views of San Juans from there are awesome!
Peak W in Gore is of course wicked.
Arrowhead in RMNP too! Can't forget that one...
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Some good ones in and near RMNP
East Desolation Peak - airy scramble to small summit block and rather remote
Snowbank Peak in the Rawahs, aesthetic mountain and nice scramble from north
Nokhu Crags. Easier than it looks to north summit.
The more solid Never Summer ridges on Static Peak and Lead Mtn, great airy scrambles
Least bestest: Red Mtn near Jones Pass. Ridiculously loose and dangerous mined out choss pile. Looks cool from other summits though. Howard also has a nasty loose ascent from lake of the clouds.
I thought Bison was overrated, mostly a dull forest trail hike with high treeline and some rocks at the summit. The 9er Sugarloaf below it was a bit better.
Zirkel and that area are pretty cool.
Outside CO Medicine Bow Peak in WY. Easy but scenic
East Desolation Peak - airy scramble to small summit block and rather remote
Snowbank Peak in the Rawahs, aesthetic mountain and nice scramble from north
Nokhu Crags. Easier than it looks to north summit.
The more solid Never Summer ridges on Static Peak and Lead Mtn, great airy scrambles
Least bestest: Red Mtn near Jones Pass. Ridiculously loose and dangerous mined out choss pile. Looks cool from other summits though. Howard also has a nasty loose ascent from lake of the clouds.
I thought Bison was overrated, mostly a dull forest trail hike with high treeline and some rocks at the summit. The 9er Sugarloaf below it was a bit better.
Zirkel and that area are pretty cool.
Outside CO Medicine Bow Peak in WY. Easy but scenic
http://www.listsofjohn.com/m/cougar
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going."
"Bushwhacking is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get."
"Don't give up on your dreams, stay asleep"
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going."
"Bushwhacking is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get."
"Don't give up on your dreams, stay asleep"
- SnowAlien
- Posts: 1758
- Joined: 11/3/2010
- 14ers: 58 57 58
- 13ers: 653 119 15
- Trip Reports (111)
- Contact:
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Spearhead in RMNP is cool, but I lost count how many times I skied Buffalo. Although, I haven't always gone to the summit.
- Matt
- Posts: 2671
- Joined: 7/26/2005
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 208
- Trip Reports (32)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
I have 7x more choices of ranked 13er than ranked 12er, but it's proving much harder to pick just 1-2 faves from the 12ers.
Over 1/4 of them could make the list.
This suggests that, maybe, 12ers do rule. Maybe I just have better taste in 12ers.
Bestest for me, most all because they look cool and/or have incredible views from the top:
Clark Peak
Courthouse Mountain
East Spanish Peak
Engineer Mountain
Neva (bonus for the N Ridge scramble)
Zirkel
Honorable Mention: South Twin Cone offers an amazing summit view southward and is very close to Denver, but it's a dull hike.
Over 1/4 of them could make the list.
This suggests that, maybe, 12ers do rule. Maybe I just have better taste in 12ers.
Bestest for me, most all because they look cool and/or have incredible views from the top:
Clark Peak
Courthouse Mountain
East Spanish Peak
Engineer Mountain
Neva (bonus for the N Ridge scramble)
Zirkel
Honorable Mention: South Twin Cone offers an amazing summit view southward and is very close to Denver, but it's a dull hike.
We are all greater artists than we realize -FWN
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. -HDT
Peak List
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. -HDT
Peak List
- two lunches
- Posts: 1337
- Joined: 5/30/2014
- 14ers: 37 2
- 13ers: 59
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
all this LCW love makes my heart sing
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.” – Mary Davis
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
+1 for Nokhu Crags: They look stunning driving over Cameron pass on 14. The North Ridge is also a fun outing and only takes a few hours.
Outside CO I really liked Ibapah Peak: Isolated, lots of geological variety coming from the East and large prominence over the surrounding valleys.
Outside CO I really liked Ibapah Peak: Isolated, lots of geological variety coming from the East and large prominence over the surrounding valleys.
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 12/10/2019
- 14ers: 22
- 13ers: 13
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Mt Ida is the bestest. Usually catch some elk and sheep near treeline, and great views of the CD for the majority of the easy trail above treeline. Runner up is Mt Toll in IPW, good memories of weaving through verdent grassy hummocks above Blue Lake to the Toll-Pawnee saddle and also fantastic views.
- bdloftin77
- Posts: 1091
- Joined: 9/23/2013
- 14ers: 58 1
- 13ers: 58
- Trip Reports (2)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
I've only done ~20 12ers, but here are some favorites:
I enjoyed Richthofen from Lake Agnes a lot. I'd recommend not going up the NW face though and taking the ridge from the Richthofen-Mahler saddle instead.
Mt Gunnison is relatively easy, but it was cool following a faint path through hundreds of aspens near Hoodoo Creek.
Lone Cone is another favorite. Short, and a fun scramble up the NE ridge.
It was super smoky on East Spanish vs a clear day on West Spanish, so I'm biased toward West Spanish. But both are cool.
I enjoyed Richthofen from Lake Agnes a lot. I'd recommend not going up the NW face though and taking the ridge from the Richthofen-Mahler saddle instead.
Mt Gunnison is relatively easy, but it was cool following a faint path through hundreds of aspens near Hoodoo Creek.
Lone Cone is another favorite. Short, and a fun scramble up the NE ridge.
It was super smoky on East Spanish vs a clear day on West Spanish, so I'm biased toward West Spanish. But both are cool.
- Chicago Transplant
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: 9/7/2004
- 14ers: 58 12 24
- 13ers: 697 39 34
- Trip Reports (66)
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Class 4: "Dragon's Back" near Wetterhorn, fun scrambling on a route-findy peak. Very funky looking mountain.
Class 3: Engineer off Coal Bank Pass is a good one, fun short scramble. Need to go back for the views as it was super smoky, but based on where I can see it from they would be great!
Class 2: PT 12751, across Capitol Lake from Capitol and stares directly at its north face
Class 1: Meridian in the Gore, great views of Eagles Nest.
Ski route: Buffalo in Gore, Silver Couloir
Not enough data for a 5th class one, I have only done two that are C5 by their easiest route and they are really just short 5.2 bouldering problems. I would vote for Hiamovi Tower or Spearhead as my favorite that I did a techincal route on.
Overlook Point, honorable mention as it is a 13er now based on LiDAR data.
Class 3: Engineer off Coal Bank Pass is a good one, fun short scramble. Need to go back for the views as it was super smoky, but based on where I can see it from they would be great!
Class 2: PT 12751, across Capitol Lake from Capitol and stares directly at its north face
Class 1: Meridian in the Gore, great views of Eagles Nest.
Ski route: Buffalo in Gore, Silver Couloir
Not enough data for a 5th class one, I have only done two that are C5 by their easiest route and they are really just short 5.2 bouldering problems. I would vote for Hiamovi Tower or Spearhead as my favorite that I did a techincal route on.
Overlook Point, honorable mention as it is a 13er now based on LiDAR data.
"We want the unpopular challenge. We want to test our intellect!" - Snapcase
"You are not what you own" - Fugazi
"Life's a mountain not a beach" - Fortune Cookie I got at lunch the other day
"You are not what you own" - Fugazi
"Life's a mountain not a beach" - Fortune Cookie I got at lunch the other day
Re: Most bestest and least bestest Colorado 12er
Most bestest in CO: Neva, Jasper, or Shoshone (all for their snow climbs).
Outside CO it's the Grossglockner.
Outside CO it's the Grossglockner.