Ranking the Sawatch
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Scott P
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
Holy Cross and Huron were the only 14ers in the Sawatch that I was impressed with. I guess Missouri was pretty good (I did it as a December climb during a snowstorm, but the views I did get were nice). The rest were just meh. Not bad, just meh.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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justiner
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
I can probably say a million good things about the Sawatch,
The Halo Loop for Mt of the HC is an incredible trail run, the Cross Couloir is a mini adventure.
Massive Mania is pretty cool, looping Massive with Elbert via their connecting ridge was an amazing day
Elbert's West Ridge is still fun after all these years - I'll have to come back to MTB down the East Ridge.
The ridge on La Plata from Blaurock is like a hidden Ellingwood Ridge
The connecting ridge from Huron to the 3 Apostles is incredible
Missouri's East Ridge, of course.
(OK Belford/Oxford are ho hum to me, currently, but Pine Creek seems special to visit)
The ridge from Harvard to Birthday Peak still seems impossible to me when one is in good mental health and without a rope to rappel
Columbia's Rabbit ridge has a nice handcrack puzzle
Yale's avalanche chute is certainly... special
Princeton's south ridge is quite lovely - and long!
Little Brown's Creek to Antero is a hidden gem.
The ridge from Browns to Tab seemed impossible from Antero, but it's not so bad.
Shavano! Who can forget their first time up the Angel?
As far as other places in the Sawatch, there's some gnarly ridgelines. From "Mount Massive Far Northwest Peak", traversing OK, Deer, 13280, 13202, 13545, Twining, 12812, 13040, Mountain Boy, Grizzly, Garfield, and Red was one of the more ambitious and difficult ridges I've done outside of the Front Range and Sangres.
The Halo Loop for Mt of the HC is an incredible trail run, the Cross Couloir is a mini adventure.
Massive Mania is pretty cool, looping Massive with Elbert via their connecting ridge was an amazing day
Elbert's West Ridge is still fun after all these years - I'll have to come back to MTB down the East Ridge.
The ridge on La Plata from Blaurock is like a hidden Ellingwood Ridge
The connecting ridge from Huron to the 3 Apostles is incredible
Missouri's East Ridge, of course.
(OK Belford/Oxford are ho hum to me, currently, but Pine Creek seems special to visit)
The ridge from Harvard to Birthday Peak still seems impossible to me when one is in good mental health and without a rope to rappel
Columbia's Rabbit ridge has a nice handcrack puzzle
Yale's avalanche chute is certainly... special
Princeton's south ridge is quite lovely - and long!
Little Brown's Creek to Antero is a hidden gem.
The ridge from Browns to Tab seemed impossible from Antero, but it's not so bad.
Shavano! Who can forget their first time up the Angel?
As far as other places in the Sawatch, there's some gnarly ridgelines. From "Mount Massive Far Northwest Peak", traversing OK, Deer, 13280, 13202, 13545, Twining, 12812, 13040, Mountain Boy, Grizzly, Garfield, and Red was one of the more ambitious and difficult ridges I've done outside of the Front Range and Sangres.
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ECF55
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
Looking forward to adding more in the future, but here's where I am so far:
In terms of my rankings:
- Huron Lulu Gulch (Highest Rank). Very few people on the trail. Great views of multiple 14ers and Huron's rugged East Face. Just a joy.
- Harvard South Slopes (Highest Rank). Big day. Wonderful approach trail and excellent CFI trailwork closer to the summit. The summit block is a little spicy and was a great way to finish with spectacular views both north and south. Highly recommended.
- Elbert Black Cloud (Highest Rank). Big day. Very few people on the trail. Incredible views of LaPlata. Probably the best option for Elbert.
- Yale Standard (High Quality Trail). Great trail and a really fun Class 2 finish on the summit.
- Princeton Standard (Below Average). Long approach and excessive talus hoping. Memorable views only on the last mile, but that view of Antero makes the hike and it really stays with me even today.
- Shavano Standard (Well Below Average). Great new CFI trail work, but the upper trail was steep and loose and views on the hike are underwhelming. Nice summit views of Tab. It just wasn't that much fun.
In terms of my rankings:
- Huron Lulu Gulch (Highest Rank). Very few people on the trail. Great views of multiple 14ers and Huron's rugged East Face. Just a joy.
- Harvard South Slopes (Highest Rank). Big day. Wonderful approach trail and excellent CFI trailwork closer to the summit. The summit block is a little spicy and was a great way to finish with spectacular views both north and south. Highly recommended.
- Elbert Black Cloud (Highest Rank). Big day. Very few people on the trail. Incredible views of LaPlata. Probably the best option for Elbert.
- Yale Standard (High Quality Trail). Great trail and a really fun Class 2 finish on the summit.
- Princeton Standard (Below Average). Long approach and excessive talus hoping. Memorable views only on the last mile, but that view of Antero makes the hike and it really stays with me even today.
- Shavano Standard (Well Below Average). Great new CFI trail work, but the upper trail was steep and loose and views on the hike are underwhelming. Nice summit views of Tab. It just wasn't that much fun.
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masonzastrow
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
Having recently finished the 14ers, I've thought a lot about which ones I'd repeat and I've realized that there's a category of "walk ups that don't have any wow factor," with the plurality of that group being in the Sawatch. So here's my ranking, including alternate routes I've taken (routes are standard unless indicated otherwise):
1. Missouri: The ridge walk is just fantastic, there is no other peak in the Sawatch where you get to enjoy such great views for so long...
2. Holy Cross (Halo Ridge Loop)... Except Halo Ridge! This one has more talus, which at the time when I did it, I wasn't as much of a fan of. I'd love to repeat it now with more experience under my belt.
3. Oxford: The view of Harvard from Oxford is fantastic. Going up Belford's switchbacks and descending Elkhead pass is a great loop, a grind on the ascent and cruiser on the way down.
4. Huron (Lulu gulch loop): I've done Huron twice this way, doing the loop in both directions. I didn't see anyone on the Lulu gulch trail either time. The East Face of Huron is beautiful and this route gives you a view.
5. Massive (SW Slopes loop): Same as Oxford. Steep ascent and chill on the way down. You can have a little fun on the ridge too!
6. La Plata: I did this kinda overnight, sunrise was at about 13k on the descent. So I can't speak to summit views, but dang that basin is lovely!
7. Belford: As steep as the Sawatch gets. This was my first 14er, which is why I have a soft spot for it. It's also one of the few peaks I've done three times, and it does keep its charm on later ascents too.
8. Antero (Little Browns Creek): This trail is great, it really should have a page on here! Aside from the short stretch on the road, it was very pretty and I was entirely alone all day.
9. Shavano (via the Angel): This is a great beginner snow climb but the bushwhack to the bottom is brutal.
10. Columbia (SE Ridge in winter): Doing this in February is brutal. Getting to treeline is painful, and the stretch after treeline is long. But the effort makes it rewarding.
11. Yale: We're starting to reach the replaceable walk up category...
12. Tabeguache (in winter): This was fine. The traverse from Shav doesn't hold a ton of snow so it wasn't horrible but if it wasn't ranked as a 14er I wouldn't be compelled to climb it.
13. Elbert: Man, I really wish Massive was the tallest peak in the Rockies. The NE Ridge just isn't anything special.
14. Huron (standard route): This is fine. The switchbacks get a little boring. Knowing that Lulu gulch is another option, I would not go up the standard route unless I was taking someone on their first 14er.
15. Harvard (South Face snow climb): Although the descent was fun and by far the longest glissading I've gotten in the Sawatch, the snow climb wasn't anything too special.
16. Shavano (Winter): I found this route to be a slog. It's a long day in snowshoes, but it feels like you've earned something when you top out at least.
17: Elbert (East ridge in winter): Same as Shavano, but we were deep in a cloud when we summited so it was a little deflating to just turn around. We didn't have visibility until about 11k on the descent.
18. Princeton (from 2WD): Just a long day on a less than great trail
19: Shavano: This was my 5th 14er and it was just miserable. Hot, terribly buggy, and weather coming in forced me to skip Tab. Although it's a nice trail, the period between treeline and 13.5k seems to last hours.
1. Missouri: The ridge walk is just fantastic, there is no other peak in the Sawatch where you get to enjoy such great views for so long...
2. Holy Cross (Halo Ridge Loop)... Except Halo Ridge! This one has more talus, which at the time when I did it, I wasn't as much of a fan of. I'd love to repeat it now with more experience under my belt.
3. Oxford: The view of Harvard from Oxford is fantastic. Going up Belford's switchbacks and descending Elkhead pass is a great loop, a grind on the ascent and cruiser on the way down.
4. Huron (Lulu gulch loop): I've done Huron twice this way, doing the loop in both directions. I didn't see anyone on the Lulu gulch trail either time. The East Face of Huron is beautiful and this route gives you a view.
5. Massive (SW Slopes loop): Same as Oxford. Steep ascent and chill on the way down. You can have a little fun on the ridge too!
6. La Plata: I did this kinda overnight, sunrise was at about 13k on the descent. So I can't speak to summit views, but dang that basin is lovely!
7. Belford: As steep as the Sawatch gets. This was my first 14er, which is why I have a soft spot for it. It's also one of the few peaks I've done three times, and it does keep its charm on later ascents too.
8. Antero (Little Browns Creek): This trail is great, it really should have a page on here! Aside from the short stretch on the road, it was very pretty and I was entirely alone all day.
9. Shavano (via the Angel): This is a great beginner snow climb but the bushwhack to the bottom is brutal.
10. Columbia (SE Ridge in winter): Doing this in February is brutal. Getting to treeline is painful, and the stretch after treeline is long. But the effort makes it rewarding.
11. Yale: We're starting to reach the replaceable walk up category...
12. Tabeguache (in winter): This was fine. The traverse from Shav doesn't hold a ton of snow so it wasn't horrible but if it wasn't ranked as a 14er I wouldn't be compelled to climb it.
13. Elbert: Man, I really wish Massive was the tallest peak in the Rockies. The NE Ridge just isn't anything special.
14. Huron (standard route): This is fine. The switchbacks get a little boring. Knowing that Lulu gulch is another option, I would not go up the standard route unless I was taking someone on their first 14er.
15. Harvard (South Face snow climb): Although the descent was fun and by far the longest glissading I've gotten in the Sawatch, the snow climb wasn't anything too special.
16. Shavano (Winter): I found this route to be a slog. It's a long day in snowshoes, but it feels like you've earned something when you top out at least.
17: Elbert (East ridge in winter): Same as Shavano, but we were deep in a cloud when we summited so it was a little deflating to just turn around. We didn't have visibility until about 11k on the descent.
18. Princeton (from 2WD): Just a long day on a less than great trail
19: Shavano: This was my 5th 14er and it was just miserable. Hot, terribly buggy, and weather coming in forced me to skip Tab. Although it's a nice trail, the period between treeline and 13.5k seems to last hours.
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Fast Jimm
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
I'd say my list in order of most to least favorite:
Yale East Ridge,
Holy Cross standard
Belford-Oxford
Elbert
La-Plata
Princeton
Huron
Shavano-Tabagauche
For some reason, the Shavano-Tabagauche hike seemed to be an interminable, repetitive slog but perhaps that was because I was simply collecting peaks and climbs at that time with an eye for maximum elevation gain. Of the ones listed above, Yale is the only one I've done twice and I love that route for it's steep, lengthy ascent below treeline followed by a relatively challenging ridge once you get to 12k+. What I like about that list is that, with the exception of Huron, every one of those is 4k+ elevation gain if you start from the lowest standard trailhead- many over 5k. I've always appreciated the grind even if the technical challenges aren't significant.
Yale East Ridge,
Holy Cross standard
Belford-Oxford
Elbert
La-Plata
Princeton
Huron
Shavano-Tabagauche
For some reason, the Shavano-Tabagauche hike seemed to be an interminable, repetitive slog but perhaps that was because I was simply collecting peaks and climbs at that time with an eye for maximum elevation gain. Of the ones listed above, Yale is the only one I've done twice and I love that route for it's steep, lengthy ascent below treeline followed by a relatively challenging ridge once you get to 12k+. What I like about that list is that, with the exception of Huron, every one of those is 4k+ elevation gain if you start from the lowest standard trailhead- many over 5k. I've always appreciated the grind even if the technical challenges aren't significant.
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JROSKA
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
As the OP of this “revived” thread, I’ll point out that this past summer I was finally able to get Oxford and thus close out the Sawatch 14ers. (Via Belford)
It’s tough to rank Oxford relative to other 14ers and honestly I didn’t enjoy the second ascent of Belford. But camping at the shed made the trip more enjoyable. I did enjoy the traverse and being above 13 k for so long, with those views, something I’m definitely not used to. Being on Oxford’s summit had a very serene, isolated feel to it. Just knowing how much time & effort would be required to safely get back to civilization. It reminded me of Holy Cross in that respect.
I’m happy with Oxford’s summit via Belford and doubt that I’ll ever be there again. But I’d still like to do Oxford as an independent climb from Pine Creek. It just seems like it would be a really nice peak to climb independently. Standing on the summit it didn’t feel like “Bel-Ox”. It felt like its own summit. Just a Sawatch 14er in the middle of nowhere.
I’d encourage anyone in the process of checklisting these peaks to do them independently. I’ve seen other accounts of those who are disappointed with Tab (with Shavano) or Columbia (with Harvard) and I think these peaks are so much more enjoyable if treated as an independent hike as opposed to a “tag” after a traverse. It’s not something I’m expecting, but I hope to do Oxford as a stand alone summit someday.
It’s tough to rank Oxford relative to other 14ers and honestly I didn’t enjoy the second ascent of Belford. But camping at the shed made the trip more enjoyable. I did enjoy the traverse and being above 13 k for so long, with those views, something I’m definitely not used to. Being on Oxford’s summit had a very serene, isolated feel to it. Just knowing how much time & effort would be required to safely get back to civilization. It reminded me of Holy Cross in that respect.
I’m happy with Oxford’s summit via Belford and doubt that I’ll ever be there again. But I’d still like to do Oxford as an independent climb from Pine Creek. It just seems like it would be a really nice peak to climb independently. Standing on the summit it didn’t feel like “Bel-Ox”. It felt like its own summit. Just a Sawatch 14er in the middle of nowhere.
I’d encourage anyone in the process of checklisting these peaks to do them independently. I’ve seen other accounts of those who are disappointed with Tab (with Shavano) or Columbia (with Harvard) and I think these peaks are so much more enjoyable if treated as an independent hike as opposed to a “tag” after a traverse. It’s not something I’m expecting, but I hope to do Oxford as a stand alone summit someday.
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CaptainSuburbia
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
Oxford from Clear Creek Reservoir is an excellent climb and you get to pick up 13er Waverly as a bonus.JROSKA wrote: ↑Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:37 am As the OP of this “revived” thread, I’ll point out that this past summer I was finally able to get Oxford and thus close out the Sawatch 14ers. (Via Belford)
It’s tough to rank Oxford relative to other 14ers and honestly I didn’t enjoy the second ascent of Belford. But camping at the shed made the trip more enjoyable. I did enjoy the traverse and being above 13 k for so long, with those views, something I’m definitely not used to. Being on Oxford’s summit had a very serene, isolated feel to it. Just knowing how much time & effort would be required to safely get back to civilization. It reminded me of Holy Cross in that respect.
I’m happy with Oxford’s summit via Belford and doubt that I’ll ever be there again. But I’d still like to do Oxford as an independent climb from Pine Creek. It just seems like it would be a really nice peak to climb independently. Standing on the summit it didn’t feel like “Bel-Ox”. It felt like its own summit. Just a Sawatch 14er in the middle of nowhere.
I’d encourage anyone in the process of checklisting these peaks to do them independently. I’ve seen other accounts of those who are disappointed with Tab (with Shavano) or Columbia (with Harvard) and I think these peaks are so much more enjoyable if treated as an independent hike as opposed to a “tag” after a traverse. It’s not something I’m expecting, but I hope to do Oxford as a stand alone summit someday.
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BigNick21
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
I've only done three Sawatch 14ers, and they were all beautiful climbs.
1. Mt. of the Holy Cross - Halo Ridge Via Notch Mtn. w/ decent of Standard Route
2. Mt Massive - Southeast Ridge w/ decent of east slopes
3. Mt. Elbert - Standard Route
1. Mt. of the Holy Cross - Halo Ridge Via Notch Mtn. w/ decent of Standard Route
2. Mt Massive - Southeast Ridge w/ decent of east slopes
3. Mt. Elbert - Standard Route
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ltlFish99
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
1) HOLY CROSS, AS IT IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.
2) TABEGAUCHE WEST RIDGE.HAD A WONDERFUL, AND RARE EXPERIENCE ON A 14ER OF HAVING THE ENTIRE ROUTE TO MYSELF BOTH UP AND DOWN.
ALSO SAW NOBODY THE NIGHT BEFORE AT THE TRAILHEAD.
3) HURON, AS THE VIEWS OF THE APOSTLES ARE EXCELLENT.
4) YALE EST RIDGE) 1ST 14ER HIKE AFTER A LONGER THAN ECPECTED RECOVERY FROM ACL REPLACEMENT SURGERY.
5 HARVARD AND COLUMBIA COMBO) SOLO DAY WITH THE MOST INTENSE RAIN STORM I HAVE EVER HIKED A 14ER DURING THE COLUMBIA PORTION.
6) Missouri/ EMERALD/ IOWA COMBO.
SOLO DAY UP THE MAIN NORTH FACE COULOIR, ON MIS., THEN IOWA,EMERALD, THEN A VERY FUN GLISSADE DOWN MIS. NORTH FACE.
2) TABEGAUCHE WEST RIDGE.HAD A WONDERFUL, AND RARE EXPERIENCE ON A 14ER OF HAVING THE ENTIRE ROUTE TO MYSELF BOTH UP AND DOWN.
ALSO SAW NOBODY THE NIGHT BEFORE AT THE TRAILHEAD.
3) HURON, AS THE VIEWS OF THE APOSTLES ARE EXCELLENT.
4) YALE EST RIDGE) 1ST 14ER HIKE AFTER A LONGER THAN ECPECTED RECOVERY FROM ACL REPLACEMENT SURGERY.
5 HARVARD AND COLUMBIA COMBO) SOLO DAY WITH THE MOST INTENSE RAIN STORM I HAVE EVER HIKED A 14ER DURING THE COLUMBIA PORTION.
6) Missouri/ EMERALD/ IOWA COMBO.
SOLO DAY UP THE MAIN NORTH FACE COULOIR, ON MIS., THEN IOWA,EMERALD, THEN A VERY FUN GLISSADE DOWN MIS. NORTH FACE.
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ejfred
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
Not to be a contrarian, but I did the opposite this past summer, standard up and Halo down. This is after having done the standard route up and down years ago. It was cool to add Halo and see the Cross Couloir and add a couple of 13ers, but standard up / Halo down prevented the final push back up Half Moon Pass. Just my 2 cents!MaryinColorado wrote: ↑Wed Aug 23, 2023 2:04 pm
15. Holy Cross TBD and planning on doing it Halo up, standard down. Will I regret? Possibly. But it looks like it stands a chance at being the most beautiful of all.
As far as the Sawatch in general:
Least Favorite: Antero. Really uninspiring!
2nd least favorite: Columbia. 1st attempt - Got to within a couple hundred feet of the summit and started getting hailed on in a white-out. Had to go back the next year. This is also before the trail enhancements were complete, (thank you CFI!), which I believe bypassed a tedious boulder field around tree-line.
Favorites: Shavano, (really enjoyed the entire route), and Harvard, (some challenge at the end and ended up meeting a guy from this forum that has gone on to become a great friend).
Southwest Routes: Massive and La Plata were great via the non-standards!
Butt-Kicker: Huron knocked me out when I did it. Not sure why!
Yale: Met someone carrying a cello to the summit, but didn't get to stay around for the concert!
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nyker
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
I liked them all. I cherish the little time I can spend on the hills so hard for me to say there is a least favorite or a dreaded peak. If I had a least favorite hike, it still beats a day sitting behind a desk or stuck in an airport.
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ECF55
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Re: Ranking the Sawatch
I was fortunate enough to add four more Sawatch peaks this summer, so here’s my updated list. Still looking forward to Holy Cross and Massive, which I have not yet attempted:
In terms of my rankings:
- Missouri Northwest Ridge (Highest Rank). This was a spectacular day in the mountains. Missouri Gulch is a breathtaking mountain valley. Views of Belford and Missouri on the approach impress. And the half mile ridge to the summit enables unbelievable views in every direction in the heart of the Sawatch. Spicy finish.
- Huron Lulu Gulch (Highest Rank). Very few people on the trail. Great views of multiple 14ers and Huron's rugged East Face. Just a joy.
- Harvard South Slopes (Highest Rank). Big day. Wonderful approach trail and excellent CFI trailwork closer to the summit. The summit block is a little spicy and was a great way to finish with spectacular views both north and south. One of my favorite views in the Sawatch. Highly recommended.
- Elbert Black Cloud (Highest Rank). Big day. Very few people on the trail. Incredible views of LaPlata. Probably the best option for Elbert. This was my first 14er, so there’s some nostalgia factoring in here, but I think it holds up.
- La Plata Northwest Ridge (High Quality Trail). This was a big day on a very steep trail. The upper ridge is a little “choose your own adventure” as I lost the trail a few times. Great summit views.
- Yale Standard (High Quality Trail). Steep but great trail and a really fun Class 2 finish on the summit. Very pretty up there.
- Antero Little Browns Creek (High Quality Trail). As Roach describes it, this is an enchanting valley that allows a non-4x4 route to the summit. Fun summit scramble and outstanding views of Princeton. Very long descent back to the car.
- Princeton Standard (Below Average). Long approach from the bottom and excessive talus hoping on the slopes. Memorable views only on the last mile, but that view of Antero makes the hike and it really stays with me even today.
- Columbia West Slopes (Below Average). The Horn Fork Basin is gorgeous. The CFI trail work was really nice, but the upper section was still a lot of steep, loose dirt. Best views of Yale and Harvard, which are super memorable. Harvard was a lot more fun.
- Shavano Standard (Well Below Average). Great new CFI trail work on the lower section, but the old upper trail was steep and loose and views on the hike are underwhelming. Nice summit views of Tab. It just wasn't that much fun.
In terms of my rankings:
- Missouri Northwest Ridge (Highest Rank). This was a spectacular day in the mountains. Missouri Gulch is a breathtaking mountain valley. Views of Belford and Missouri on the approach impress. And the half mile ridge to the summit enables unbelievable views in every direction in the heart of the Sawatch. Spicy finish.
- Huron Lulu Gulch (Highest Rank). Very few people on the trail. Great views of multiple 14ers and Huron's rugged East Face. Just a joy.
- Harvard South Slopes (Highest Rank). Big day. Wonderful approach trail and excellent CFI trailwork closer to the summit. The summit block is a little spicy and was a great way to finish with spectacular views both north and south. One of my favorite views in the Sawatch. Highly recommended.
- Elbert Black Cloud (Highest Rank). Big day. Very few people on the trail. Incredible views of LaPlata. Probably the best option for Elbert. This was my first 14er, so there’s some nostalgia factoring in here, but I think it holds up.
- La Plata Northwest Ridge (High Quality Trail). This was a big day on a very steep trail. The upper ridge is a little “choose your own adventure” as I lost the trail a few times. Great summit views.
- Yale Standard (High Quality Trail). Steep but great trail and a really fun Class 2 finish on the summit. Very pretty up there.
- Antero Little Browns Creek (High Quality Trail). As Roach describes it, this is an enchanting valley that allows a non-4x4 route to the summit. Fun summit scramble and outstanding views of Princeton. Very long descent back to the car.
- Princeton Standard (Below Average). Long approach from the bottom and excessive talus hoping on the slopes. Memorable views only on the last mile, but that view of Antero makes the hike and it really stays with me even today.
- Columbia West Slopes (Below Average). The Horn Fork Basin is gorgeous. The CFI trail work was really nice, but the upper section was still a lot of steep, loose dirt. Best views of Yale and Harvard, which are super memorable. Harvard was a lot more fun.
- Shavano Standard (Well Below Average). Great new CFI trail work on the lower section, but the old upper trail was steep and loose and views on the hike are underwhelming. Nice summit views of Tab. It just wasn't that much fun.