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14er Routes by Risk Factor

As you advance beyond the easiest 14ers, additional risk factors begin to emerge. For those tackling Class 3 or Class 4 14ers, it’s essential to carefully assess these risks. Use the tabs below to explore where various 14er routes align within each risk category.

Exposure is the empty space below you which could result in injury or death if you fall. If you're "afraid of heights," the exposure risk might be an important factor when selecting a route. A LOW exposure route would be walking up the standard trail on Quandary peak. HIGH exposure is crossing the knife-edge on Capitol Peak. EXTREME exposure is climbing the final wall after traversing from Crestone Peak to Crestone Needle.

Low  Mild exposure in the area but not along the immediate route.
Moderate  Mild exposure very close to the route. Route options may be limited but you should be able to walk through the exposure area.
Considerable  Dangerous exposure along the immediate route. It should be avoidable with some slow hiking or scrambling.
High  A fall could result in serious injury or death. Moving through the area will require some scrambling or short technical moves.
Extreme!  A fall would likely be fatal. Big, sheer drops.
Low Exposure
Mt. Belford: Northwest Ridge
Mt. Bierstadt: West Slopes
Mt. Elbert: Northeast Ridge
Grays Peak: North Slopes
Pikes Peak: East Slopes
Quandary Peak: East Ridge
San Luis Peak: Northeast Ridge
Torreys Peak: South Slopes
Grays Peak: Grays and Torreys
  Mt. Belford: Southwest Slopes
  Mt. Bross: East Slopes from Mineral Park
  Mt. Bross: "Dolly Varden Gully"
  Mt. Elbert: East Ridge
  Mt. Elbert: Southeast Ridge
  Mt. Lincoln: East Slopes
  Pikes Peak: Northwest Slopes
  San Luis Peak: South Ridge
  Mt. Sherman: South Slope
Moderate Exposure
Mt. Antero: West Slopes
Mt. Bross: West Slopes
Mt. Lincoln: Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, Bross
Mt. Cameron: West Ridge
Mt. Columbia: West Slopes
Culebra Peak: Northwest Ridge
Mt. Democrat: East Slope
Mt. Blue Sky: West Ridge from Summit Lake
Handies Peak: Southwest Slopes
Mt. Harvard: South Slopes
Mt. of the Holy Cross: North Ridge
Humboldt Peak: West Ridge
Huron Peak: Northwest Slopes
La Plata Peak: Northwest Ridge
Mt. Lincoln: West Ridge
Mt. Massive: East Slopes
Mt. Oxford: Via Mt. Belford
Mt. Princeton: East Slopes
Redcloud Peak: Northeast Ridge
Mt. Shavano: East Slopes
Mt. Sherman: Southwest Ridge
Sunshine Peak: Via Redcloud Peak
Tabeguache Peak: Via Mt. Shavano
Uncompahgre Peak: South Ridge
Mt. Yale: Southwest Slopes
  Mt. Belford: Northwest Gully
  Mt. Bierstadt: South Ridge
  Mt. Bross: "S Gully"
  Mt. Columbia: Southeast Ridge
  Mt. Columbia: Southwest Couloir
  Mt. Blue Sky: West Ridge from Echo Lake
  Mt. Blue Sky: West Ridge from Guanella Pass
  Grays Peak: South Ridge
  Grays Peak: Southwest Ridge
  Handies Peak: East Slopes
  Handies Peak: West Slopes
  Mt. Harvard: South Face
  Mt. Harvard: Harvard and Columbia Traverse
  Humboldt Peak: East Ridge
  Humboldt Peak: Southeast Gully
  Huron Peak: Southwest Slopes
  Huron Peak: North Ridge from Lulu Gulch
  La Plata Peak: Southwest Ridge
  Mt. Lincoln: Lincoln Amphitheatre
  Mt. Lindsey: North Couloir
  Mt. Massive: Southwest Slopes
  Mt. Massive: East Ridge
  Quandary Peak: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
  Mt. Shavano: Angel of Shavano
  Mt. Sherman: West Slopes
  Sunshine Peak: Northwest Face
  Sunshine Peak: East Ridge
  Tabeguache Peak: West Ridge
  Torreys Peak: West Ridge
  Torreys Peak: NW Face/Tuning Fork
  Mt. Yale: East Ridge
Considerable Exposure
Mt. Bierstadt: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Blanca Peak: Northwest Ridge
Castle Peak: Northeast Ridge
Castle Peak: Castle and Conundrum
Challenger Point: North Slope
Conundrum Peak: South Ridge
El Diente Peak: South Slopes
Ellingwood Point: South Face
Kit Carson Peak: Via Challenger Point
Mt. Lindsey: Northwest Gully
Missouri Mountain: Northwest Ridge
North Eolus: South Ridge
Mt. Sneffels: South Slopes
Windom Peak: West Ridge
  Mt. Bierstadt: East Ridge
  Mt. Blue Sky: Tour de Abyss Loop
  Castle Peak: Northwest Ridge
  Castle Peak: North Face Couloir
  Challenger Point: Kirk Couloir
  Mt. Democrat: South Slope
  Mt. Elbert: Box Creek Couloirs
  El Diente Peak: North Slopes
  Blanca Peak: Blanca and Ellingwood
  Ellingwood Point: North Ridge via South Zapata Creek
  Mt. Blue Sky: North Face Moderate
  Grays Peak: Lost Rat Couloir
  Mt. of the Holy Cross: Cross Couloir
  Mt. of the Holy Cross: Halo Ridge
  Kit Carson Peak: Outward Bound Couloir
  La Plata Peak: North Face
  Missouri Mountain: West Ridge
  Missouri Mountain: North Face Couloirs
  Quandary Peak: North Gully aka Quandary Couloir
  Mt. Sneffels: Southwest Ridge
  Torreys Peak: Emperor Couloir
  Torreys Peak: Dead Dog Couloir
High Exposure
Capitol Peak: Northeast Ridge
Crestone Needle: South Face
Crestone Peak: South Face
Mt. Eolus: Northeast Ridge
Little Bear Peak: West Ridge and Hourglass
Longs Peak: Keyhole Route
Maroon Peak: South Ridge
Mt. Wilson: Southwest Slopes
North Maroon Peak: Northeast Ridge
Pyramid Peak: Northeast Ridge
Snowmass Mountain: East Slopes
Wetterhorn Peak: Southeast Ridge
Wilson Peak: Southwest Ridge
  Conundrum Peak: Conundrum Couloir
  Ellingwood Point: Southwest Ridge
  Mt. Blue Sky: West Gully
  Mt. Blue Sky: North Face Steep
  Kit Carson Peak: East Ridge
  Kit Carson Peak: North Ridge
  La Plata Peak: Ellingwood Ridge
  Mt. Lindsey: Northwest Ridge
  Longs Peak: Loft Route
  Longs Peak: Keplinger Couloir
  Maroon Peak: Bell Cord Couloir
  Mt. Wilson: North Slopes
  Mt. Wilson: Mt. Wilson and El Diente Traverse
  Mt. Wilson: East Face
  Quandary Peak: West Ridge
  Snowmass Mountain: West Slope
  Torreys Peak: Kelso Ridge
  Wetterhorn Peak: East Face
Extreme Exposure
Sunlight Peak: South Face
  Crestone Peak: Crestones Traverse
  Crestone Needle: Ellingwood Arete/Ledges
  El Diente Peak: North Buttress
  Maroon Peak: Bells Traverse