This southern Colorado peak is named for the Spanish word for "white" because of the snowfields near its top. Blanca is a big massif rising 7,000' above the San Luis Valley floor.

Surveyor Hayden named this remote Elk Range peak for its stately appearance. Capitol is known for its difficult climbing, loose rock and the notorious knife-edge ridge west of K-2.

Above Montezuma Basin, near Conundrum Peak, lies Castle Peak with its purple hues. Named for the mountain's castle-shaped ridgelines, it is the highest peak in the Elk Range.

Above South Colony Lakes are the big walls of the Crestone Needle and the wild gendarmes of the ridge to Crestone Peak. Crestone is Spanish for "cockscomb."

Crestone Peak, in the Sangre de Cristos, is steep and technical from every aspect. It was one of the last peaks in Colorado to be climbed because of its big walls and remote location.

This peak, the southernmost 14er in Colorado, is currently privately owned. It is named for the Spanish word for "snake" because of the serpentine curves of the rivers on its flanks.

El Diente is Spanish for "tooth." In southwestern Colorado, the jagged ridgeline of El Diente Peak inspired its name. The peak is noted for the exposed Wilson-El Diente ridge.

This peak is named for mountaineer and adventurer Albert Ellingwood. He established bold early first ascents in Colorado and introduced safer new climbing techniques from England.

This peak is named for 18th century botanist Asa Gray, and is often climbed with Torreys Peak. Prospectors referred to Grays and Torreys as the Twin Peaks.

Above the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and the wildflowers of American Basin, Handies offers a fine view from its summit. It was named for a pioneer in the area.

Captured in fine form by western photographer Henry Jackson, the ice formation on this peak is famous. The cliff bands of the Cross couloir rise above columbines in East Cross Creek.

Named for German mountaineer Alexander von Humboldt by locals in the Wet Mountain Valley this peak is an easy climb compared with its neighbors in the Sangre de Cristo range.

To the south of Huron lies the central couloir on Ice Mountain of the Three Apostles. Admitted late as a 14er, Huron Peak is the same height as Mt. of the Holy Cross.

This peak east of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument of Colorado is named for the legendary scout of the old west. It and some nearby peaks were known as the Three Tetons.

The Sawatch Range peak La Plata means, "silver" in Spanish. It is noted for its long northeast ridge, first climbed in 1921 by Colorado College graduate Albert Ellingwood.

Above Lake Como in the Sangre de Cristo Range sits Little Bear Peak. Its connecting ridge, the 1 1/2 mile Blanca Peak-Little Bear traverse, is a Colorado mountaineering classic.

The Diamond on Longs east face produced some of Colorado's 1st big wall ascents. Broadway and the Notch Couloir are prominent features on its 2,000-foot high face.

Miners from the "Show Me" state named Missouri Gulch and this peak in the Sawatch Range. Above Missouri Gulch are Elkhead Pass and the ridges to Belford and Oxford.

Named for Chief Antero of the Ute Indian tribe this peak is noted its abundance gems and minerals. Aquamarine rock crystals, smoky quartz are found on slopes.

Mt. Belford was named for Judge James D. Belford, 'the red-headed rooster of the Rockies.' He was a politician known for his red hair, quick wit, and flamboyant manner.

A willow-whacker from Guanella Pass, this peak is named for Albert Bierstadt, who painted large pictures of Colorado landscapes. The Sawtooth Ridge connects it with Evans.

This peak was named for miner and politician William Bross who is said to have climbed it in 1876. It is known for its rounded summit and the gnarled bristlecone pines on its flanks.

Beaver ponds on Frenchman Creek are in the valley below the north face of Mount Columbia. Columbia is one of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range of Colorado.

Near the town of Alma and up Buckskin Gulch, the south face of Democrat rises from Kite Lake. Miners that roamed for gold on its slopes named it for their beloved President Lincoln.

West of Leadville, Mount Elbert is the highest point in Colorado. It was named for territorial Governor Samuel Elbert; a politician credited with preventing San Juan Indian troubles.

Surveyor Hayden named this cloud-capped peak in the San Juan's for Eolus, the Greek god of winds. Rock and grassy ledges near the summit form 'the sidewalk in the sky'.

Of all the 14ers, you can drive to the summit of only Pikes Peak and Evans. This paved road is one of the planets highest. Evans is a landmark on the skyline west of downtown Denver.

A Collegiate Range peak, Harvard is the 3rd highest in Colorado. It lies high in the Horn Fork Basin above Bear Lake and was named by surveyor and Professor Josiah Whitney.

Years ago, the slopes of Mount Lincoln rang with picks from miners scraping for gold and silver; now mountaineers swing their picks on Lincoln Falls above Montgomery Reservoir.

Above the farms and ranches of the San Luis Valley is Mt. Lindsey, named for Colorado Mountain Club member Malcolm Lindsey. Until 1954, this peak was known as Old Baldy.

Near the town of Leadville and part of the Sawatch Range, Mount Massive is a sprawling massif. It is aptly named, having five distinct summits that rise above 14,000 feet.

A Collegiate Peak in the Sawatch Range, this peak is often climbed with Belford. For years, it was thought to barely qualify as a 14er, but more recent surveys added an additional 150'.

One of the Collegiate Peaks, Princeton is known for symmetry between its summit and the two subpeaks, and for the Chalk Cliffs and Hot Springs to the south in the valley below.

This peak was named for Shavano, a Ute Indian Chief. The peak has a unique snowfield in its east couloir that forms a figure with outstretched arms called the "Angel of Shavano."

SW of Fairplay and up Fourmile Creek are the snowfields of Sheridan and old mining structures on the gentle slopes of Sherman, named for Civil War General William Sherman.

Named by Hayden for an Icelandic mountain in Jules Verne's book, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Sneffels is one of the most spectacular peaks in the San Juan Mountains.

Deep in the San Miguel Mountains, this peak is known for its hard connecting ridge with El Diente and for fine spring ski mountaineering. It was named for surveyor AD Wilson.

Part of the Collegiate Range, this peak was named by Professor JD Whitney on a surveying trip. He started the tradition of naming Sawatch peaks after universities.

Sedimentary rock gave the Maroon Bells their distinctive color and layered appearance. The loose rock and steep climbing have earned these peaks the nickname 'Deadly Bells.'

The big east face and central couloir of Pikes Peak rise behind the sandstone formations of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and the old Incline of Manitou Springs.

Loose rock, steep climbing and big exposure give this aptly named symmetrical peak an earned reputation as one of the most difficult to summit of all the fourteeners in Colorado.

The prominent East Ridge of Quandary is a popular climb from Highway 9. A road goes up Monte Cristo Gulch to the Blue Lakes and the bottom of the steep south (Cristo) couloir.

Redcloud Peak, west of Lake City, is named for the orange and red colored rocks above timberline that are accentuated by alpenglow. It is usually climbed along with Sunshine.

The view from Maroon Lake is a classic image of Maroon and North Maroon Peak. Maroon Peak is the higher of the two peaks, known collectively as the 'Maroon Bells.'

In the La Garita Wilderness area near Creede, this peak is named for the San Luis Valley nearby. The Rio Grande River, fed by the big snows of this range nourishes the valley.

Visible from afar, the big east snowfields are the namesakes of this Elk Range peak. Indians called this mountain "The Cold Woman" and believed it was the source of local weather.

It is an airy move to get to the summit of this Needle Range peak that is flanked by Eolus and Windom. It was named for the rays of sunshine that pass through the spires on its ridges.

The lowest 14er in North America, Sunshine Peak is joined to Redcloud Peak by an easy ridge in the San Juan Mountains.

This peak is named for a Ute Indian tribe that used to roam its base. Shavano is separated from Tabeguache Peak by a 1 1/4-mile long ridge, and they are often climbed together.

This peak is named for 18th century botanist John Torreys, and is often climbed with Grays Peak. Prospectors referred to Grays and Torreys as the Twin Peaks.

This is the tallest of the San Juan's. Uncompahgre is a Ute Indian word meaning 'hot (unca) water (pah) spring (gre),' There are Hot Springs nearby in the town of Ouray.

This was named by the Wheeler survey after the famous peak in Switzerland, and it remotely resembles that icon. Wetterhorn Peak looms above the Matterhorn basin below.

This peak high in the San Juan's above the old mining structures in the Silver Pick Basin was named for AD Wilson, a chief cartographer with the Hayden survey.

This peak above Chicago Basin in the San Juan Mountains was named not for the winds that can rake it, but for William Windom, a U.S. Senator and politician from Minnesota.