Vulgarian Ramblers
13,800-Footers of the Contiguous USA

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Overview

This is a peakbagger's list of all the peaks of 13,800-foot and higher elevation in the contiguous (Lower 48 States) USA, including the Hundred Highest Peaks. It encompasses several popular climbing lists, including the Colorado Fourteeners, Colorado Centennial Peaks, and California Fourteeners. It may be used as a guide by people intent on climbing either the Hundred Highest Peaks of the Contiguous USA, or all the 13,800-Footers of the Contiguous USA. (See below for criteria on a peak's inclusion in this list.)


Exact or Interpolated

Most of the summits on this list have spot elevations printed on the USGS quadrangle map. These are usually taken as the exact summit elevation unless a prior peak lister (or Schneider's DEM calculation) has determined that another value is more accurate. For a few of the peaks and most of the saddles, the elevation is not given explicitly on the map. In these cases, the elevation is interpolated as the average of the two contours that bound it (for a saddle), or 1/2 the contour interval above the highest contour shown (for a summit), with a symmetrical tolerance equal to ± half the contour interval. (Example: a summit with the highest contour at 14040' on a map with a 40' contour interval is listed at 14060±20.)


Saddle Criterion

To be considered a distinct peak for this list (and most other peakbagger lists of these peaks), a peak must rise a minimum of 300 feet above the low point of each saddle connecting it with a higher neighbor.


Uncertainty

Peakbagger lists qualify a peak with strict elevation criteria for rise and summit elevation. In case of uncertainty in an elevation value, most assign a crisp value by interpolation or truncation, and then continue to apply the strict criteria to the interpolated or truncated value to decide whether to include or omit a particular peak from the list. Believing that with an interpolation uncertainty of ±20 feet it's ludicrous to require climbing a peak with an interpolated rise of 301', but not another one with an interpolated rise of 299', I have expanded this list's format to allow for a gray area of peak qualification.


Peak Status

  1. Most of the peaks on this list (designated "Valid") can be easily shown to meet the saddle criterion by subtraction of the elevation for the surrounding saddles from the elevation of the summit, yielding a minimum drop of 300 feet or more.
  2. For a very few peaks on this list (designated "Marginal" and highlighted in yellow), this calculation is inconclusive due to elevation uncertainty; the peak may or may not meet the saddle criterion, but it cannot be decided with certainty from the available information.
  3. Peaks designated "Fails" (highlighted in red) definitely fail the saddle criterion but are common climbing destinations; all are peaks bearing official names that have appeared before on other peakbagger lists.
  4. No attempt has been made to include any officially-unnamed failing peaks, as the number is considerable (is every large summit boulder a separate summit?) and they have generally shown little attraction to peakbaggers.


Rank

Peaks are listed in descending order of elevation. Where the summit elevation of two peaks is identical, the order of them in the list is inconsequential and usually follows prior lists. Numbering depends on the peak's status: a valid peak has a numerical rank, a marginal peak has an intermediate rank beginning with M, and a failing peak has no rank.


Col Elevation

The list shows saddle elevation and rise only for marginal and failing peaks, plus a few barely-valid peaks that appear close to the saddle criterion. Many other peakbagger lists have verified the validity of the majority of the valid peaks, and including this information for all peaks would only obscure the few interesting cases. If you really need to check this information for valid peaks, go look it up yourself.


Rise

For marginal, failing, and barely-valid peaks, this column shows the range of possible rises above the saddle consistent with the available elevation data. If the range is entirely above 300', the peak is valid; if it's entirely below, the peak fails. For a marginal peak, the range includes values above and below 300'.


The Bottom Line

To be absolutely sure of climbing the 100 Highest Peaks in the Contiguous USA (according to best available current data), it is necessary to climb the numbered valid peaks from 1 through 100 plus the seven marginal peaks in that elevation range.

For a more complete climbing experience, also visit the nine named failers in that range; climbers working on the Colorado Fourteeners list may already have visited some.


Revision History

22 September 2007: Robert Packard noticed that Norman Clyde's rise from the saddle (with Split Mountain) is marginal (at least based exclusively on the Split Mountain USGS 7.5' topographic map).

30 December 2006: Added three missing peaks (Mt. Mallory & CalTech Peak in California and Liberty Cap in Washington) noticed by alert reader and peakbagger extraordinaire Robert Packard of Flagstaff, AZ.


And Finally... The Official VRMC 13,800-Footers of the USA!

Rank Status Elevation Exact? Name State Col elevation Rise
1Valid14491 Whitney, Mt.CA  
2Valid14433 Elbert, Mt.CO  
3Valid14421 Massive, Mt.CO  
4Valid14420 Harvard, Mt.CO  
5Valid14410 Rainier, Mt.WA  
6Valid14375 Williamson, Mt.CA  
7Valid14345 Blanca Pk.CO  
M7AMarginal14340±20"North Massive"CO14060±20240-320
8Valid14336 La Plata Pk.CO  
9Valid14309 Uncompahgre Pk.CO  
10Valid14294 Crestone Pk.CO  
11Valid14286 Lincoln, Mt.CO  
12Valid14270 Grays Pk.CO  
13Valid14269 Antero, Mt.CO  
14Valid14267 Torreys Pk.CO  
15Valid14265 Castle Pk.CO  
16Valid14265 Quandary Pk.CO  
17Valid14264 Evans A, Mt.CO  
18Valid14256 White Mtn. Pk.CA  
19Valid14255 Longs Pk.CO  
20Valid14246 Wilson, Mt.CO  
21Valid14242 North PalisadeCA  
 Fails14238 Cameron, Mt.CO14100±20118-158
22Valid14229 Shavano, Mt.CO  
23Valid14197 Belford, Mt.CO  
24Valid14197 Crestone NeedleCO  
25Valid14197 Princeton, Mt.CO  
26Valid14196 Yale, Mt.CO  
M26AMarginal14172 Bross, Mt.CO13860±20292-332
27Valid14165 Kit Carson Mtn.CO  
28Valid14162 Shasta, Mt.CA  
 Fails14159 El DienteCO13900±20239-279
29Valid14156 Maroon Pk.CO  
30Valid14155 Tabeguache Pk.CO  
 Fails14154 Polemonium Pk.CA14121±330-66
31Valid14153 Sill, Mt.CA  
32Valid14153 Oxford, Mt.CO  
33Valid14150 Sneffels, Mt.CO  
34Valid14148 Democrat, Mt.CO  
35Valid14130 Capitol Pk.CO  
36Valid14112 Liberty CapWA  
37Valid14110 Pikes Pk.CO  
38Valid14092 Snowmass Mtn.CO  
39Valid14088 Russell, Mt.CA  
40Valid14083 Eolus, Mt.CO  
41Valid14082 Windom Pk.CO  
M41AMarginal14081 Challenger Pt.CO13780±20281-321
42Valid14073 Columbia, Mt.CO  
43Valid14067 Missouri Mtn.CO  
44Valid14064 Humboldt Pk.CO  
45Valid14060 Bierstadt, Mt.CO  
 Fails14060±20Conundrum Pk.CO13820±20200-280
46Valid14059 Sunlight Pk.CO  
47Valid14058 Split Mtn.CA  
48Valid14048 Handies Pk.CO  
49Valid14047 Culebra Pk.CO  
50Valid14042 Ellingwood Pt.CO13700±20322-362
51Valid14042 Lindsey, Mt.CO  
 Fails14039 North EolusCO13860±20159-199
52Valid14037 Little Bear Pk.CO13660±20357-397
53Valid14036 Sherman, Mt.CO  
54Valid14034 Redcloud Pk.CO  
55Valid14022 Langley, Mt.CA  
56Valid14018 Tyndall, Mt.CA  
57Valid14018 Pyramid Pk.CO  
58Valid14017 Wilson Pk.CO  
59Valid14015 Wetterhorn Pk.CO  
 Fails14014 North Maroon Pk.CO13780±20214-254
60Valid14014 San Luis Pk.CO  
61Valid14012 Middle PalisadeCA  
M61AMarginal14012 Muir, Mt.CA13691±33288-354
62Valid14005 Holy Cross, Mt. of theCO  
 Fails14003 Thunderbolt Pk.CA13750±33220-286
63Valid14003 Huron Pk.CO  
64Valid14001 Sunshine Pk.CO  
Fourteener line
65Valid13990 Barnard, Mt.CA  
66Valid13988 Grizzly Pk. ACO  
67Valid13986 Humphreys, Mt.CA  
68Valid13983 Stewart Pk.CO  
69Valid13980±20UN13980 ("Kat Carson")CO13620±20320-400
70Valid13975 Keith, Mt.CA  
71Valid13973 Stanford, Mt. SCA  
72Valid13972 Pigeon Pk.CO  
73Valid13971 Ouray, Mt.CO  
M73AMarginal13962 UTM662058 ("SE Polemonium")CA13678±33251-317
74Valid13951 Fletcher Mtn.CO  
75Valid13951 Ice Mtn.CO  
 Fails13951 Gemini Pk.CO13780±20151-191
76Valid13950 Pacific Pk.CO  
77Valid13947 Trojan Pk.CA  
78Valid13943 Cathedral Pk.CO  
79Valid13940±20French Mtn.CO  
80Valid13933 Hope, Mt.CO  
M80AMarginal13932 UN13932 ("Thunder Pyramid")CO13620±20292-332
81Valid13931 Adams, Mt.CO  
82Valid13930 LeConte, Mt.CA  
83Valid13927 UTM838501 ("W. Russell")CA13593±33301-367
84Valid13913 Gladstone Pk.CO  
85Valid13911 Meeker, Mt.CO  
86Valid13908 Casco Pk.CO  
87Valid13908 Red Mtn. ACO  
88Valid13904 Emerald Pk.CO  
M88AMarginal13900±20"Drift Pk."CO13620±20240-320
89Valid13898 Horseshoe Mtn.CO  
90Valid13895 UN13895 ("Phoenix", "Creede Pk.")CO  
91Valid13894 Vermillion Pk.CO  
92Valid13893 Agassiz, Mt.CA  
93Valid13888 Junction Pk.CA  
Hundred Highest line if all marginals are valid
 Fails13876 Frasco BMCO13620±20236-276
94Valid13870 UN13870 ("North Carbonate")CO  
95Valid13865 Buckskin, Mt.CO  
96Valid13864 Vestal Pk.CO  
97Valid13860±20Apostle NorthCO13460±20360-440
98Valid13860 Jones Mtn. ACO  
99Valid13857 Clinton Pk.CO  
100Valid13855 Dyer Mtn.CO  
Hundred Highest line if all marginals fail
M100AMarginal13855 Norman Clyde Pk.CA13550±33272-338
101 Valid13852 Crystal Pk.CO  
 Fails13852 Traver Pk.CO13600±20212-252
102 Valid13850 Edwards, Mt.CO  
103 Valid13849 California Pk.CO  
104 Valid13845 Oklahoma, Mt.CO  
105 Valid13845 Mallory, Mt.CA  
 Fails13842 Spalding, Mt.CO13580±20242-282
106 Valid13841 Hagerman Pk.CO13500±20321-361
107 Valid13841 Half Pk.CO  
108 Valid13841 UN13841 ("Atlantic Pk.")CO  
109 Valid13835 Turret Pk.CO  
110 Valid13832 UN13832CO  
111 Valid13832 CalTech Pk.CA  
112 Valid13831 Darwin, Mt.CA  
113 Valid13831 Holy Cross RidgeCO13500±20311-351
M113A Marginal13831 Iowa Pk.CO13540±20271-311
114 Valid13830 Jupiter Mtn.CO13460±20350-390
115 Valid13828 UN13828 ("Huerfano Pk.")CO  
116 Valid13824 Jagged Mtn.CO  
117 Valid13823 UN13823 ("TK", "Lackawanna Pk.")CO  
118 Valid13822 Silverheels, Mt.CO  
119 Valid13821 Rio Grande PyramidCO  
120 Valid13819 Teakettle Mtn.CO  
121 Valid13811 UN13811CO  
122 Valid13809 Dallas Pk.CO  
123 Valid13807 Niagara Pk.CO  
124 Valid13806 UN13806 ("American Pk.")CO  
125 Valid13805 Trinity Pk.CO  
126 Valid13804 Gannett Pk.WY  
127 Valid13803 Arrow Pk.CO  
128 Valid13803 UN13803 ("Hot Spgs", "Castleabra")CO  
129 Valid13802 Kaweah, Mt.CA  
130 Valid13801 Organ Mtn. ACO  
Thirteen-eighter line

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Last updated 15 February, 2009