Quandary Peak is the highest summit of the

Tenmile Range The Tenmile Range is a mountain range in U.S. state of Colorado. The range is an extension of the Mosquito Range which is part of the Rocky Mountains. The two ranges are effectively the same range. They are split only by the Continental Divide a ...

in the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

of North America and is the most commonly climbed fourteener in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

. It has nearly the same elevation as Castle Peak and

Mount Evans Mount Evans is the highest peak in the Mount Evans Wilderness in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent 14,271-foot (4,350 m) fourteener is located southwest by south ( bearing 214°) of Idaho Springs in Clear C ...

. It lies in Summit County and within the

White River National Forest White River National Forest is a National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River that passes through its northern section. It is the most visited National Forest in the United States, primarily from users of the twelv ...

about south-southwest of the town of Breckenridge. The standard route up Quandary Peak is a trail hike ( class 1), starting from a trailhead about north of Hoosier Pass on the east side of the peak. Hence it is a popular fourteener to climb because of the relatively easy ascent and its proximity to

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

and Breckenridge. Quandary Peak is also popular with backcountry skiers and

snowboarders Snowboards are boards where the user places both feet, usually secured, to the same board. The board itself is wider than most skis, with the ability to glide on snow."snowboarding." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 17 Mar ...

. The gentle ascent makes for an easy climb from the east with less danger from

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and eart ...

than on many other fourteeners. The other slopes of the peak are steep and appeal to expert backcountry skiers. The trail climbs steadily across two marked jeep roads to your first glimpse of Quandary Peak, Hoosier Pass, and distant peaks of the Tenmile Range (.85 mile - 1.0 mile). It clears treeline and wraps to the south face of Quandary Peak's east ridge (1.0 miles : 11,721'). One such steep ski mountaineering route is the Cristo Couloir. In June 2021 the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative announced that Quandary Peak was Colorado's most popular 14'er in 2020. The Initiative's data indicated that the peak saw 49,179 hiker days in 2020. Its popularity in recent years has caused serious parking problems at the trailheads, prompting local officials to initiate new parking policies.

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* * {{Colorado Mountains of Colorado Mountains of Summit County, Colorado Fourteeners of Colorado North American 4000 m summits

See also

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External links