Mount Elbert

     Mt Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America, at 14,440 feet (4,401 m), the second highest mountain in the contiguous United States after Mount Whitney in California, the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado, and the high point of the Sawatch Range. It is located in Lake County, approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Leadville. It lies within the San Isabel National Forest near Twin Lakes.
     The mountain was named after Colorado statesman Samuel Hitt Elbert, who was active in the formative period of the State.
     There are three main routes up the mountain, all of which gain over 4,100 feet (1,200 m) of elevation. The standard route ascends the peak from the east, starting from the Colorado Trail. The most difficult is the Black Cloud Trail, a Class 2 climb which takes ten to fourteen hours depending on the pace, and gains 5,300 feet (1,600 m) in elevation. Nearby fourteeners include Mount Massive to the north and La Plata Peak to the south.