Fourteener Explained

In the mountaineering parlance of the Western United States, a fourteener (also spelled 14er) is a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14000feet. The 96 fourteeners in the United States are all west of the Mississippi River. Colorado has the most (53) of any single state; Alaska is second with 29. Many peak baggers try to climb all fourteeners in the contiguous United States, one particular state, or another region.

Qualification criteria

The summit of a mountain or hill may be measured in three principal ways:

1. Topographic elevation is the height of the summit above a geodetic sea level.^{[1] [2]}
2. Topographic prominence is how high the summit rises above its surroundings.^{[3] [2]}
3. Topographic isolation (or radius of dominance) is how far the summit lies from its nearest point of equal elevation.^[4]

Not all summits over 14,000 feet qualify as fourteeners.^[5] Summits that qualify are those considered by mountaineers to be independent. Objective standards for independence include topographic prominence and isolation (distance from a higher summit), or a combination of the two. However, fourteener lists do not always use such objective rules consistently.

A rule commonly used by mountaineers in the contiguous United States is that a peak must have at least 3000NaN0 of prominence to qualify. By this rule, Colorado has 53 fourteeners, California has 12, and Washington has 2.

According to the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, the standard in Alaska uses a 500feet prominence rule rather than a 3000NaN0 rule.^[6] By this rule, Alaska has at least 21 peaks over 140000NaN0 and its 12 highest peaks exceed 150000NaN0.

Fourteeners

See also: List of the highest major summits of the United States. The following table lists the 96 mountain peaks of the United States with at least 14000abbr=on0abbr=on of topographic elevation and at least 300abbr=on2abbr=on of topographic prominence]. Of these, 53 rise in Colorado, 29 in Alaska, 12 in California, and 2 in Washington (Liberty Cap is part of the crater atop Mt Rainier). The 22 highest fourteeners all rise in Alaska.

Fourteeners of the United States

!Rank!Mountain Peak!State!Mountain Range!Elevation!Prominence!Isolation!Location

1		Alaska Range	63.069°N -151.0063°W
2		Alaska Range	63.0976°N -151.0063°W
3		Saint Elias Mountains	60.2927°N -140.9307°W
4		Alaska Range	63.0867°N -150.9544°W
5		Alaska Range	62.9604°N -151.3998°W
align=center rowspan=2	6		Saint Elias Mountains	61.3856°N -141.7495°W
6 -->		Alaska Range	62.955°N -151.4405°W
8		Wrangell Mountains	61.7305°N -143.4031°W
9		Wrangell Mountains	61.7252°N -143.3925°W
10		Wrangell Mountains	62.2132°N -144.1292°W
11		Alaska Range	63.0349°N -150.9768°W
12		Alaska Range	63.0466°N -150.9663°W
13		Saint Elias Mountains	60.3354°N -139.6934°W
14		Saint Elias Mountains	61.3808°N -141.7867°W
15		Saint Elias Mountains	61.4191°N -141.7152°W
16		Saint Elias Mountains	58.9064°N -137.5265°W
17		Saint Elias Mountains	60.3194°N -139.0726°W
18		Saint Elias Mountains	61.2834°N -141.1433°W
19		Saint Elias Mountains	60.3316°N -139.6612°W
20		Alaska Range	63.0603°N -150.9296°W
21		Alaska Range	63.0582°N -150.8931°W
22		Alaska Range	62.9504°N -151.0915°W
23		Sierra Nevada	36.5786°N -118.292°W
24		Saint Elias Mountains	60.3518°N -139.0749°W
25		Saint Elias Mountains	61.3272°N -141.7867°W
26		Saint Elias Mountains	61.3646°N -141.9001°W
27		Sawatch Range	39.1178°N -106.4454°W
28		Sawatch Range	39.1875°N -106.4757°W
29		Sawatch Range	38.9244°N -106.3207°W
30		Cascade Range	46.8529°N -121.7604°W
31		Sierra Nevada	36.6559°N -118.3111°W
32		Sangre de Cristo Mountains	37.5775°N -105.4856°W
33		Sawatch Range	39.0294°N -106.4729°W
34		San Juan Mountains	38.0717°N -107.4621°W
35		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.9669°N -105.5855°W
36		Mosquito Range	39.3515°N -106.1116°W
37		Elk Mountains	39.0097°N -106.8614°W
38		Front Range	39.6339°N -105.8176°W
39		Sawatch Range	38.6741°N -106.2462°W
40		Front Range	39.6428°N -105.8212°W
41		Mosquito Range	39.3973°N -106.1064°W
42		Front Range	39.5883°N -105.6438°W
43		Wrangell Mountains	61.6953°N -143.3771°W
44		Front Range	40.255°N -105.6151°W
45		San Miguel Mountains	37.8391°N -107.9916°W
46		White Mountains	37.6341°N -118.2557°W
47		Sierra Nevada	37.0943°N -118.5145°W
48		Sawatch Range	38.6192°N -106.2393°W
49		Sawatch Range	38.7492°N -106.2424°W
50		Sawatch Range	38.9607°N -106.3607°W
51		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.9647°N -105.5766°W
52		Sawatch Range	38.8442°N -106.3138°W
53		Cascade Range	41.4092°N -122.1949°W
54		Mosquito Range	39.3354°N -106.1077°W
55		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.9797°N -105.6026°W
56		Elk Mountains	39.0708°N -106.989°W
57		Wrangell Mountains	62.0059°N -144.0187°W
58		Sawatch Range	38.6255°N -106.2509°W
59		Collegiate Peaks	38.9648°N -106.3388°W
60		Sierra Nevada	37.096°N -118.5032°W
61		Sneffels Range	38.0038°N -107.7923°W
62		Mosquito Range	39.3396°N -106.14°W
63		Elk Mountains	39.1503°N -107.0829°W
64		Cascade Range	46.863°N -121.7749°W
65		Front Range	38.8405°N -105.0442°W
66		Elk Mountains	39.1188°N -107.0665°W
67		Sierra Nevada	36.5901°N -118.2908°W
68		Needle Mountains	37.6212°N -107.5919°W
69		Needle Mountains	37.6218°N -107.6227°W
70		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.9804°N -105.6066°W
71		Sawatch Range	38.9039°N -106.2975°W
72		Sawatch Range	38.9476°N -106.3785°W
73		Saint Elias Mountains	60.3074°N -140.4584°W
74		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.9762°N -105.5552°W
75		Front Range	39.5826°N -105.6688°W
76		Needle Mountains	37.6274°N -107.5959°W
77		Sierra Nevada	37.0209°N -118.4224°W
78		San Juan Mountains	37.913°N -107.5044°W
79		Culebra Range	37.1224°N -105.1858°W
80		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.5826°N -105.4927°W
81		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.5837°N -105.4449°W
82		Sangre de Cristo Range	37.5666°N -105.4972°W
83		Mosquito Range	39.225°N -106.1699°W
84		San Juan Mountains	37.941°N -107.4219°W
85		Sierra Nevada	36.5234°N -118.2395°W
86		Sierra Nevada	36.6556°N -118.337°W
87		Elk Mountains	39.0717°N -106.9502°W
88		San Juan Mountains	37.8603°N -107.9847°W
89		La Garita Mountains	37.9868°N -106.9313°W
90		San Juan Mountains	38.0607°N -107.5109°W
91		Sierra Nevada	36.5647°N -118.2913°W
92		Sierra Nevada	37.0702°N -118.4691°W
93		Wrangell Mountains	62.0091°N -144.063°W
94		Sawatch Range	39.4668°N -106.4817°W
95		Sawatch Range	38.9455°N -106.4381°W
96		San Juan Mountains	37.9228°N -107.4256°W

Topographic prominence

The table above uses a minimum topographic prominence criterion of 300feet and includes 96 peaks. The number of peaks included depends upon the minimum topographic prominence criterion. A criterion of 100m (300feet) includes 90 peaks, 500feet includes 77 peaks, 1000feet includes 63 peaks, and 500m (1,600feet) includes 46 peaks.

The following U.S. summits have 14,000 ft of elevation, but have less than 300 ft of topographic prominence:

• Denali, Browne Tower, 14,530, Alaska: Prominence = 25-. Why this became included on some fourteener lists is unclear.
• Mount Cameron, 14,238, Colorado: Prominence = 118 feet.
• El Diente Peak, 14,159, Colorado: Prominence = 239 feet. On many fourteener lists.
• Point Success, 14,158, Washington: Prominence = 118 feet.
• Polemonium Peak, 14,080+, California: Prominence = 160–240 feet.
• Starlight Peak, 14,080, California: Prominence = 80–160 feet.
• North Conundrum Peak, 14,040+, Colorado: Prominence = 200–280 feet.
• North Eolus, 14,039, Colorado: Prominence = 159–199 feet.
• North Maroon Peak, 14,014, Colorado: Prominence = 234 feet. On many fourteener lists.
• Thunderbolt Peak, 14,003, California: Prominence = 223 feet.
• Sunlight Spire, 14,001, Colorado: Prominence = 195 - 235 feet.^[7]

See also

• List of mountain peaks of North America
  • List of mountain peaks of Greenland
  • List of mountain peaks of Canada
  • List of mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains
  • List of mountain peaks of the United States
    • List of the highest major summits of the United States
    • List of the most prominent summits of the United States
    • List of the most isolated major summits of the United States
    • List of extreme summits of the United States
    • List of mountain peaks of Alaska
    • List of mountain peaks of California
    • List of mountain peaks of Colorado
    • List of mountain peaks of Hawaiʻi
    • List of mountain peaks of Montana
    • List of mountain peaks of Nevada
    • List of mountain peaks of Utah
    • List of mountain peaks of Washington (state)
    • List of mountain peaks of Wyoming
  • List of mountain peaks of México
  • List of mountain peaks of Central America
  • List of mountain peaks of the Caribbean
• United States of America
  • Geography of the United States
  • Geology of the United States
    • • • • • • Physical geography
• Eight-thousander, peak with at least 8,000 m. elevation

External links

• United States Geological Survey (USGS)
  • Geographic Names Information System @ USGS
• United States National Geodetic Survey (NGS)
  • Geodetic Glossary @ NGS
  • NGVD 29 to NAVD 88 online elevation converter @ NGS
  • Survey Marks and Datasheets @ NGS
• Colorado 14ers on 14ers.com
• Bivouac.com
• Peakbagger.com
• Peaklist.org
• Peakware.com
• Summitpost.org

Notes and References

1. All elevations in the 48 contiguous United States include an elevation adjustment from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). For further information, please see this United States National Geodetic Survey note.
2. If the elevation or prominence of a summit is calculated as a range of values, the arithmetic mean is shown.
3. The topographic prominence of a summit is the topographic elevation difference between the summit and its highest or key col to a higher summit. The summit may be near its key col or quite far away. The key col for Denali in Alaska is the Isthmus of Rivas in Nicaragua, 7642abbr=on0abbr=on away.
4. The topographic isolation of a summit is the great-circle distance to its nearest point of equal elevation.
5. Blake, Kevin S. 2002. Colorado Fourteeners and the Nature of Place Identity. Geographical Review 92(2): 155-179.
6. Web site: Western Chugach 21 7,000-foot Summits. Mountaineering Club of Alaska. 2016-12-10. 2016-12-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20161221015737/http://www.mtnclubak.org/index.cfm/Peaks/Peak-Bagging/12. dead.
7. Web site: Sunlight Spire. Peakbagger.com. 23 December 2021.