Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-known Peaks from 8,000 to 14,000 Feet

Colorado may be known for its hundreds of high peaks, but how do you know which ones are the best? In this inspiring guide, author James Dziezynski has carefully selected Colorado's 50 top summit hikes. His spirited description of these peaks, which range from 8,144 to 14,433 feet in elevation, reveals why they're the best.

Bag the peaks in Best Summit Hikes in Colorado, and you'll climb the highest mountain in the state, visit the ruins of a town flattened by an avalanche, hunt for fossilized seashells more than 2 miles above sea level, and enjoy countless scrambles, ridge walks, and traverses through Colorado's stunning alpine scenery.

The book covers all of Colorado's major mountain ranges--the Sangre De Cristo, Gore, Sawatch, Indian Peaks, and Maroon Bell Wilderness Areas, as well as the Grenadier, Medicine Bow, and Outer San Juan Peaks. It includes some of the most famous peaks (Longs), some of the toughest (Storm King), and some of the most remote (Lone Cone).

Each hike includes: Topographic map with GPS waypoints and elevation profileDifficulty and class rating tailored to Colorado's unique terrainOptional routes for further explorationFascinating trivia and history

"This great book covers some of Colorado's unsung hikes. I appreciate the lively detail and stories about natural and human history. I'd even read it sitting in my armchair "
--Susan LeFevre, former director, Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter

"There is so much of Colorado that is still wild and lonely, and James Dziezynski takes you there in this book. And because he has spent so much time figuring these trips out from a logistical standpoint, it's an easy guidebook to follow. You have a guide whose passion for the high peaks makes the climb up even more enjoyable."
--Doug Schnitzspahn, editor-in-chief, Elevation Outdoors