Mountain Biking Mount Elbert | Riding Down Colorado’s Highest Peak

Hiking a 14er is hard enough. Pushing a mountain bike to 14,400 feet makes it a little more interesting. We started up Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado, at around 5:15 AM with one goal: push our bikes all the way to the summit and ride them back down. The full day came out to roughly 10–11 miles round trip and about 4,500 feet of elevation gain, finishing around 11:30 AM. The ascent was probably 90% hiking/pushing and 10% actual pedaling, and hauling a mountain bike up thousands of feet of elevation was every bit as exhausting as it sounds. But the ride down made it completely worth it. The descent off Elbert is steep, loose, rocky, and technical, with a few sections that demanded full attention. That said, it wasn't the hardest or most exposed trail we've ever ridden but I'd say it's a single black diamond trail rating. I'd estimate around 95–99% of the descent is rideable depending on your skill level, with only a handful of steep or tight stair-step sections where getting off the bike made more sense. After spending hours pushing the bike uphill, dropping thousands of vertical feet back toward the lake was insanely fun. Definitely one of the more ridiculous ways to climb Mount Elbert—and absolutely worth doing. Mount Elbert, Colorado Elevation: 14,400 ft Distance: ~10–11 miles round trip Elevation Gain: ~4,500 ft Start: ~5:15 AM Finish: ~11:30 AM Ascent: ~90% hike-a-bike / 10% pedaling Descent: ~95–99% rideable