Quandary Peak is located 7.6 miles south of Breckenridge, Colorado in the Dillon Ranger District of the White River National Forest. Quandary Peak is the highest point in Colorado's Tenmile Range, and ranks 14th among the state’s fourteeners. It’s widely considered among the easiest 14ers to reach, but the 3300’ climb in just 3.1 miles is no small task. Visitors will enjoy exceptional views that extend across the Mosquito, Gore and Sawatch ranges.

Depending on criteria, Colorado has 53 - 55 14,000'+ peaks

The Monte Cristo Creek valley south of Quandary Peak

Mountain goat hooves have hard outer shells and rubbery, concave footpads which act like suction cups when weight is applied

The Blue Lakes in the Monte Cristo Creek Valley south of Quandary Peak

An average person would have approximately 91% as much oxygen in their blood at 14,000' compared to sea level - before exercise!

Looking southwest from the summit of Quandary Peak (14,265')

Elk can be found on the uppermost grassy slopes of Quandary peak at the height of summer

There's less oxygen available to us in the lower air pressure environment at high elevations

At high elevation, blood alkaline levels rise; our kidneys help regulate these levels

Couloir, derived from the French word for 'corridor' or 'passage', is a steep gully in the side of a mountain

The Quandary Peak Trail climbs 3,300' in just 3.1 miles to the summit

A relatively mild climb through treeline abruptly ends on talus at 1.25 miles

Many tundra plants have reddish hairs, which can absorb more heat from the sun

North of Quandary Peak, a string of alpine lakes feed Upper Blue Reservoir in McCullough Gulch

A hiker navigates the summit of Quandary Peak

Watch for signs of Mountain Goat, whose shedding winter coat gets caught in the krummholz