Looking to add to or start your Colorado 14ers list? Check out our breakdown of the Decalibron Loop - Four fourteeners in one amazing hike.
Climbing a 14er is a right of passage. Especially here in Colorado, which is home to 54 of the 96 14,000 ft. mountain peaks in the United States. Hiking Colorado 14ers is no easy task; a good bit of preparation, some training and a lot of water drinking is necessary before you start wandering around above tree line. For those of you who want to start your Colorado 14ers journey (and even those of you who already have), a great hike to knock out four Colorado 14ers in one big hike is the Decalibron Loop.
The well-known mountain hike is about 15 miles outside of Fairplay. To get to Kite Lake, where the trailhead is located, you must rock and shake your way up a dirt path. We definitely suggest driving a 4x4 high-clearance vehicle because it does get a bit hairy in some places. You know you’ve made it to the end of the driving trail when you see the lake and can park by the outhouse.
At the trailhead, after a short walk, you’re faced with a decision. There are two ways to tackle the loop. You can head off to the left, where a mild ascent through a gorgeous meadow, some (extremely) light bouldering, and past a large bowl brings you to the saddle between Mt. Democrat and Mt. Cameron. The other way, you can take a right by the lake and the trail sends you up to the other side nestling you between Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross. But we'll get to that a little later.
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A lot of people head toward Democrat path first, because it is the shortest. But don’t be fooled; though it’s the shortest, it’s definitely the most strenuous. Most of the climb up Democrat is through rocks. Jagged, slippery, ever shifting rocks. We lost the “trail” a few times. You scramble up the rocks until you reach what you think is the top. The false summit reveals you have about another 250 ft. skyward to reach the peak.
After a quick rest, some pictures, and a water break, it’s time to shuffle down the rocks and back to the saddle. The downside to taking this way is the backtracking. While going down is typically my favorite part of the hike because it takes less strain (for me), carefully scooting down Democrat is pretty difficult. Now, I would suggest taking some safety precautions and considering whether or not it’s a good idea to hike further.
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TIPS:
Consider these things before moving forward:
What time of day is it? If it’s getting closer to the afternoon, I’d suggest heading down. While we joke that Colorado weather is unpredictable, weather at 14,000 feet is even more erratic. Little puffs of clouds could turn into an afternoon storm in an instant. That being said, at 14,000 feet you’re the tallest object on the mountain, meaning lightning will strike you first.
How prepared are you? Have plenty of water? What about bars, food, sunscreen? You’ve made it this far in the hike, which means if you started EARLY in the morning you’re encroaching the mid-morning/afternoon at this point. If you aren’t prepared or feeling up to the rest of the hike, don’t push yourself to do the rest. Especially after doing Democrat.
The climb to Cameron is easily the most exhausting haul of the day. More slippery shifting rocks lead your way, coupled with your legs still being pretty shaky from the 2,148 ft. ascent of Democrat. Push through that and you make it up this not-quite-a-14er. Mt. Cameron’s flat summit only reaches 138 feet over the joining saddle to Mt. Lincoln. Someone with silly mountain rules claim Cameron’s high point needs to raise 300 feet above the saddle to count as a fourteener… we count it anyway.
Next up is Mt. Lincoln. Lincoln is the eighth-highest peak in Colorado and is definitely worth the short but steep rock-and-pebble lain climb. A lot of people say this view is the best of all the hikes, though Democrat’s is pretty remarkable. Although, with more and more people making their way up Colorado’s mountains, space is especially limited on this tiny tip. 15+ crowd the peak to annoying levels, making you enjoy the views just a little less. The added strong winds also prove almost unbearable – additionally your encroaching exhaustion pushes you to move along.
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Mt. Bross is surrounded by some controversy. The peak is privately owned, and this 14,172 ft. mountain climb is technically illegal. You need permission from the landowners to traverse the 14er. The Colorado 14er Initiative has been working hard to get the landowners to open the summit. For now they suggest hikers respect the property rights. While many make their way up anyway, we at OCN do not condone any illegal behavior. But just FYI, trespassing laws (CRS 18-4-504) and penalties can range from a $50 to $750 fine and may include some jail time.
The trail headed down from Bross includes plenty of zigzags and is covered in steep declines and basically gravel. This trail leads you to the end of the loop, down through the meadow and back at the trailhead. Unless you went up this way first, then you’ll end the loop down the Democrat/Cameron trail. At the end of it all you can strip off those hiking boots and socks and dip your toes in the cool Kite Lake for a well-deserved rest!
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Now, I’ll be frank – this hike will be easy for you if you’re in shape and especially if you’re acclimated to the altitude, otherwise this hike is going to kick your butt. This hike is 7.25 miles round-trip. At a moderate pace it should take about 6 hours total. This is the perfect 14er hike that you could absolutely knock out in a day if you start early enough.
If you’re not into getting up SUPER early to drive down and then hike, you can always camp out the night before. You can snatch up one of the free camping spots just a few feet away from Buckskin Street near the ragged road up to Kite Lake – or take your chances with the five nonreversible sites at the Kite Lake Campground, which cost $15 per night – $12 for camping, $3 for parking.
Overall, the Decalibron loop is a great hike to get your feet wet when it comes to Colorado 14ers. Who else can say they’ve hiked four in one day? Well aside from everyone else who’s done the loop. Regardless, it’s a feat to accomplish, and it also helps whittle down that long list of 54 Colorado Fourteeners you’ve made it your goal to conquer…right?
