What is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains?

Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains. It rises to about 4,401 meters (14,440 feet) in Colorado’s Sawatch Range, near the city of Leadville. The summit is also Colorado’s highest point and the highest point in the entire Mississippi River drainage basin.

Mount Elbert was named for Samuel Hitt Elbert, who served as governor of the Colorado Territory from 1873 to 1874. The first recorded ascent took place in 1874, when Henry W. Stuckle climbed the peak during the Hayden Survey. Its broad slopes and standard hiking routes have earned it the nickname “the gentle giant.”

Mount Whitney is slightly higher than Mount Elbert, but it is in California’s Sierra Nevada and is not part of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Massive, located nearby, is the Rockies’ second-highest summit. Despite its relatively accessible routes, Elbert is still a high-altitude mountain: sudden storms, lightning, snow, and altitude sickness can make the climb dangerous.