Hiking
Leadville High Country
Leadville, Colorado · 4 days · Challenging
About This Trip
At 10,152 feet, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in North America, and your basecamp for four days of serious mountain adventure. Whitewater to shake off travel, back-to-back 14ers on the hardest day, via ferrata to close it out.
Highlights
- Mount Elbert (14,440 ft), Colorado's highest peak
- Mount Missouri and Belford/Oxford options
- Arkansas River whitewater rafting in Salida or Buena Vista
- Via ferrata on day four
- Turquoise Lake, alpine lake circuit at 9,900 ft
Day-by-Day Plan
Day 1
Arrival + Whitewater Acclimation
- Arkansas River rafting in Salida, acclimate through activity, not rest
- Buena Vista rafting (closer to Leadville), shorter drive, same river fun
- Turquoise Lake trail, easy 4 miles at elevation for gentle acclimation
Day 2
The Hard Day, 14er Summit
- Mount Elbert (14,440 ft), Colorado's highest, 9 mi RT, relentless but doable
- Mount Missouri (14,067 ft), less crowded, spectacular ridge
- Mount Belford + Oxford traverse, two 14ers in one push from Missouri Gulch
Day 3
Second Peak Day or Recovery
- Second 14er attempt, Missouri Gulch for Belford/Oxford if you skipped day 2
- Turquoise Lake circuit, 9-mile lake loop, gentler recovery option
- Rest day in Leadville, historic mining town, good food, elevation adaptation
Day 4
Via Ferrata Finale
- Guided via ferrata, iron rungs and cables on a mountain face
- Half-day hike to alpine lake, lighter effort before the drive home