Quandary Peak Trailhead
Elevation: 14,271
The journey to the top of Colorado’s 14’er
Quandary Peak Trailhead is one of Colorado’s 58 mountain peaks that exceed 14,000 ft. in elevation. It has become a sport to many to summit Colorado 14’ers. If this is your first time attempting to summit a 14’er, Quandary Peak Trailhead is a great one to start.
Colorado’s 14’ners range from Class 1 (easier) to Class 4 (harder). Quandary Peak is a class 1, making it perfect for first-time hikers. Quandary Peak is the highest summit in the ten-mile range of the Rocky Mountains. Even though this 14’er is considered good for beginners, does not mean that it is easy. Many people who attempt Quandary Peak do not summit on their first try.
Quandary Peak Trailhead is 6.75 miles roundtrip with 3,450 feet in elevation gain and generally takes 5h 30m to complete.
Where is Quandary Peak Trailhead
Quandary Peak trailhead is located near Blue River, Colorado. What I did to get to the base of the trailhead was connect the directions to maps on my phone from the app All Trails, which I will link here.
Directions to the base of Quandary Peak via All Trails
Directions from Breckenridge to Quandary Peak: drive 8 miles south on Colorado 9. Turn right on 850, Blue Lakes Road. Drive a few hundred yards and turn right on 851 McCullough Gulch Road. Drive 0.1 mile to the signed trailhead and tiny, fenced parking area. The trail starts on the left of the 851 roads, just above the tiny trailhead.
Quandary Peak Trailhead Parking: There is a parking lot to park in, but make sure you reserve your spot ahead of time, this trail in the peak months can get filled up quickly. There is limited parking and you cannot park on McCullough Gulch road, you will get a ticket, summit county is very strict with parking regulations. There are also Quandary Peak shuttles from Breckenridge that you can book ahead of time. Click the link below to book a shuttle or pre-book parking.
What is the best time of year to hike Quandary Peak?
- June-September is the best time to hike Quandary
- You should get to the trail before sunrise
- Check weather and mountain conditions before you go
The less snow, the easier this hike will be. Unfortunately, that is a small window and it can change depending on the weather that year. Usually August is the best month to hike Quandary Peak Trailhead, but I hiked it in early June.
I would say the golden window is June-September. During the winter season, I would not attempt Quandary or any 14’er for your first time, unless you have hiked at high elevations in heavy snow and tough weather conditions. You need to be more adequately prepared when hiking a 14’er during the snow season.
My husband and I hiked in early June, but during this time half of the trailhead is still covered in snow at that elevation. We arrived at Quandary Peak Trailhead at 6 am, and we started post-holing by 9 am. [Post-holing is when the sun starts to heat the snow and your foot falls through, making hiking more difficult]. So, if you want to avoid this, get to the trailhead as early as possible.
PSA: I would not start your hike in the late morning or afternoon and always check the weather before you go. The rule of thumb is to be at least halfway back down before noon because the afternoon is when storms and high winds are more likely to roll in, and it’s a serious safety hazard. Plus, you do not want the sun to melt the snow and be post-holing your whole way up and down the mountain.
Start your hike on Quandary Peak Trailhead between 4 am – 6 am. This trail generally takes 6-9 hours to complete.
What to Bring when Hiking Quandary Peak
It is so important to be prepared for a 14’ner. Depending on when you hike, you may need more snow gear than what’s listed here. If you are climbing during the summer months, this is a useful list of what you need when attempting to summit Quandary Peak trailhead.
What to Pack for a 14’ner
- Crampons or Spikes are a must especially if you go in early summer since the peak will be covered in snow until late July, depending.
Here are the spikes I wore for Quandary Peak Trailhead Trek:
- Layers of clothing are important because it may be warm at the base, but it can be pretty cold at 14,000 ft elevation, so you want to be prepared. I wore 3 layers, including a waterproof winter jacket.
- Waterproof pants This one is important because by the end of our trek, I was post-holing and in snow up to my knees.
- ALOT of water. I recommend bringing more than 2 liters. I brought about 2.5 liters and I ran out on the last stretch. I also filled one of my bottles up with liquid IV for extra hydration.
- Trekking Poles. This hike is exhausting and trekking poles help stabilize your balance and use your arms for support.
- High Energy Snacks. The last thing you want is to run out of fuel on this difficult trek. I love bringing honey stingers, protein energy bars, energy chews, and other high-carb snacks on my long hikes. I packed some PB&J too because who doesn’t love those?
- An emergency kit. This is important because things can happen when you’re hiking, and you want to be prepared. For example, I sprained my ankle and my husband luckily had athletic tape in his bag due to him having a physical job, but this saved me! It would have been so hard to walk without it. Here is a first aid kit that can hook right onto your backpack.
- Extra pairs of clothing came in handy, especially socks. My socks were soaked halfway through due to post-holing in the snow.
- Navigation. I used my all trails app on my phone and brought a portable charger to make sure I was prepared. Quandary Peak trailhead is pretty easy to follow, but it’s always good to be prepared.
- Sunscreen. Don’t forget you are 14,000 ft. closer to the sun, and the Colorado sun is strong, you do need sunscreen.
- Oxygen. I only needed it once, but you do not want to be caught without this at such a high elevation. Regardless of the shape you are in, you never know how the elevation change will affect you. I got Boost Oxygen from Amazon.
- Lighter, Headlamp, & Knife. These are just basic survival necessities you should always carry on your long hikes.
- Hiking Boots. A good pair of hiking boots is a must that will keep your feet warm, dry, and comfortable when walking a long distance. I wish I used my good pair of boots because my feet were soaked. (PSA if you are hiking outside of the summer season you will need snow shoes).
Some Common Questions about Quandary Peak:
Do you have to pay to hike Quandary Peak?
You do not have to pay to hike Quandary Peak, but you do have to pay for parking at Quandary Peak.
Can kids hike Quandary Peak?
Kids 16 and under should not be hiking Quandary Peak. This hike takes vigorous athletic training to be able complete and can be dangerous for children. Hiking the first mile up would be okay for kids if they are adapted to the elevation, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to summit Quandary Peak with children.
How difficult is Quandary Peak Trail?
Quandary peak is a difficult trail to complete. The 3,450 ft of elevation gain at 11,000-14,000 ft above sea level makes it harder than a normal climb. The best way to prepare is to make sure you are adapted to high elevation levels prior to attempting this climb and make sure you are in decent shape. I live in Colorado so I was adapted higher elevations (usually is takes a few days to a few weeks).
How do you train for hiking Quandary Peak?
If you are already in shape, hiking this 14,000 ft. mountain should be easier to accomplish. Ways to train for hiking Quandary Peak is doing cardiovascular exercise at higher elevation levels. Using a stair master or doing other hikes with a steep elevation gain will help in preparation for summiting one of Colorado’s 14’ers.
My Journey to the Summit of Quandary Peak
The First Mile of our Trek
The trailhead starts with no snow and pretty warm weather once your body starts heating up, I ended up only wearing my sweatshirt.
Keep your eye out for different animals! This little guy was adorable I had to snap a pic. Mountain goats, big horn sheep, moose, chipmunks, elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, and other animals can be found below the tree line (some more likely than others), but some can be found above the tree line as well.
The trail overall is pretty manageable, the only thing to monitor is the loose rocks. We are starting to reach past 11,000 ft above the tree line where you start to get pretty amazing views. Look out for mountain goats! We saw one on the trail around this elevation.
The Snow Begins
This is when you want to put on your spikes. it will help with traction when climbing up the snowy part of the mountain. I would say we were about 12,000 ft here and I was thinking, “awesome we’re already half way”… but this part is the most time-consuming of the whole trek.
This is when it gets tough, so don’t avoid taking breaks here. There are plenty of people sitting down, eating a snack, and enjoying the view here. You don’t want to tire yourself out too fast.
13,000 ft up
As you can see my husband is exhausted, but really, this is the toughest part of the trek. You can only take a few steps at a time before catching your breath. Making sure you have boost oxygen on hand is important during this last 1,271 ft. uphill.
The snow is getting slushy, but the views are beautiful. I worked up a sweat and needed to take my layers off. We were lucky with no winds and good weather at this point. Realistically you will want to quit because you feel like you’ve been walking up this last part for hours since you’re only taking a few steps at a time, but keep going!
The Summit of Quandary Peak Trailhead: 14,271 ft. elevation
After a hard trek, we reached the summit of Quandary Peak Trailhead. We were lucky with no wind, and what surprised me was complete silence. You feel like you’re on top of the world without any sign of civilization. It is a pretty great feeling.
Hiking Quandary Peak is hard but so worth it. It is a great accomplishment to know you can climb 14,000 ft. mountains. Your body and mind are capable of so much, you just have to push yourself to your greatest potential. Thank you for reading my story about hiking Quandary Peak.
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-Becca