Quandary Peak is a fourteener

Fourteener

In mountaineering terminology in the United States, a fourteener is a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet above mean sea level. There are 547 fourteeners in the world. The importance of fourteeners is greatest in Colorado, which has the majority of such peaks in North America...

 in the US state of Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

 and the highest peak in the Tenmile Range

Tenmile Range

The Tenmile Range is a mountain range in U.S. state of Colorado. The range is an extension of the Mosquito Range which is part of the Rocky Mountains. The two ranges are effectively the same range. They are split only by the Continental Divide and name. The Tenmile Range is on the west side of...

, a northern extension of the Mosquito Range

Mosquito Range

The Mosquito Range is a high mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. The peaks of the range form a ridge running north-south for approximately 40 miles from southern Summit County on the north end, then along the boundary between Lake and Park counties...

. It is the 12th, 13th, or 14th highest peak in Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, depending on how it is ranked. It has nearly the same elevation as Castle Peak

Castle Peak (Colorado)

Castle Peak is a fourteener in the Elk Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is the highest peak in the Elks and the twelfth highest in Colorado. The peak is in Pitkin County near the Gunnison County line and about south of Aspen. The best climbing months are June, July, August, September...

 and Mount Evans

Mount Evans

Mount Evans is a mountain in the Front Range region of the Rocky Mountains, in Clear Creek County, Colorado. It is one of 54 fourteeners in Colorado, and the closest fourteener to Denver...

. It lies in Summit County

Summit County, Colorado

Summit County is the 19th most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,538 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Breckenridge...

 and within the White River National Forest

White River National Forest

White River National Forest is a National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River that passes through it. It also contains the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, largely considered the birthplace of the U.S...

 about 6 miles (10 km) south-southwest of the town of Breckenridge

Breckenridge, Colorado

Established in 1859, the historic town of Breckenridge is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Summit County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 4,540. The town also has many part-time residents, as many people have vacation homes in the area...

.

The standard route up Quandary Peak is a trail hike (class 1

Grade (climbing)

In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...

), starting from a trailhead about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Hoosier Pass

Hoosier Pass

Hoosier Pass elevation is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass is located on the Continental Divide at the northern end of the Mosquito Range, in a gap between Mount Lincoln and Hoosier Ridge...

 on the east side of the peak. Hence it is a popular fourteener

Fourteener

In mountaineering terminology in the United States, a fourteener is a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet above mean sea level. There are 547 fourteeners in the world. The importance of fourteeners is greatest in Colorado, which has the majority of such peaks in North America...

 to climb because of the relatively easy ascent and its proximity to Denver

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

 and Breckenridge. Quandary Peak is also popular with backcountry skiers

Backcountry skiing

Backcountry skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes, including skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees , usually in pursuit of fresh fallen powder...

 and snowboarders

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...

. The gentle ascent makes for an easy climb from the east with less danger from avalanche

Avalanche

An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...

 than on many other fourteeners. The other slopes of the peak are steep and appeal to expert backcountry skiers.
One such steep ski mountaineering route is the Cristo Couloir

Cristo Couloir

Cristo Couloir, Quandary Peak, is a 2,575' couloir located at and stretches from the Blue Lake Dam to the summit of Quandary Peak . It is a popular ski mountaineering descent in the spring climbing season...

.

See also

• Colorado fourteeners
• Colorado mountain peaks
• Colorado mountain ranges