Decalibron: Four 14ers in One Day

Stephen Warner
4 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 9 hours ago

Four 14ers in a single day might sound insane—but it’s far more doable than you’d think. Tackling Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross in one push (collectively known as the Decalibron) requires about 3,500 feet of elevation gain over roughly 7.5 miles, which, in the realm of Colorado 14er peakbagging, is fairly moderate. If you’re looking to tick several summits off your list in one shot, this is the place to do it.

Trail Info

Trailhead Name	Kite Lake Trailhead
Distance	7.5 miles / 12.1 km (loop)
Estimated time	4-6 hours
Elevation gain	3,500 ft / 1,066 m
Highest point	14,293 ft / 4,357 m (Lincoln)
Permits / fees	$8 per car (day use), $20 (overnight)
Parking	Dirt lot
Toilets?	Yes
Dog friendly?	Yes

Know before you go

You cannot legally access the highest point of Mount Bross. The true summit of Bross is on private property. A public bypass trail runs just below it and is considered a legitimate “bag” for most peak lists. Stepping on the actual summit is trespassing.
This trail tends to be extremely windy, especially on Cameron and Lincoln. This was easily the windiest 14er experience I’ve had—40+ mph gusts that will try to knock you over. Reviews confirm this is the norm
The road up is decent, but gets a bit rough near the end. The last mile to Kite Lake can be bumpy, but most SUVs and crossovers are fine. Low-clearance vehicles may scrape.
The descent down Bross is nasty, consider doing the loop counterclockwise. Most guides (including this post) show the trail clockwise. But the scree-filled descent of Bross is quite terrible. It would be much easier on the legs if you ascend that and descend Democrat.

Other trails leaving from Kite Lake

Lake Emma

Distance: 1.5 miles (2.4 km) out and back

Elevation gain: 600 ft (180m) gain

Details: A short, steep climb to a gorgeous alpine lake.

The Trail

Democrat (14,155 ft / 4,314 m)

Let’s do this. The trail splits almost immediately. If you’re taking the clockwise route (like me), head left to start with Democrat. If you’re taking the scree-friendly route and tackling Bross first, go right.

The trail begins gently, skirting around Kite Lake.

Looking back towards the lake. Early light on the peaks made for a great start.

Soon enough, the real climb kicks in. The trail becomes rocky and rugged as you make your way to the Democrat-Cameron saddle. This section alone gains about 2,100 ft / 640 m, which is roughly 60% of the total elevation for the day.

From the saddle, head left for Democrat. The trail is marked but easy to lose briefly if you're not paying attention. Not a big deal as exposure is minimal. The prominent peak you see ahead is a false summit. The real summit sits just behind it to the right.

False summit reached. Not quite time to celebrate.

Found the real summit! Sign and selfie to prove it. One peak down!

Cameron (14,238 ft / 4,339 m)

Next up: Mount Cameron. It’s the broad, flat point in the center of this pic, with Lincoln’s sharper profile off to the left.

Retrace your steps to the saddle, then begin the climb up Cameron. The trail is clear and easy to follow.

Looking back at Democrat. Been there, done that.

Continuing on towards Cameron.

As you get close, the trail flattens out and... well, Cameron isn’t exactly thrilling.

Summit achieved. It’s a literal pile of rocks on a wide, flat expanse. And the wind? Easily 40+ mph. Not my favorite summit. Onward to Lincoln.

Lincoln (14,293 ft / 4,357 m)

Descending Cameron, you can see the whole route ahead to Mount Lincoln. It’s a short jaunt, just 0.6 miles with minimal elevation.

One quick wrap around the false summit....

Before that final approach

And boom, Lincoln! Summit #3 and the tallest of the four.

Bross (14,178 ft / 4,322 m)

From Lincoln, head back along the same ridge trail

From a distance, you’ll spot the split in the trail. The left path leads to Bross.

The trail to Bross stays just below the summit. The true summit is to the left of the frame, but again, it’s technically closed to the public.

Summit? Kind of. The “official unofficial” summit is nearby, but this is good enough to count it.

There are a handful of paths crisscrossing the area that appear to head to the true summit, but use caution and stay on the public bypass if you want to respect the closure.

Now comes the infamous Bross descent back to Kite Lake. The views are great...

…but the trail is a loose mess of scree and sliding rock. Honestly? One of the worst descents I’ve done, only rivaled by Mount Columbia. Still, hard to complain when you just bagged four 14ers in a single push.

SS Reflections

Decalibron was day two of a mini 14er sprint I was doing, riding the high of peak fitness after thru-hiking the Colorado Trail.

What blew my mind? The day before, I had done Quandary Peak, which had similar stats in terms of vert and distance, yet it was just one summit. Compared to that, knocking out four peaks made me feel like Superman.

Maybe it was the post-CT strength, or maybe it was the fact I camped at Kite Lake (12,000 ft / 3,658 m) the night before and was perfectly acclimatized. Either way, my body felt incredible, even with the occasional slip and slide on Bross’s descent.

Of course, the mountains have a way of keeping you humble. The next day I tried tackling Harvard and Columbia, made a few route-finding mistakes, and ended up cutting the 14er trip short because, frankly, my body was toast.

But hey, sometimes a big slice of humble pie is exactly what you need.

Other helpful resources

14ers route description of Decalibron