In 2016 I tried to hike Quandary Peak and ran out of gas around 13,500. Turn off Highway 9 onto Blue Lakes road (Forest Road #850). Unlike many other 14ers, a summit of Quandary does not require driving over any sketchy mountain passes. Taking other people's content (text, photos, etc) without permission is a copyright violation and bring lots of layers, face & eye protection, and spikes. Since then I have climbed 5 14ers. . Be careful! Follow the jeep road up to the intersection with the Wheeler trail. 6h 30m, with kait & jenn. The round trip mileage is 6.7 miles - though the descents can be made quicker by plunge stepping snowy slopes or skiing down. Lots of curious goats on the trail This route goes west to east up and over Quandary. Quandary Peak is a popular winter 14er because of its easy access near Breckenridge, its Class 1 designation, and its low avalanche risk. We both have a life ambition of hiking as many Colorado 14ers as possible but hadn’t actually hiked one yet. The route is obvious - stay on the ridge where you can see across Quandary's upper east slope to your right - 12, 13, 14 and 15. 5h 35m, Create Recommended Route or 6.3mi, Physically demanding trail for the avg person with limited hiking. Secondly, the people on the trail were great. Turn right on McCullough Gulch Road (Forest Road #851). I started at 7:30am and made it to the summit at 11:00am. August 2016. When you hit Quandary on a good day in the winter, well, oh me oh my you just can’t beat it! If you plan on bringing your dog, bring lots of water as most of the hike is exposed and there are 0 water sources along the way. Summit was fantastic. 4h 30m, The trailhead is about .3 miles or so from the parking lot — The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. — ... Start at the trailhead, skin up the road for several hundred feet where the trail breaks uphill to the left. Extra care needs to be taken to ensure a safe and successful hike. Standing at 14,265 feet, Quandary Peak is Colorado’s 13th highest mountain and the highest summit in the Tenmile Range. — It was a cool experience though! 6.3mi, First 14er. 6h 00m, More crowded than other 14ers. 1077.67 m Down. 7.4mi, Started at 6 pm, saw sunset at the top and night hiked back- it was a last minute decision but definitely worth it!!!! — • Super slow going! The Quandary Peak trailhead provides access to the 13th highest mountain in Colorado. — While the access roads to many 14ers are closed in winter, adding extra mileage to an already grueling hike, Quandary Peak’s access is just off Hwy. — Colorado mountain goats. Wildlife common on trails esp. 6.3mi, McCullough gulch road is closed through 9/30. Did the whole hike with microspikes and that was the move. No description for Quandary Peak trail has been added yet! It has nearly the same elevation as Castle Peak and Mount Evans. Only used spikes all the way to the top. We were able to watch the sun come up behind a neighboring peak (Hoosier Ridge possibly?) To reach the trailhead drive 8 miles south on Colorado 9 from Breckenridge, or 14 miles north from Fairplay, and turn west onto Blue Lakes 850 Road. As others have said, trail was packed down well enough but micro spikes are always beneficial. 5h 11m, With Esther 5h 30m, 7.2mi packed out trail only needed spikes. Conditions were great. 17.0 km --my first 14er. and began to see back down to the road where we began. We did fine with just yak tracks. Great views from the top (if it’s not obscured by snow), Great mountain, difficult finding the trail once you break tree line to start getting on the mountain.. spent 1.5 hours doing 3-4 ft post holing. 3,139' Up Quandary Peak Trail A challenging, yet rewarding hike, Quandary Peak Trail takes you on an adventurous hike. 6.4mi, Pretty crowded but amazing views 5.8mi sleet and snow at the the summit then clear skies on the descent Quandary Peak Trail: The Basics. Often considered one of the easier “Fourteeners” to summit, hiking Quandary Peak is challenging due to the high elevation, extreme exposure, large talus fields, and variable weather conditions. April, 2015: Quandary Peak seen from Red Mountain (13,229`). 4h 30m, climbed the east ridge in a drizzle and rain clouds. 6.8mi Attempted yesterday (1/27/21). Gorgeous blue bird day. 141.59 m Down, 4.3 mi 4h 15m, camped in Jeep, started at 6:38, ended at 2:15 Very windy today 1/2/21. Great day with Joe. — Route Information Quandary is likely the shortest winter 14er, since the winter closure adds only a few hundred feet. As I prepare for some of our trips to Nepal, Peru and Kilimanjaro I like to test my physical conditioning on Quandary Peak. 5h 00m, 6.4mi — dope treasure chest at the summit 846.02 m Up Hiking Quandary Peak, A Fantastic First 14er Alex Derr 2021-02-02T05:24:49+00:00 Hiking Quandary Peak, A Fantastic First 14er The Quandary Peak Trailhead is probably the most accessible of all 14ers. Quandary Peak is a popular winter 14er because of its easy access near Breckenridge, its Class 1 designation, and its low avalanche risk. 5h 30m, Such a lovely view! Steady 30 MPH winds east today - gust that felt much, much, greater. bit snowy. Turn right as marked with post with white arrow. 3,536' Down completely doable with spikes weather was perfect sunny and no wind forgot how hard the uphill was :-) round trip 3 and 1/2 hours but I was hauling butt :-). Super windy and pretty deep snow in some places, but overall pretty doable. › White River National Forest › Quandary Peak Trail Quandary Peak Trail › Photos Photos