This article is about high mountain peaks. For the concept in poetry, see
Fourteener (poetry). For the NBA Development League team, see
Colorado 14ers.
Topographic isolation (or radius of dominance) is how far the summit lies from its nearest point of equal elevation.[4]
Not all summits over 14,000 feet qualify as fourteeners.[5] Summits that qualify are those considered by
mountaineers to be independent. Objective standards for independence include topographic prominence and isolation (distance from a higher summit), or a combination of the two. However, fourteener lists do not always use such objective rules consistently.[citation needed]
A rule commonly used by mountaineers in the contiguous United States is that a peak must have at least 300 ft (91 m) of prominence to qualify. By this rule, Colorado has 53 fourteeners, California has 12, and Washington has 2.[citation needed]
According to the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, the standard in
Alaska uses a 500-foot (150 m) prominence rule rather than a 300-foot (91 m) rule.[6] By this rule, Alaska has at least 21 peaks over 14,000 ft (4,267 m) and its 12 highest peaks exceed 15,000 ft (4,572 m).[citation needed]
The following table lists the 96 mountain peaks of the United States with at least 14,000 ft (4267 m) of
topographic elevation and at least 300 ft (91.44 m) of topographic prominence]. Of these, 53 rise in Colorado, 29 in Alaska, 12 in California, and 2 in Washington (Liberty Cap is part of the crater atop Mt Rainier). The 22 highest fourteeners all rise in Alaska.
The table above uses a minimum topographic prominence criterion of 300 ft (91.44 m) and includes 96 peaks. The number of peaks included depends upon the minimum topographic prominence criterion. A criterion of 100 m (328.1 ft) includes 90 peaks, 500 ft (152.4 m) includes 77 peaks, 1,000 ft (304.8 m) includes 63 peaks, and 500 m (1,640 ft) includes 46 peaks.
The following U.S. summits have 14,000 ft of elevation, but have less than 300 ft of topographic prominence:
Denali, Browne Tower, 14,530, Alaska: Prominence = 25–125 feet (7.6–38.1 m). Why this became included on some fourteener lists is unclear.
Mount Cameron, 14,238, Colorado: Prominence = 118 feet.
El Diente Peak, 14,159, Colorado: Prominence = 239 feet. On many fourteener lists.
Point Success, 14,158, Washington: Prominence = 118 feet.
^The summit of
Denali is the highest point of the
Alaska Range, the State of Alaska, the United States of America, and all of North America. Denali is the third-most topographically prominent and third-most topographically isolated summit on Earth after
Mount Everest and
Aconcagua.
^Mount Saint Elias is the second-highest major summit of both Canada and the United States.
^The summit of
Mount Rainier is the highest point of the
Cascade Range and the U.S. State of Washington. Mount Rainier is the most prominent summit in the contiguous United States and the fourth-most prominent in North America.
^Pikes Peak is the easternmost 14,000-foot (4267.2 m) summit of the United States. Pikes Peak was the inspiration for the lyrics of America the Beautiful.
This article is about high mountain peaks. For the concept in poetry, see
Fourteener (poetry). For the NBA Development League team, see
Colorado 14ers.
Topographic isolation (or radius of dominance) is how far the summit lies from its nearest point of equal elevation.[4]
Not all summits over 14,000 feet qualify as fourteeners.[5] Summits that qualify are those considered by
mountaineers to be independent. Objective standards for independence include topographic prominence and isolation (distance from a higher summit), or a combination of the two. However, fourteener lists do not always use such objective rules consistently.[citation needed]
A rule commonly used by mountaineers in the contiguous United States is that a peak must have at least 300 ft (91 m) of prominence to qualify. By this rule, Colorado has 53 fourteeners, California has 12, and Washington has 2.[citation needed]
According to the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, the standard in
Alaska uses a 500-foot (150 m) prominence rule rather than a 300-foot (91 m) rule.[6] By this rule, Alaska has at least 21 peaks over 14,000 ft (4,267 m) and its 12 highest peaks exceed 15,000 ft (4,572 m).[citation needed]
The following table lists the 96 mountain peaks of the United States with at least 14,000 ft (4267 m) of
topographic elevation and at least 300 ft (91.44 m) of topographic prominence]. Of these, 53 rise in Colorado, 29 in Alaska, 12 in California, and 2 in Washington (Liberty Cap is part of the crater atop Mt Rainier). The 22 highest fourteeners all rise in Alaska.
The table above uses a minimum topographic prominence criterion of 300 ft (91.44 m) and includes 96 peaks. The number of peaks included depends upon the minimum topographic prominence criterion. A criterion of 100 m (328.1 ft) includes 90 peaks, 500 ft (152.4 m) includes 77 peaks, 1,000 ft (304.8 m) includes 63 peaks, and 500 m (1,640 ft) includes 46 peaks.
The following U.S. summits have 14,000 ft of elevation, but have less than 300 ft of topographic prominence:
Denali, Browne Tower, 14,530, Alaska: Prominence = 25–125 feet (7.6–38.1 m). Why this became included on some fourteener lists is unclear.
Mount Cameron, 14,238, Colorado: Prominence = 118 feet.
El Diente Peak, 14,159, Colorado: Prominence = 239 feet. On many fourteener lists.
Point Success, 14,158, Washington: Prominence = 118 feet.
^The summit of
Denali is the highest point of the
Alaska Range, the State of Alaska, the United States of America, and all of North America. Denali is the third-most topographically prominent and third-most topographically isolated summit on Earth after
Mount Everest and
Aconcagua.
^Mount Saint Elias is the second-highest major summit of both Canada and the United States.
^The summit of
Mount Rainier is the highest point of the
Cascade Range and the U.S. State of Washington. Mount Rainier is the most prominent summit in the contiguous United States and the fourth-most prominent in North America.
^Pikes Peak is the easternmost 14,000-foot (4267.2 m) summit of the United States. Pikes Peak was the inspiration for the lyrics of America the Beautiful.