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Elk Mountains

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2025 Field Season Recap
Breaking Ground – Part IV
Breaking Ground – Part III
Breaking Ground – Part II
Breaking Ground – Part I

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

1 week ago

Last week, CFI's 2026 seasonal crew headed up Mt. Elbert — Colorado's highest peak — for hands-on training. Rock steps, backwall, and views that don't quit. This is what it looks like to learn the craft at 14,000 feet. ⛏️🏔️#Colorado14ers #TrailCrew #CFI #MtElbert #TrailBuilding🎥 Miriam Venman-Clay ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

2 weeks ago

Staff orientation hits a little different when your classroom is above the clouds.Welcome to CFI's 2026 trail crew training, where the commute is straight up, the views are unreal, and the work is really, really hard. 🏔️⛏️ ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

2 weeks ago

Your garage has a lawnmower and some holiday decorations. Ours has 40 pick mattocks, dozens of rock bars, a chainsaw named Cheeto, and plenty of wag bags, because what goes up the hill must come back down with you. Field season 2026 starts now. Our gear is ready for the mountains. Are you? 🏔️⛏️ ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

3 weeks ago

🏔️ New volunteer projects just dropped!Ready to get your hands dirty (literally) protecting Colorado's 14ers? We just posted our latest volunteer opportunities.What we do: We build sustainable trails and protect fragile alpine ecosystems on Colorado's highest peaks. Translation: hard work, incredible views, and the satisfaction of preserving these mountains for future generations with like-minded folks.Whether you're a first-timer or a trail crew veteran, there's a project with your name on it. 💪⛰️https://14ers.volunteerhub.com/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

2 months ago

🌍 Happy Earth Day 2026 from Capitol Lake!Nestled beneath Capitol Peak, this stunning alpine jewel reminds us why we do what we do. Protecting fragile ecosystems like this one isn't just our mission—it's our responsibility to future generations.Every trail we build, every step we take to keep hikers on sustainable paths, helps preserve these irreplaceable wild places. Because Earth Day isn't just one day a year—it's every day we're out here stewarding Colorado's 14ers.Here's to the peaks, the lakes, the wildflowers, and all the special places worth protecting. 🏔️💙 ... See MoreSee Less

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colorado14ersinitiative

CFI works to preserve and protect the natural integrity of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks through active stewardship and public education.

⛏️ Two trail crew spots just opened up for a fixed

⛏️ Two trail crew spots just opened up for a fixed-site project on Mount Shavano this summer — and we need to fill them fast. Think you have what it takes to build and maintain trails at 14,000 feet?

The mid-mountain crew, known as the Mid Shavano crew, will tackle a daily hike of up to three miles with roughly 3,000 feet of elevation gain. Approximately 25 percent of the crew's time will be focused on finishing the restoration of the old trail at an elevation of around 13,500 feet. The other 75 percent of the season will be spent completing deferred maintenance on the existing trail, including constructing rock structures. This project will require a wide range of different trail construction and restoration techniques; as such, two or more seasons of trail work experience are preferred.

The work schedule is eight days on, six days off. Work days are 10 hours long. The technical nature of this project means applicants should have multiple years of experience in rock work, full bench construction, trail restoration, rigging and grip hoist operation, and familiarity with working in steep, technical terrain.

👉 Send your résumé to hiring@14ers.org ASAP.

Last week, CFI's 2026 seasonal crew headed up Mt.

Last week, CFI's 2026 seasonal crew headed up Mt. Elbert — Colorado's highest peak — for hands-on training. Rock steps, backwall, and views that don't quit. This is what it looks like to learn the craft at 14,000 feet. ⛏️🏔️

#Colorado14ers #TrailCrew #CFI #MtElbert #TrailBuilding

🎥 Miriam Venman-Clay

Staff orientation hits a little different when you

Staff orientation hits a little different when your classroom is above the clouds.

Welcome to CFI's 2026 trail crew training, where the commute is straight up, the views are unreal, and the work is really, really hard. 🏔️⛏️

#Colorado14ers #TrailCrew #CFI #TrailBuilding

Your garage has a lawnmower and some holiday decor

Your garage has a lawnmower and some holiday decorations. Ours has 40 pick mattocks, dozens of rock bars, a chainsaw named Cheeto, and plenty of wag bags, because what goes up the hill must come back down with you. Field season 2026 starts now. Our gear is ready for the mountains. Are you? 🏔️⛏️

#Colorado14ers #TrailCrew #CFI #LeaveNoTrace

🏔️ New volunteer projects just dropped! Ready to

🏔️ New volunteer projects just dropped!

Ready to get your hands dirty (literally) protecting Colorado's 14ers? We just posted our latest volunteer opportunities.

What we do: We build sustainable trails and protect fragile alpine ecosystems on Colorado's highest peaks. Translation: hard work, incredible views, and the satisfaction of preserving these mountains for future generations with like-minded folks.

Whether you're a first-timer or a trail crew veteran, there's a project with your name on it. Check the link in bio to sign up!
💪⛰️

#ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #VolunteerColorado #TrailWork #Colorado14ers #GetInvolved #AlpineConservation #TrailBuilding #ProtectOurPeaks

🌍 Happy Earth Day 2026 from Capitol Lake! Nestled

🌍 Happy Earth Day 2026 from Capitol Lake!

Nestled beneath Capitol Peak, this stunning alpine jewel reminds us why we do what we do. Protecting fragile ecosystems like this one isn't just our mission—it's our responsibility to future generations.

Every trail we build, every step we take to keep hikers on sustainable paths, helps preserve these irreplaceable wild places. Because Earth Day isn't just one day a year—it's every day we're out here stewarding Colorado's 14ers.

Here's to the peaks, the lakes, the wildflowers, and all the special places worth protecting. 🏔️💙

#EarthDay #CapitolPeak #ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #ProtectWhatYouLove #AlpineConservation #Colorado14ers #LeaveNoTrace

🐏 14er Flora & Fauna: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

🐏 14er Flora & Fauna: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Edition

Please meet Colorado's state mammal and an icon of our alpine peaks. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are masters of the high country, perfectly adapted to life on the cliffs and rocky terrain above tree line.

These beautiful animals are essential grazers in alpine ecosystems. Bighorns feed in meadows, open woodland, and alpine tundra, eating grasses like bluegrass, sedges, wheat grass, bromes and fescues, as well as forbs, including clover, cinquefoil, and phlox. Their grazing helps maintain the health and diversity of alpine plant communities.

What makes them such skilled climbers? Their specialized hooves have a hard outer rim for gripping and a soft, spongy interior for traction—like built-in climbing shoes! They can navigate impossibly steep terrain with ease, using rocky cliffs as escape routes from predators.

Our sustainable trail work protects the alpine meadows and rocky slopes where bighorns graze and raise their young. By keeping hikers on designated trails, we minimize disturbance to these sensitive animals and preserve the fragile alpine vegetation they depend on.

Fun fact: Colorado is home to the largest population of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep anywhere.

Have you encountered bighorns on the trail? Share your story below! 👇

#14erFloraFauna #ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #BighornSheep #RockyMountainBighorn #ColoradoStateMammal #AlpineWildlife #LeaveNoTrace #TrailStewardship

🦊 14er Flora & Fauna: Red Fox Edition Catch a gli

🦊 14er Flora & Fauna: Red Fox Edition

Catch a glimpse of a red fox above treeline and you've spotted something special—Colorado's native Rocky Mountain red fox is a high-elevation specialist perfectly adapted to alpine life.

These resourceful predators play a crucial role in the alpine ecosystem by keeping small mammal populations like pikas, voles, and marmots in check. This helps maintain balance in the fragile tundra, preventing overgrazing of alpine plants and protecting the delicate vegetation communities that take decades to recover from damage.

Red foxes are true mountain athletes—their thick fur, compact bodies, and bushy tails help them survive harsh alpine winters. They're also incredibly opportunistic, adapting their diet seasonally to whatever the mountain provides.

Our trail work protects the alpine habitat these foxes call home. By building sustainable trails and keeping hikers on designated paths, we preserve the ecosystems that support the entire alpine food web—from the smallest wildflower to apex predators like the red fox.

Spotted a red fox on your 14er adventure? Share your story below! 👇

#14erFloraFauna #ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #RedFox #RockyMountainRedFox #AlpineWildlife #AlpineEcosystem #LeaveNoTrace #TrailStewardship

❄️ Finally, some snow! After a painfully dry stre

❄️ Finally, some snow!

After a painfully dry stretch, the peaks are looking a little better after some weekend precip. The fresh snow is more than just pretty—it's essential for the alpine ecosystem.

Snowpack acts as a natural reservoir, slowly releasing moisture through spring and early summer to nourish alpine plants during their short growing season. It also releases nutrients as it melts, giving wildflowers and other vegetation the boost they need to thrive in harsh conditions. Plus, snow insulates the ground, protecting fragile plants and soil from extreme temperature swings and frost damage.

Our trails help protect these snow-fed ecosystems by keeping foot traffic concentrated and preventing damage to the plants that depend on this precious moisture. Every sustainable trail we build means healthier alpine environments—especially when Mother Nature delivers the goods.

It looks like this week could bring record-high temps, so pray that we get more of the white stuff soon. Colorado's 14ers (and everyone downstream) are thirsty! 🏔️💧

#ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #WetterhornPeak #Snowpack #AlpineEcosystem #ColoradoSnow #14ers #ConservationMatters #TrailStewardship

🦋 14er Flora & Fauna: White-Lined Sphinx Moth Edit

🦋 14er Flora & Fauna: White-Lined Sphinx Moth Edition

Is it a bird? Is it a bee? Nope—it's a white-lined sphinx moth! These incredible pollinators are often mistaken for hummingbirds as they hover over flowers, sipping nectar with their long proboscis. With a wingspan of two to three inches and the ability to fly up to 30 mph, they're one of Colorado's most impressive mountain insects.

Here's the cool part: Sphinx moths have actually shaped the geographic variation in flower color of our state flower, the blue columbine! At lower elevations where moths fly at night, columbines are often white (easier to spot in the dark). At high elevations where colder temps force the moths to fly during the day, columbines are dark blue. That's evolution in action!

These moths have been seen in abundance in the mountains of Colorado, making them important pollinators for alpine and subalpine wildflowers. By keeping hikers on sustainable trails, we protect the delicate wildflowers these moths depend on for nectar—and the healthy ecosystems where both plants and pollinators thrive together.

Fun fact: While hovering, their wings beat 41 times per second, creating a distinctive buzzing sound.

Have you spotted a sphinx moth on your 14er adventures? Share your sighting below! 👇

#14erFloraFauna #ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #WhiteLinedSphinxMoth #HummingbirdMoth #AlpinePollinators #ColoradoWildflowers #LeaveNoTrace #TrailStewardship

🤍 14er Flora & Fauna: Short-Tailed Weasel Edition

🤍 14er Flora & Fauna: Short-Tailed Weasel Edition

Meet one of the smallest but fiercest predators in Colorado's alpine environment—the short-tailed weasel, also known as an ermine when it's sporting its brilliant white winter coat!

Weighing only a few ounces, these pint-size hunters are Colorado's smallest mammalian carnivores. Don't let their adorable appearance fool you though—they can kill and carry prey up to 10 times their own size. Their long, slender bodies allow them to capture and kill prey in tight spaces, like under rocks on the alpine tundra.

What makes them perfectly adapted to life above treeline? They hunt in the subnivean zone—those tunnels beneath the snow—pursuing their primary prey of voles and pikas right into their burrows. This makes them vital predators in the alpine food web, helping maintain healthy small mammal populations.

Our trail work protects critical alpine habitat for these remarkable hunters and their prey. By keeping hikers on designated trails, we preserve the talus slopes, rock piles, and tundra ecosystems where weasels hunt and den.

Fun fact: The decreasing daylight as winter approaches triggers hormone reactions that cause a decrease in melanin production, turning their brown summer coat white—except for that signature black-tipped tail.

Have you spotted a weasel darting across the trail? Share your sighting below! 👇

#14erFloraFauna #ColoradoFourteenersInitiative #ShortTailedWeasel #Ermine #AlpineWildlife #AlpineEcosystem #LeaveNoTrace #TrailStewardship

Last night, we raised a glass (or two 🍺) to the pe

Last night, we raised a glass (or two 🍺) to the people who make it all possible. 🏔️

More than 80 of our incredible volunteers and supporters gathered at @NewTerrainBrewing in Golden to celebrate an unforgettable year on Colorado's fourteeners. We handed out awards, cheered on raffle winners, and soaked in the good vibes that only come from a room full of people who truly love these mountains.

Thank you to every single one of you who showed up in 2025 — with your hands, your boots, and your hearts — to protect and restore Colorado's high country. You are CFI. 💙

Shout-out to Blair Hamill, who created and donated the award posters. 🙏

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Contact Us

1526 Cole Blvd, Suite 130 Lakewood, Colorado 80401
P: 303.278.7650
E: cfi@14ers.org

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Employment

We have completed hiring for field season 2026. Please check back in November for 2027 positions.

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative Tax ID: 84-1354844

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