2025 Field Season Recap

2024 Colorado 14er Hiking Use Estimates

Protecting the Alpine

CFI partners with the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and passionate volunteers and donors nationwide to protect and restore the fragile alpine ecosystems on Colorado’s 14ers.

Our Mission

To protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks through active stewardship and public education.

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About Us

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative was formed in 1994 as a partnership of nonprofit organizations, concerned individuals, and public agencies. Our mission is to preserve and protect the natural integrity of Colorado’s Fourteeners after a 1993 study noted significant environmental impacts due to rapidly expanding recreational use.

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

7 days ago

🦋 14er Flora & Fauna: White-Lined Sphinx Moth EditionIs 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! 👇 ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

3 weeks ago

🤍 14er Flora & Fauna: Short-Tailed Weasel EditionMeet 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! 👇 ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

3 weeks ago

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 New Terrain Brewing Company 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. 🙏 ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

4 weeks ago

Great! Join us on April 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the REI in Colorado Springs for this free informative class!CFI's expert instructors will cover topics such as practical insights and strategies for hiking 14,000-foot peaks, vital skills for staying safe in the high country, the importance of minimizing human impact through Leave No Trace principles, the fascinating ecology of Colorado's alpine regions, and stewardship opportunities to give back to the mountains.Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels, this class offers key takeaways and practical guidance for anyone seeking to explore Colorado's high country responsibly and safely.Sign up here:https://www.rei.com/events/dcfi/discovering-colorados-14ers-with-the-colorado-fourteeners-initiative ... See MoreSee Less

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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

1 month ago

🫎 14er Flora & Fauna: Moose EditionSpotted: a moose hanging out on Mount Bierstadt! These massive mammals were reintroduced to Colorado in the late 1970s, and they've thrived—our state is now home to around 3,000.While moose might look right at home munching on willow carr, their presence reminds us why thoughtful trail construction and management matter. Our work protects critical habitat corridors and riparian areas where moose (and countless other species) feed and rest.When you encounter wildlife on your 14er adventure, remember: Give them space, stay on the trail, and let them go about their business. Every sustainable trail we build helps ensure these incredible animals can coexist with the thousands of hikers who visit Colorado's peaks each year.Fun fact: Bull moose can weigh up to 1,200 pounds and stand over six feet tall at the shoulder. Definitely worth admiring from a safe distance!Have you spotted moose on a 14er? Tell us where in the comments! 👇 ... See MoreSee Less

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