Back to Colorado Postcards
Courtesy Arielle Wilson
The view from the top of Mt. Democrat.

Decalibron

By Gillian Coldsnow
·

The Decalibron ... neither an ancient Greek sport nor a machine of science fiction, it’s a hiking trail that gets its name from the first syllables of Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross ... fourteeners connected by a single ridge. The Decalibron loop is only 7 miles long but encompasses more than 3100 feet of elevation. Experienced hikers can use the Decalibron to bag all four peaks in a single day. Mount Bross may be the hardest part. The trail is steep, exposed and narrow…precarious with loose, slippery stones, or scree. Slipping and sliding is a given. Part of the land is private, so hikers use the bypass trail just below Bross’ actual summit. Thanks to a nonprofit, public access is secured for all who want to take on the Decalibron.

The words "Colorado Postcards" overlaid on top of a sun beams

About Colorado Postcards

Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. See more postcards.

More like this

The Denver Mint

The first mint in Colorado Territory was a private company in Denver that took gold dust and made unofficial coins. By 1906, an official U.S.

Miners, all sorts

Hard-rock mining brought a workforce to Colorado in the 1800s. Successful operations, like the Smuggler Mine near Aspen, had hundreds working two or three shifts a day.