This humpy mountain near Fairplay lacks the dramatic beauty of many Colorado fourteeners – from the highway, it’s hard to differentiate Mount Sherman from the rest of the rounded Mosquito Range. But the 14,036-foot peak offers a great beginner fourteener experience, or a get-in-shape hike after a winter below timberline, with a gentle trail, little avalanche danger or lingering snow and amazing summit views of South Park, the Arkansas River Valley and the high peaks further west.To add to the area’s charm, it is littered with historic mine buildings, and one can imagine the hardships as these long-ago miners tried to eke out an existence out of the hardscrabble rock, until the mid-1890s. But don’t investigate too much, as old mines can have nastier surprises than just rusty nails.

To get there: Take U.S. Highway 24 west to Colorado Highway 9 in Hartsel. Head north, and in Fairplay turn south on U.S. Highway 285. After about a mile, turn right on County Road 18. Drive 10.5 miles on a good road, and passenger cars should park at the Leavick ghost town site. Courageous drivers and those with four-wheel-drive vehicles can continue another 1.5 miles and park at one of the pull-offs or the closed gate.

Hike: Hike along the road past some old mine buildings at 12,300 feet, turn right at a junction and follow the road higher into the basin. Continue north and follow the road left at 12,800 feet. 

The trail flattens in the upper basin, and head west at a cairn that marks the trail to the summit. Follow the well-cairned trail to the saddle between mounts Sherman and Sheridan, two Civil War generals whose feisty reputations belie this relatively mild hike.At the 13,150-foot saddle, turn right and follow the good trail upward. Avoid the many side trails and stay on top of the ridge to the gently-sloped summit. There is some modest scrambling on loose rock on the final stretch to the summit.Return the way you came, or for some added excitement, return to the saddle and walk 600 feet to the summit of Mount Sheridan.

Details: Mount Sherman is in Pike National Forest, Leadville Ranger District, (719) 486-0749. No permits or fees required to hike; dogs allowed. The Horseshoe and Fourmile campgrounds, both along County Road 18, offer the nearest camping. 

For a more detailed route description, with maps and photos, visit www.14ers.com.

Trip Log: 3 boots 8.5 miles round-trip (from the Leavick town site) 2,850 feet of elevation gain