The DeCaLiBron 14ers above Alma share one trailhead at Kite Lake

Above Alma, four peaks over 14,000 feet sit close together: Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross. Hikers often link them in a single loop nicknamed the “DeCaLiBron,” from the start of each peak’s name. The route begins at the Kite Lake trailhead, reached by a rough road up from Alma that climbs into the Mosquito Range.

These mountains have a complicated land history. Old mining claims left private parcels high on the slopes, and parts of the route have been closed to hikers at times. The Forest Service has been buying land here to protect access, but the very top of Mount Bross has remained privately owned, and public access to that summit has been restricted. Other parts of the loop have opened and closed as those purchases happen.

So this is not a place where you can assume the whole loop is open just because three of the four peaks are. Access can change from year to year, and closure signs and fences here mean what they say. Respecting them is also what keeps landowners willing to allow passage at all.

If you plan to hike these peaks, check the current access and any closures for Mount Bross and the DeCaLiBron loop with the Pike-San Isabel National Forests’ South Park Ranger District before you go.