Originally measured as 14 @,@ 433 feet ( 4 @,@ 399 m ) in height , Mount Elbert 's elevation was later adjusted to 14 @,@ 440 feet ( 4 @,@ 400 m ) following a re @-@ evaluation of mapped elevations , which sparked protests . The actual change was made in 1988 as a result of the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 ; it seems the original measurement resulted from the Sea Level Datum of 1929 . A matter of some contention arose after the Great Depression over the heights of Elbert and its neighbor , Mount Massive , which differ in elevation by only 12 feet ( 3 @.@ 7 m ) . This led to an ongoing dispute that came to a head with the Mount Massive supporters building large piles of stones on the summit to boost its height , only to have the Mount Elbert proponents demolish them . The effort was ultimately unsuccessful and Mount Elbert has remained the highest peak in Colorado . The first motorized ascent of Elbert occurred in 1949 , when a Jeep was driven to the summit , apparently to judge suitability for skiing development .