14ers Search Tool Methodology

I created the database for this website by combining information from this 14ers API with route information from 14ers.com. The methodology I used for sorting and returning search criteria is as follows:

• Difficulty levels were grouped according to a combination of the class of the route and community consensus from 14ers.com. Class 1 routes and easy class 2 routes get returned as "Easy". More difficult class 2 routes get returned as "Moderate" peaks, and class 3 and 4 routes get returned as "Hard". Obviously these ratings are subjective and are meant as a guide for hikers who are relatively new to the sport.
• Elevation and peak ranking data was taken from 14ers.com. Currently only the standard routes on each peak show up in the search results. I am considering adding data for non-standard routes.
• Sorting peaks based on distance from Denver is an obviously contentious decision. I decided to split the 14ers into two groups based on their distance from Denver simply because the majority of hikers who would use this tool live near the Front Range. Some peaks (such as the Elk Mountains near Aspen) show up in both the "close" and "far" search criteria because their trailheads are right around the cutoff of 4 hours driving time.
• Regarding the sorting methodology for "Length of Hike", I wanted users to have access to a wider range of routes, hence the distance overlap between categories. The distance breakdown, which is based on the roundtrip distance from trailhead to summit, is as follows:
  1. Shorter (less than 9 miles round-trip)
  2. Medium (between 8 and 14 miles round-trip)
  3. Longer (more than 13 miles round-trip)