Sawatch Range
Sawatch Range | |
---|---|
Sawatch Range seen from Monarch Pass | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Mount Elbert |
Elevation | 14,440 ft (4,401 m) |
Listing | Mountain ranges of Colorado |
Coordinates | 39°07′03.9″N 106°26′43.29″W / 39.117750°N 106.4453583°W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 80 mi (130 km) NW/SE |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Colorado |
Parent range | Rocky Mountains |
The Sawatch Range /səˈwɑːtʃ/ or Saguache Range[1][2][3] is a high and extensive mountain range in central Colorado which includes eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains, including Mount Elbert, at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) elevation, the highest peak in the Rockies.
The range is oriented along a northwest–southeast axis, extending roughly 80 miles (130 km) from 39°37′36″N 106°32′13″W / 39.62667°N 106.53694°W in the north to 38°5′51″N 106°3′48″W / 38.09750°N 106.06333°W in the south. The range contains fifteen peaks in excess of 14,000 feet (4,267 m), also known as fourteeners. The range forms a part of the Continental Divide, and its eastern side drains into the headwaters of the Arkansas River. The western side of the range feeds the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River, the Eagle River, and the Gunnison River, tributaries of the Colorado River.
The Sawatch mountains in general are high, massive, and relatively gentle in contour. While some peaks are rugged enough to require technical climbing, most can be climbed by a simple, yet arduous hike. Notable summits include Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, La Plata Peak, Mount of the Holy Cross, and the Collegiate Peaks (Mounts Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Belford, and Oxford).
State Highway 82 traverses the range at Independence Pass (Colorado). It is also traversed by Cottonwood Pass, which connects the town of Buena Vista with Gunnison County. Both Independence Pass and Cottonwood Pass are over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), making them 2 of the highest passes in Colorado and are typically open only from late spring to mid autumn. Hagerman Pass is another pass to the north, connecting the Arkansas Headwaters near Leadville with the upper valley of the Fryingpan River. Hagerman Pass is traversable with four-wheel drive vehicles and on foot during summer and early autumn months. The range contains numerous hiking trails within the San Isabel National Forest and White River National Forest.
Prominent peaks
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Rank | Mountain Peak | Elevation | Prominence | Isolation |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mount Elbert[4] NGS | 4401 m |
14,440 feet2772 m |
9,093 feet1079.2 km | 670.6 miles
2 | Mount Massive[5] | 4398 m |
14,428 feet592 m |
1,941 feet8.2 km | 5.1 miles
3 | Mount Harvard NGS | 4395 m |
14,421 feet709 m |
2,327 feet24.0 km | 14.9 miles
4 | La Plata Peak[5] | 4372 m |
14,343 feet561 m |
1,841 feet10.1 km | 6.3 miles
5 | Mount Antero NGS | 4351 m |
14,276 feet763 m |
2,503 feet28.6 km | 17.7 miles
6 | Mount Princeton NGS | 4329 m |
14,204 feet664 m |
2,177 feet8.4 km | 5.2 miles
7 | Mount Yale NGS | 4329 m |
14,202 feet572 m |
1,876 feet8.9 km | 5.5 miles
8 | Mount of the Holy Cross NGS | 4271 m |
14,011 feet643 m |
2,111 feet29.8 km | 18.5 miles
9 | Grizzly Peak NGS | 4266 m |
13,995 feet582 m |
1,908 feet10.9 km | 6.8 miles
10 | Mount Ouray NGS | 4255 m |
13,961 feet810 m |
2,659 feet21.9 km | 13.6 miles
11 | Mount Jackson[5] PB | 4169 m |
13,676 feet552 m |
1,810 feet5.2 km | 3.2 miles
12 | Bill Williams Peak[5] PB | 4081 m |
13,389 feet513 m |
1,682 feet6.5 km | 4.0 miles
13 | Antora Peak[5] PB | 4046 m |
13,275 feet734 m |
2,409 feet10.9 km | 6.7 miles
14 | Henry Mountain[5] PB | 4042 m |
13,261 feet510 m |
1,674 feet18.6 km | 11.5 miles
15 | Park Cone[5] PB | 3690 m |
12,106 feet622 m |
2,040 feet5.5 km | 3.4 miles
16 | Red Table Mountain[5] PB | 3671 m |
12,043 feet615 m |
2,017 feet16.6 km | 10.3 miles
17 | Tomichi Dome[5] PB | 3496 m |
11,471 feet709 m |
2,325 feet21.4 km | 13.3 miles
18 | Castle Peak[5] PB | 3440 m |
11,285 feet927 m |
3,040 feet30.5 km | 18.9 miles
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ The place name "Saguache” is pronounced “Sawatch” /səˈwɑːtʃ/. This name derives from the Ute language noun "sawup" /səˈwʌp/ meaning "sand dunes" and is spelled using the Spanish language version of this name "Saguache".
- ^ Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition (1997), p. 1060 s.v. Sawatch Range.
- ^ Merkl, Dameon (February 26, 2013), "What's in a Colorado name pronunciation?", The Denver Post, retrieved March 7, 2013
- ^ The summit of Mount Elbert is the highest point of the Rocky Mountains and the State of Colorado.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j The elevation of this summit has been converted from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). National Geodetic Survey
External links
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)