Sawatch Range

Sawatch Range
Saguache Range
Range
The Sawatch Range near Buena Vista, Colorado
Country United States
State Colorado
Part of Rocky Mountains
Highest point Mount Elbert
 - elevation 14,440 ft (4,401 m)
 - coordinates
Length 70 mi (113 km), NW/SE

The Sawatch Range ( /səˈwæ/)[1] is a high 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 approximately 70 miles (110 km) from in the north to in the south. The range contains 15 peaks topping 14,000 feet (4,000 m). The range forms a portion of the Continental Divide, and its eastern flanks are drained by 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.

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, if 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, and Yale).

The town of Leadville, Colorado is located about 10 miles (16 km) to the east. State Highway 82 traverses the range at Independence Pass, which is typically open only from late spring to mid autumn. It is also traversed by Hagerman 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 White River National Forest and the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness.

Contents

Prominent peaks

The 18 Mountain Peaks of the Sawatch Range With At Least 500 Meters of Topographic Prominence
Rank Mountain Peak Elevation Prominence Isolation
1 Mount Elbert[2] NGS 4401.200 = 14,440 feet
4401 m
2771.546 = 9,093 feet
2772 m
01079.22 = 670.6 miles
1079.2 km
2 Mount Massive[3] 4397.607 = 14,428 feet
4398 m
0591.617 = 1,941 feet
592 m
00008.15 = 5.1 miles
8.2 km
3 Mount Harvard NGS 4395.6 = 14,421 feet
4395 m
0709.270 = 2,327 feet
709 m
00024.01 = 14.9 miles
24.0 km
4 La Plata Peak[3] 4379.216 = 14,368 feet
4379 m
0561.137 = 1,841 feet
561 m
00010.10 = 6.3 miles
10.1 km
5 Mount Antero NGS 4351.400 = 14,276 feet
4351 m
0762.914 = 2,503 feet
763 m
00028.56 = 17.7 miles
28.6 km
6 Mount Princeton NGS 4329.300 = 14,204 feet
4329 m
0663.550 = 2,177 feet
664 m
00008.36 = 5.2 miles
8.4 km
7 Mount Yale NGS 4328.810 = 14,202 feet
4329 m
0571.805 = 1,876 feet
572 m
00008.93 = 5.5 miles
8.9 km
8 Mount of the Holy Cross NGS 4270.510 = 14,011 feet
4271 m
0643.433 = 2,111 feet
643 m
00029.81 = 18.5 miles
29.8 km
9 Grizzly Peak NGS 4265.600 = 13,995 feet
4266 m
0581.558 = 1,908 feet
582 m
00010.89 = 6.8 miles
10.9 km
10 Mount Ouray NGS 4255.400 = 13,961 feet
4255 m
0810.463 = 2,659 feet
810 m
00021.86 = 13.6 miles
21.9 km
11 Mount Jackson[3] PB 4168.538 = 13,676 feet
4169 m
0551.688 = 1,810 feet
552 m
00005.16 = 3.2 miles
5.2 km
12 Mount Bill[3] PB 4080.878 = 13,389 feet
4081 m
0512.674 = 1,682 feet
513 m
00006.51 = 4.0 miles
6.5 km
13 Antora Peak[3] PB 4046.274 = 13,275 feet
4046 m
0734.263 = 2,409 feet
734 m
00010.86 = 6.7 miles
10.9 km
14 Henry Mountain[3] PB 4042.037 = 13,261 feet
4042 m
0510.235 = 1,674 feet
510 m
00018.55 = 11.5 miles
18.6 km
15 Park Cone[3] PB 3689.953 = 12,106 feet
3690 m
0621.792 = 2,040 feet
622 m
00005.53 = 3.4 miles
5.5 km
16 Red Table Mountain[3] PB 3670.656 = 12,043 feet
3671 m
0614.782 = 2,017 feet
615 m
00016.56 = 10.3 miles
16.6 km
17 Tomichi Dome[3] PB 3496.225 = 11,471 feet
3496 m
0708.660 = 2,325 feet
709 m
00021.39 = 13.3 miles
21.4 km
18 Castle Peak[3] PB 3439.719 = 11,285 feet
3440 m
0926.592 = 3,040 feet
927 m
00030.47 = 18.9 miles
30.5 km

See also

References

  1. ^ Sawatch is  /səˈwæ/. This name comes from a Ute language word meaning "blue earth" or "water at blue earth". The Spanish language version of this name is usually spelled Saguache, while the English language version is usually spelled Sawatch.
  2. ^ The summit of Mount Elbert is the highest point of the Rocky Mountains and the State of Colorado.
  3. ^ 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