Castle Peak (Colorado)
| Castle Peak | |
|---|---|
 View from NNE above Montezuma Basin |
|
| Elevation | 14,279 ft (4,352 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 2,345 ft (715 m) [2] |
| Listing | Colorado Fourteener |
| Location | |
 Castle Peak
|
|
| Location | Gunnison / Pitkin counties, Colorado, USA |
| Range | Elk Mountains |
| Coordinates | 39°00′35″N 106°51′41″W / 39.00972°N 106.86139°WCoordinates: 39°00′35″N 106°51′41″W / 39.00972°N 106.86139°W[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Hayden Peak |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1873 by the Hayden Survey |
| Easiest route | Hike/scramble |
Castle Peak is a fourteener in the Elk Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is the highest peak in the Elks and the twelfth highest in Colorado. The summit is about 15 miles (24 km) south of Aspen on the Pitkin–Gunnison county line. It is the highest point in both counties.
The best climbing months are June, July, August, September through the Montezuma Glacier, a permanent snowfield between Castle and Conundrum Peaks. There are two standard routes for ascent. The Northwest Ridge features a moderate snow climb followed by an easy ridge scramble. It should not be attempted late in the summer when the 200 feet (60 m) of loose dirt and scree meet the climber near the top of the Castle-Conundrum saddle. The Northeast Ridge features an easy snow climb, but slightly harder scrambling and route-finding once on the ridge.
Conundrum Peak is a northern subsummit of Castle Peak. It has two closely spaced summits; the northern is higher, with elevation of 14,040+ feet (4279+ m).[3] It is 0.4 miles (0.6 km) north of Castle Peak, and has 200 feet (61 m) of clean topographic prominence. This does not meet the usual 300-foot (91 m) prominence criterion for an officially separate peak; however it is often climbed in conjunction with Castle Peak.[4]
There are two other peaks in Colorado that have the same name: one in Eagle County at 39°46′23″N 106°50′04″W / 39.7730422°N 106.8344844°W,[5] with an elevation 11,280+ feet, (3438+ m);[6] and the other in Mesa County at 39°16′16″N 108°05′40″W / 39.2710898°N 108.0945204°W,[7] with an elevation of 8,140 feet (2,481 m).
[edit] See also
- Outline of Colorado
- Index of Colorado-related articles
- List of Colorado fourteeners
- Mountain peaks of Colorado
- Mountain peaks of North America
- Mountain peaks of the United States
- Mountain passes of Colorado
- Mountain ranges of Colorado
- Elk Mountains (Colorado)
- Southern Rocky Mountains
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Castle Pk". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=KL0659. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
- ^ "Castle Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5709. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "North Conundrum Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=16693. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Louis W. Dawson II, Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Volume 1, Blue Clover Press, 1994, ISBN 0-9628867-1-8
- ^ "Castle Peak". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:175789. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Castle Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=16510. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Castle Peak". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:174343. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
[edit] External links
- "Castle Peak and Conundrum Peak". 14ers.com. http://www.14ers.com/photos/peakmain.php?peak=Castle%20Peak. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
- "Castle Peak". SummitPost.org. http://www.summitpost.org/page/150482.
- "Conundrum Peak". SummitPost.org. http://www.summitpost.org/page/151715.
- "Castle Peak / Conundrum Peak". Colorado Fourteeners. http://14ers.home.comcast.net/~14ers/castle/trip.html. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
- "Castle Peak". Peakware. http://www.peakware.com/peaks.html?pk=1095. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
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