Mount Phillips (New Mexico)

Summary

Mount Phillips, formerly called Clear Creek Mountain was renamed in 1960 in honor of the then living Waite Phillips, who donated the area to the Boy Scouts of America.[3] It is located in Colfax County about 11 miles (18 km) south of Baldy Mountain in the Cimarron Range, a subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico.

Mount Phillips
Mount Phillips (tallest mountain, at center) seen from Baldy Mountain
Highest point
Elevation11,742 ft (3,579 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence2,901 ft (884 m)[2]
Coordinates36°28′36″N 105°09′34″W / 36.476626394°N 105.159451264°W / 36.476626394; -105.159451264[1]
Geography
Parent rangeCimarron Range, Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Garcia Peak (NM)

Philmont Scout Ranch edit

 
Mount Phillips view south from the southern false summit to Angel Fire Ski Area

Mount Phillips is the second highest peak in Boy Scouts of America's Philmont Scout Ranch in the central country on the western perimeter. It is an easy hike from Comanche Peak, but it is a much steeper ascent from Clear Creek to its 11,742 feet (3,579 m) summit. There are four close trail camps in the area of the summit, but none have water. These are Mount Phillips, Comanche Peak, Thunder Ridge and Red Hills Camps, which, except for Red Hills Camp, are all dry. The staff camp of Clear Creek is the closest camp with water.

Geology edit

The mountain consists primarily of the metamorphic rock, pink gneiss,[4] which is quite evident as small boulders on the trail. The true summit is marked with a flagpole toward the north side. A few crosses have sprung up in this area, having great meaning to the groups that have erected them. It is scarce of trees and gives great views to the north, east and west. This is not true for the south, due to the gentle incline of the terrain in this direction. From the southern false summit, a good view of Angel Fire Ski Area is possible

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Clear". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
  2. ^ "Mount Phillips, New Mexico". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
  3. ^ "Mount Phillips". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
  4. ^ Mary Stuever and Daniel Shaw, Philmont Fieldguide, Boy Scouts of America, 1995