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Sunlight Peak

Summary

Sunlight Peak is a high mountain summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,065-foot (4,287 m) fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, 28.5 miles (45.8 km) northeast by north (bearing 32°) of the City of Durango in La Plata County, Colorado, United States.[1][2][3]

Sunlight Peak
Sunlight Peak from Twin Lakes
Highest point
Elevation14,065 ft (4,287 m)[1][2]
Prominence399 ft (122 m)[2]
Isolation0.48 mi (0.77 km)[2]
ListingColorado Fourteener 39th
Coordinates37°37′38″N 107°35′45″W / 37.6272215°N 107.5958933°W / 37.6272215; -107.5958933[3]
Geography
Sunlight Peak is located in Colorado
Sunlight Peak
Sunlight Peak
Location in Colorado
LocationLa Plata County, Colorado, U.S.[3]
Parent rangeSan Juan Mountains,
Needle Mountains[2]
Topo mapUSGS 7.5' topographic map
Storm King Peak, Colorado[3]
Climbing
Easiest routeSouth Face: Climb, class 4[4]

Sunlight Peak was so named in 1902; the name is likely descriptive.[5]

Sunlight Peak from Windom Peak
West aspect

Climbing edit

Sunlight Peak is one of three fourteeners in the Needle Mountains; the other two are Mount Eolus and Windom Peak. Windom and Sunlight lie on the east side of Twin Lakes, in upper Chicago Basin, while Eolus lies on the west side. All three peaks are relatively remote by Colorado standards, and have a strong wilderness character; however they can be popular in summer.

The standard route up Sunlight Peak is from the south, known as the "Red Couloir". It is a non-technical scramble, but achieving the top of the summit block does require an exposed rock climbing move.[6]

Climate edit

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sunlight Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[7] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b The elevation of Sunlight Peak includes an adjustment of +1.804 m (+5.92 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Sunlight Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d "Sunlight Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  4. ^ "Sunlight Peak Routes". 14ers.com.
  5. ^ Dziezynski, James (1 August 2012). Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet. Wilderness Press. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-89997-713-3.
  6. ^ Louis W. Dawson II (1996). Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Volume 2. Blue Clover Press. ISBN 0-9628867-2-6.
  7. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.

External links edit

  • "Sunlight Peak". 14ers.com.
  • "Sunlight Peak". SummitPost.org.