SAWATCH RANGE

The 'Sawatch Range' (also spelled 'Saguache Range') is a mountain range in central Colorado which includes eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains, including Mount Elbert, at 14,440 feet (4401 meters) 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 ft. (4,266 m). The range forms a portion of the Continental Divide, and its eastern flanks are drained by the headwaters of the Arkansas River and Eagle River. The western side of the range feeds the headwaters of the Roaring Fork 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 techniques, 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) east of the range, and Aspen, Colorado 20 miles (32 km) to the west. Colorado 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

See also

References

External links

Prominent peaks

The following sortable table lists the 18 mountain peaks of the Sawatch Range with a topographic prominence of at least .

The 18 Mountain Peaks of the Sawatch Range with 500 Meters of Prominence

Rank	Mountain Peak	Elevation	Prominence	Isolation	Eminence
1	Mount ElbertThe summit of Mount Elbert is the highest point of the Rocky Mountains and the State of Colorado. NGS	4401.200 = 14,440 feet 4401 m	2771.546 = 9,093 feet 2772 m	01079.22 = 670.6 miles 1079.2 km	12.198 = 4.7 sq.mi. 12.198 km²
2	Mount MassiveThe 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	4397.607 = 14,428 feet 4398 m	0591.617 = 1,941 feet 592 m	00008.15 = 5.1 miles 8.2 km	02.602 = 1.0 sq.mi. 2.602 km²
3	Mount Harvard NGS	4397.429 = 14,427 feet 4397 m	0709.270 = 2,327 feet 709 m	00024.01 = 14.9 miles 24.0 km	03.119 = 1.2 sq.mi. 3.119 km²
4	La Plata Peak	4379.216 = 14,368 feet 4379 m	0561.137 = 1,841 feet 561 m	00010.10 = 6.3 miles 10.1 km	02.457 = 0.9 sq.mi. 2.457 km²
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	03.320 = 1.3 sq.mi. 3.320 km²
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	02.873 = 1.1 sq.mi. 2.873 km²
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	02.475 = 1.0 sq.mi. 2.475 km²
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	02.748 = 1.1 sq.mi. 2.748 km²
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	02.481 = 1.0 sq.mi. 2.481 km²
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	03.449 = 1.3 sq.mi. 3.449 km²
11	Mount Jackson PB	4168.538 = 13,676 feet 4169 m	0551.688 = 1,810 feet 552 m	00005.16 = 3.2 miles 5.2 km	02.300 = 0.9 sq.mi. 2.300 km²
12	Williams Mountains High Point PB	4080.878 = 13,389 feet 4081 m	0512.674 = 1,682 feet 513 m	00006.51 = 4.0 miles 6.5 km	02.092 = 0.8 sq.mi. 2.092 km²
13	Antora Peak PB	4046.274 = 13,275 feet 4046 m	0734.263 = 2,409 feet 734 m	00010.86 = 6.7 miles 10.9 km	02.971 = 1.1 sq.mi. 2.971 km²
14	Henry Mountain PB	4042.037 = 13,261 feet 4042 m	0510.235 = 1,674 feet 510 m	00018.55 = 11.5 miles 18.6 km	02.062 = 0.8 sq.mi. 2.062 km²
15	Park Cone PB	3689.953 = 12,106 feet 3690 m	0621.792 = 2,040 feet 622 m	00005.53 = 3.4 miles 5.5 km	02.294 = 0.9 sq.mi. 2.294 km²
16	Red Table Mountain PB	3670.656 = 12,043 feet 3671 m	0614.782 = 2,017 feet 615 m	00016.56 = 10.3 miles 16.6 km	02.257 = 0.9 sq.mi. 2.257 km²
17	Tomichi Dome PB	3496.225 = 11,471 feet 3496 m	0708.660 = 2,325 feet 709 m	00021.39 = 13.3 miles 21.4 km	02.478 = 1.0 sq.mi. 2.478 km²
18	Castle Peak PB	3439.719 = 11,285 feet 3440 m	0926.592 = 3,040 feet 927 m	00030.47 = 18.9 miles 30.5 km	03.187 = 1.2 sq.mi. 3.187 km²

See also

★ Collegiate Peaks

★ Geography of Colorado

★ Mountain peaks of Colorado

★ Mountain ranges of Colorado

References

External links

★ Rocky Mountains @ Peakbagger

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★ Southern Rocky Mountains @ Peakbagger

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★ Sawatch Range @ Peakbagger

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★ Sawatch Range @ 14ers.com