Cross Mountain is a 12,703-foot-elevation (3,872-meter) summit on the border shared by Dolores and San Miguel County, in Colorado, United States.
| Cross Mountain | |
|---|---|
 East aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,703 ft (3,872 m)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 203 ft (62 m)[2] |
| Parent peak | Gladstone Peak (13,919 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 1.02 mi (1.64 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 37°49′56″N 107°58′07″W / 37.8321257°N 107.9686907°W[3] |
| Geography | |
  Cross Mountain Location in Colorado  Cross Mountain Cross Mountain (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Dolores / San Miguel |
| Protected area | Lizard Head Wilderness |
| Parent range | Rocky Mountains San Juan Mountains San Miguel Mountains[4] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Wilson |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | Cretaceous[5] |
| Rock type | Mancos Shale and Igneous rock[5] |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 2[1][2] |
Description
editCross Mountain is located 11 miles (18 km) southwest of the community of Telluride in the Lizard Head Wilderness, on land administered by Uncompahgre National Forest and San Juan National Forest. It is situated west of the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains which are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's south slope drains to the Dolores River via Slate Creek, whereas the north slope drains to the San Miguel River via Bilk Creek. Topographic relief is modest as the summit rises 2,100 feet (640 meters) above Slate Creek in 1.4 miles (2.3 km). An ascent of the summit involves hiking 4.3 miles (6.9 km) with 2,663 feet of elevation gain from the Cross Mountain Trailhead along Highway 145.[1] The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3]
Climate
editAccording to the Köppen climate classification system, Cross Mountain has an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[6] 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. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c James Dziezynski (2023), Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: 55 Classic Routes and 100+ Summits
- ^ a b c d e "Cross Mountain - 12,703' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "Cross Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "Cross Mountain, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Geologic map and sections of the Mount Wilson Quadrangle, Colorado, U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ 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- Cross Mountain Trail: usda.gov