Grizzly Peak
The north face of Grizzly Peak, seen from Clear Creek County
Highest point
Elevation13,433 ft (4,094 m)[1][2]
Prominence847 ft (258 m)[2]
Isolation1.48 mi (2.38 km)[2]
Coordinates39°38′40″N 105°50′55″W / 39.6444313°N 105.8486217°W / 39.6444313; -105.8486217[3]
Geography
Grizzly Peak is located in Colorado
Grizzly Peak
Grizzly Peak
LocationContinental Divide between
Clear Creek and Summit counties, Colorado, United States[3]
Parent rangeFront Range[3]
Topo mapUSGS 7.5' topographic map
Grays Peak, Colorado[3]
Climbing
Easiest routeTrail hike

Grizzly Peak is a high mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Also known as Grizzly Peak D, the 13,433-foot (4,094 m) thirteener is located in Arapaho National Forest, 2.1 miles (3.4 km) southeast by east (bearing 129°) of Loveland Pass, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide between Clear Creek and Summit counties.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Its proximate parent peak is Torreys Peak.[7]

Location and geography

Grizzly Peak sits along the Continental Divide on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The summit is located near Interstate 70, east of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel.[4] The larger Grays Peak (14,278 feet (4,400 m)) and Torreys Peak (14,275 feet (4,400 m)) sit nearby, and the closest major town is Silver Plume, Colorado.[5][8] It is also in close proximity to Mount Sniktau, which rises to 13,235 feet (4,034 m) at its peak.[9] Other nearby points of interest include Loveland Ski Area, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Ski Resort and the Arapahoe Basin.[9]

Climate

Climate data for Grizzly Peak, Colorado (Grizzly Peak Snotel), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1983–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 67
(19) 		68
(20) 		73
(23) 		80
(27) 		77
(25) 		79
(26) 		81
(27) 		78
(26) 		74
(23) 		67
(19) 		68
(20) 		58
(14) 		81
(27)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 41.7
(5.4) 		42.9
(6.1) 		50.2
(10.1) 		54.9
(12.7) 		62.2
(16.8) 		70.5
(21.4) 		72.9
(22.7) 		70.2
(21.2) 		66.3
(19.1) 		58.7
(14.8) 		48.7
(9.3) 		41.7
(5.4) 		73.6
(23.1)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 26.2
(−3.2) 		28.1
(−2.2) 		35.3
(1.8) 		41.3
(5.2) 		49.6
(9.8) 		60.2
(15.7) 		65.4
(18.6) 		62.6
(17.0) 		56.1
(13.4) 		44.9
(7.2) 		33.1
(0.6) 		25.5
(−3.6) 		44.0
(6.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 17.3
(−8.2) 		18.5
(−7.5) 		25.1
(−3.8) 		30.8
(−0.7) 		39.3
(4.1) 		48.9
(9.4) 		54.1
(12.3) 		51.9
(11.1) 		45.7
(7.6) 		35.6
(2.0) 		24.8
(−4.0) 		17.2
(−8.2) 		34.1
(1.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 8.4
(−13.1) 		8.8
(−12.9) 		14.7
(−9.6) 		20.3
(−6.5) 		29.0
(−1.7) 		37.5
(3.1) 		42.9
(6.1) 		41.3
(5.2) 		35.7
(2.1) 		26.0
(−3.3) 		16.1
(−8.8) 		8.4
(−13.1) 		24.1
(−4.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −8.6
(−22.6) 		−7.9
(−22.2) 		−2.4
(−19.1) 		5.3
(−14.8) 		16.1
(−8.8) 		27.6
(−2.4) 		36.6
(2.6) 		35.4
(1.9) 		23.0
(−5.0) 		7.8
(−13.4) 		−4.0
(−20.0) 		−10.8
(−23.8) 		−13.7
(−25.4)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28) 		−26
(−32) 		−17
(−27) 		−6
(−21) 		6
(−14) 		16
(−9) 		24
(−4) 		27
(−3) 		5
(−15) 		−7
(−22) 		−14
(−26) 		−26
(−32) 		−26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.12
(79) 		3.12
(79) 		3.26
(83) 		3.90
(99) 		2.98
(76) 		1.54
(39) 		2.20
(56) 		2.12
(54) 		1.82
(46) 		2.09
(53) 		2.52
(64) 		2.81
(71) 		31.48
(799)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 50.2
(128) 		60.2
(153) 		65.3
(166) 		66.4
(169) 		51.8
(132) 		14.7
(37) 		0.4
(1.0) 		0.5
(1.3) 		1.6
(4.1) 		11.3
(29) 		23.7
(60) 		36.3
(92) 		70.9
(180)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 13.9 14.0 15.6 16.7 13.2 7.2 10.0 10.0 8.7 10.9 11.0 12.5 143.7
Source 1: NOAA[10]
Source 2: National Weather Service (snow depth 2006–2020)[11]

Other summits with same name

The state of Colorado actually has four other Grizzly Peaks and one Grizzly Mountain on record. The Grizzly Peak in Chaffee County, which sits in the Sawatch Range, is the tallest of these.[5] The Summit County Grizzly Peak is fourth-tallest of the mountains, and is thus also referred to as "Grizzly Peak D":[5][6]

Rank Mountain Elevation Range
54 Grizzly Peak 13,995 ft (4,266 m) Sawatch Range
130 Grizzly Peak 13,738 ft (4,187 m) San Juan Mountains
142 Grizzly Mountain 13,708 ft (4,178 m) Sawatch Range
145 Grizzly Peak 13,700 ft (4,176 m) San Juan Mountains
302 Grizzly Peak 13,433 feet (4,094 m) Front Range
415 Grizzly Peak 13,281 ft (4,048 m) Sawatch Range

Hiking

The Loveland Pass sign, with the mountain's peak visible behind it at center

The trail to Grizzly Peak, which allows hikers to reach the summit of the mountain by foot, is accessible immediately off of a parking lot at Loveland Pass on U.S. Highway 6.[4][9] The trailhead begins above the treeline at about 12,000 feet (3,700 m) and rises to the peak, but reaching the summit does not necessarily require the use of extra mountain climbing equipment such as ropes.[4] Visitors can also reach Mount Sniktau, a smaller peak, from the same point along Loveland Pass.[9]

From the summit, hikers can see Loveland Pass below them, plus views of nearby Chihuahua Lake and the Arapahoe Basin ski trails.[4]

Historical names

See also

References

  1. ^ a b The elevation of Grizzly Peak includes an adjustment of +1.911 m (+6.27 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
  2. ^ a b c d "Grizzly Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Grizzly Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Grizzly Peak". Front Range (CO). SummitPost.org. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "13ers.com – Grizzly Peak D". Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Roach, Gerry. "Colorado's Summits – 13,000 to 13,999 feet". climb.mountains.com. Mountains.com. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  7. ^ "Grizzly Peak". CO Peak Statistics. Lists of John. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  8. ^ "Grizzly Peak Summit – Colorado Mountain Peak Information". MountainZone.com. demand|Media Sports. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  9. ^ a b c d "Mount Sniktau". hikingincolorado.org. Hiking in Colorado. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  10. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access - Station: Grizzly Peak, CO". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data - NWS Boulder". National Weather Service. Retrieved October 27, 2022.

External links

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