Mears Peak
| Mears Peak | |
|---|---|
 North aspect from Box Factory Park | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 13,496 ft (4,114 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 536 ft (163 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | "T 0" (13,735 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 1.36 mi (2.19 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 38°00′34″N 107°51′43″W / 38.0093395°N 107.8620199°W[3] |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Otto Mears |
| Geography | |
  Mears Peak Location in Colorado  Mears Peak Mears Peak (the United States) | |
| Location | Ouray County / San Miguel County Colorado, US |
| Parent range | Rocky Mountains San Juan Mountains Sneffels Range[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Sneffels |
| Geology | |
| Type of rock | Extrusive rock, andesitic breccia[4] |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 2+ scrambling[2] |
Mears Peak is a 13,496-foot-elevation (4,114-meter) mountain summit located on the common boundary of Ouray County with San Miguel County, in Colorado, United States.[3] It is situated six miles northwest of the community of Telluride, in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness, on land managed by Uncompahgre National Forest. It is part of the Sneffels Range which is a subset of the San Juan Mountains, which in turn is part of the Rocky Mountains. Mears Peak is situated west of the Continental Divide, and 3.8 miles west of Mount Sneffels. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises 4,900 feet (1,500 meters) above the San Miguel River in approximately 5.5 miles.
History[edit]
This mountain's name and location were officially adopted in 1970 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to commemorate Otto Mears (1840–1931).[3][5] Prior to 1970, the USGS placed Mears Peak at a location one mile to the east.[3] Otto Mears was known for his road and railroad building projects through Colorado's San Juan Mountains, which were instrumental in the early development of southwestern Colorado in the late 19th century.[6] Notably, he built the Million Dollar Highway. There is also a Mount Otto in Colorado named after him.
Climate[edit]
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mears Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, 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. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south to the San Miguel River, and north to the Uncompahgre River via Dallas Creek.
Gallery[edit]
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North aspect -
North aspect -
Northeast aspect -
Mears Peak to left, "S9" to the right -
Sneffels Range, Mears Peak to left -
Otto Mears in 1902
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Mears Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ a b c "Mears Peak - 13,496' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ a b c d "Mears Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, Volume 17, 1906, page 262.
- ^ Stewart M. Green, Scenic Driving Colorado: Exploring the State's Most Spectacular Back Roads, 2019, Globe Pequot, ISBN 9781493035991, page 254.
- ^ Williamson, Ruby G. "Otto Mears Pathfinder of the San Juan: His Family and Friends" (Gunnison, 1981).
- ^ 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]
- Weather forecast: Mears Peak
- Mears Peak rock climbing: Mountainproject.com
- Mears Peak photo
