Precipice Peak

Mountain in the state of Colorado
Precipice Peak is located in Colorado
Precipice Peak
Precipice Peak
Location in Colorado
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Precipice Peak is located in the United States
Precipice Peak
Precipice Peak
Precipice Peak (the United States)
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LocationHinsdale County
Colorado, USParent rangeRocky Mountains
San Juan MountainsTopo mapUSGS Wetterhorn PeakClimbingEasiest routeclass 2+[2] W slope, south ridge[4]

Precipice Peak is a 13,144-foot-elevation (4,006-meter) mountain summit located in Hinsdale County, of Colorado, United States.[3] It is situated 10.5 miles northeast of the community of Ouray, in the Uncompahgre Wilderness, on land managed by Uncompahgre National Forest. It is part of the San Juan Mountains which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains, and is situated west of the Continental Divide. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 2,500 feet (760 meters) above the West Fork Cimarron River valley in approximately one mile. Neighbors include Dunsinane Mountain three-quarters of a mile north, Courthouse Mountain 2.4 miles northwest, and Redcliff 2.2 miles south. The mountain's name was officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1966.[3] It is so named because of a very prominent precipice on the mountain's east face.[5]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Precipice Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone 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. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Cimarron River.

  • East aspect
    East aspect
  • Precipice Peak centered, with Courthouse Mountain on left. Camera pointed east.
    Precipice Peak centered, with Courthouse Mountain on left. Camera pointed east.
  • Chimney Rock (left), Courthouse Mountain (center), Precipice Peak (right)
    Chimney Rock (left), Courthouse Mountain (center), Precipice Peak (right)
  • Dunsinane Mountain on the left, with Precipice Peak on the right. West aspect.
    Dunsinane Mountain on the left, with Precipice Peak on the right. West aspect.
  • Courthouse and Precipice centered, Redcliff to far right
    Courthouse and Precipice centered, Redcliff to far right

See also

  • iconMountains portal
  • flagColorado portal
  • Mountains of Hinsdale County, Colorado

References

  1. ^ a b "Precipice Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Precipice Peak - 13,144' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  3. ^ a b c "Precipice Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  4. ^ Robert F. Rosebrough, The San Juan Mountains: A Climbing & Hiking Guide, Cordillera Press, 1986, page 224.
  5. ^ United States Board on Geographic Names, Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States, Decision List No. 6602, 1966, page 9.
  6. ^ 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.
  • Weather forecast: Precipice Peak
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