Snowmass Mountain is a mountain in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, and the thirty-fourth highest mountain peak in the state. Located in the
Elk Mountains within the
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
Maroon ( US/ UK , Australia ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word ''marron'', or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown".
According to multiple dictionaries, there are vari ...
of the
White River National Forest
White River National Forest is a National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River that passes through its northern section. It is the most visited National Forest in the United States, primarily from users of the twelv ...
, it lies along the border between
Pitkin and
Gunnison counties, west of
Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the '' Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (Chin ...
and southwest of the town of
Snowmass Village.
Snowmass Mountain is named for the large snowfield that lies on its eastern slopes. Snowmass Mountain should not be confused with the
Snowmass ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partia ...
area, located outside Snowmass Village; nor with nearby
Snowmass Peak
Snowmass Peak in the U.S. state of Colorado dominates the view from Snowmass Lake. It is often mistaken for Snowmass Mountain, the thirty-fourth highest mountain peak in the state, as well as for Hagerman Peak. Snowmass Peak is not really a pe ...
, a lower but more visually striking peak that towers over
Snowmass Lake.
Hagerman Peak sits between Snowmass Mountain and Snowmass Peak and is also often mistaken for Snowmass Mountain.
Hiking/climbing
The route most commonly used to climb Snowmass Mountain is the
Snowmass Creek Snowmass may refer to:
*Snowmass Village, Colorado, a town in Pitkin County, Colorado, U.S.
**Snowmass (ski area)
** Snowmastodon site, an archaeological excavation near the town where well-preserved fossils of mammoths, mastodons, and plants were ...
approach. The route to the summit starts at Snowmass Lake, which is itself an hike up Snowmass Creek from the parking area. Most people hike to the lake, camp the night and then proceed to the top. This route is recommended in the spring and early summer when the snowfield still covers much of the route; however an ice axe and crampons are recommended for travel on the snowfield. Later in the summer there is more travel on talus (
scree
Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ...
) and more danger from
rockfall
A rockfall or rock-fallWhittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984. . is a quantity/sheets of rock that has fallen freely from a cliff face. The term is also used for collapse of rock from roof or walls of mi ...
. An alternative in snow-free conditions is to hike up to the saddle between the peak and
Hagerman Peak. From that point there are climbers' trails which proceed on the opposite (west) side of the ridge to the summit.
A different and much less used route climbs the west side of Snowmass Mountain from
Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake (Potawatomi language, Potawatomi: ''Kishwauketoe'' 'Clear Water') is a body of freshwater in Walworth County, Wisconsin, Walworth County in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. On its shores are the city of Lake G ...
, which is accessed from the North Fork of the
Crystal River.
Historical names
*Snowmass Mountain
[
*Snowmass Peak
]
See also
*List of mountain peaks of Colorado
This is a list of major mountain peaks in the U.S. State of Colorado.
This article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaksThis article defines a significant summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence, and a m ...
**List of Colorado fourteeners
This is a list of mountain peaks in the U.S. State of Colorado that exceed of elevation.
In the mountaineering parlance of the Western United States, a ''fourteener'' is a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet. This is a co ...
References
External links
*
*
Photo Journal from a trip up Snowmass Mountain and on to Capitol PeakAspen Ski & Snow Report
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Mountains of Colorado
Mountains of Gunnison County, Colorado
Mountains of Pitkin County, Colorado
Fourteeners of Colorado
North American 4000 m summits