Mears Peak

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.

Mears Peak
North aspect from Box Factory Park
Highest point
Elevation13,496 ft (4,114 m)[1]
Prominence536 ft (163 m)[1]
Parent peak"T 0" (13,735 ft)[2]
Isolation1.36 mi (2.19 km)[2]
Coordinates38°00′34″N 107°51′43″W[3]
Naming
EtymologyOtto Mears
Geography
Mears Peak is located in Colorado
Mears Peak
Mears Peak
Location in Colorado
Mears Peak is located in the United States
Mears Peak
Mears Peak
Mears Peak (the United States)
LocationOuray County / San Miguel County
Colorado, US
Parent rangeRocky Mountains
San Juan Mountains
Sneffels Range[1]
Topo mapUSGS Mount Sneffels
Geology
Type of rockExtrusive rock, andesitic breccia[4]
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 2+ scrambling[2]

History

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

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.

  • North aspect
    North aspect
  • North aspect
    North aspect
  • Northeast aspect
    Northeast aspect
  • Mears Peak to left, "S9" to the right
    Mears Peak to left, "S9" to the right
  • Sneffels Range, Mears Peak to left
    Sneffels Range, Mears Peak to left
  • Otto Mears in 1902
    Otto Mears in 1902

See also

References
  1. "Mears Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Mears Peak - 13,496' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  3. "Mears Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  4. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, Volume 17, 1906, page 262.
  5. Stewart M. Green, Scenic Driving Colorado: Exploring the State's Most Spectacular Back Roads, 2019, Globe Pequot, ISBN 9781493035991, page 254.
  6. Williamson, Ruby G. "Otto Mears Pathfinder of the San Juan: His Family and Friends" (Gunnison, 1981).
  7. 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.
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