Sunshine Peak

Sunshine Peak is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County approximately 9 miles (14 km) south west of Lake City, and about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Redcloud Peak. It rises on the north side of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.

Sunshine Peak
Sunshine Peak (upper right corner) seen from Redcloud Peak
Highest point
Elevation14,007 ft (4,269 m)[1][2]
Prominence501 ft (153 m)[2]
Parent peakRedcloud Peak
Isolation1.27 mi (2.04 km)[2]
ListingColorado Fourteener 53rd
Coordinates37°55′22″N 107°25′32″W[3]
Geography
Sunshine Peak is located in Colorado
Sunshine Peak
Sunshine Peak
Location in Colorado
LocationHinsdale County, Colorado, U.S.[3]
Parent rangeSan Juan Mountains[2]
Topo mapUSGS 7.5' topographic map
Redcloud Peak, Colorado[3]
Climbing
Easiest routeVia Redcloud Peak: Hike, class 2[4]

Sunshine Peak has the dubious distinction of being the lowest of Colorado's 53 fourteeners. It is also not particularly independent from its higher neighbor Redcloud Peak, with a topographic prominence of 481 feet (147 m) (the minimum standard for an independent fourteener is 300 feet (91 m)). However it has more and steeper local relief than many of the other fourteeners. For example, it rises 4,450 feet (1,356 m) above the townsite of Sherman to the south in only 1.2 miles (1.9 km).[5]

Southeast aspect

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, the mountain 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.

See also

References
  1. The elevation of Sunshine Peak includes an adjustment of +1.969 m (+6.46 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
  2. "Sunshine Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  3. "Sunshine Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  4. "Sunshine Peak Routes". 14ers.com.
  5. "Sunshine Peak". TopoQuest.com.
  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.
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