Twin Peaks (Sangre de Cristo)
Twin Peaks is a mountain summit in Alamosa County, Colorado, United States.
| Twin Peaks | |
|---|---|
 West aspect, centered | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 13,580 ft (4,140 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 656 ft (200 m)[2] |
| Parent peak | Ellingwood Point (14,048 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 1.20 mi (1.93 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 37°35′24″N 105°31′09″W[3] |
| Geography | |
  Twin Peaks Location in Colorado  Twin Peaks Twin Peaks (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Alamosa |
| Protected area | Sangre de Cristo Wilderness |
| Parent range | Rocky Mountains Sangre de Cristo Range[4] |
| Topo map | USGS Twin Peaks |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Fault block |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 2[2] |
Description
Twin Peaks is set in the Sangre de Cristo Range which is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. It is the sixth-highest summit in Alamosa County and the 198th-highest in Colorado.[2] The north peak is the true summit at 13,580-feet-elevation (4,139 m) and is separated by one-quarter mile from the south peak (13,534-ft (4,125 m)).[1] The mountain is located 20 miles (32 km) east-northeast of the town of Alamosa in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, on land managed by Rio Grande National Forest.[4] Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains to the San Luis Valley via Zapata, Urraca, and Pioneer creeks. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 5,800 feet (1,768 m) above the valley in four miles (6.4 km). The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Twin Peaks has an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[5] 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. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.
See also
References
- Robert M. Ormes (2000), Guide to the Colorado Mountains, Colorado Mountain Club Press, ISBN 9780967146607, p. 122.
- "Twin Peaks, North – 13,584' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- "Twin Peaks". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- "Twin Peaks, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- 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.
