Windom Peak

Windom Peak is the highest summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent 14,093-foot (4,296 m) fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, 28.2 miles (45.4 km) northeast by north (bearing 32°) of the City of Durango in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The summit of Windom Peak is the highest point in La Plata County and the entire San Juan River drainage basin.[1][2] The mountain was named in honor of Minnesota senator William Windom.[3]

Windom Peak
Windom Peak (left center) from across Chicago Basin.
Highest point
Elevation14,093 ft (4296 m) [1]
NAVD88
Prominence2187 ft (667 m) [1]
Isolation26.3 mi (42.4 km) [1]
Listing
Coordinates37°37′16″N 107°35′31″W [2]
Geography
Windom Peak
Location in Colorado
LocationHigh point of La Plata County, Colorado, United States[1]
Parent rangeSan Juan Mountains,
Highest summit of the
Needle Mountains[1]
Topo mapUSGS 7.5' topographic map
Columbine Pass, Colorado[2]
Climbing
Easiest routeWest Ridge: scramble (class 3)

Climbing

Windom Peak is one of three fourteeners in the Needle Mountains; the other two are Mount Eolus and Sunlight Peak. Windom and Sunlight lie on the east side of Twin Lakes, in upper Chicago Basin, while Eolus lies on the west side. All three peaks are relatively remote by Colorado standards, and have a strong wilderness character; however they can be popular in summer.[4]

Elevation

Mount Eolus may be higher than Windom Peak. If this is the case, Mount Eolus would be the highest summit of the Needle Mountains, La Plata County, and the entire San Juan River drainage basin.

Recent surveying by Arthur Harris on a Trimble-sponsored trip determined the following elevations, confirming that Windom is the monarch of the basin:

Eolus: 14085.4 ft +/- 2.1'

Windom: 14089.9 ft +/- 1.4'

Historical names
  • Windom Mountain
  • Windom Peak – 1974 [2]

See also

References
  1. "Windom Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  2. "Windom Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. Dziezynski, James (1 August 2012). Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet. Wilderness Press. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-89997-713-3.
  4. Louis W. Dawson II (1996). Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Volume 2. Blue Clover Press. ISBN 0-9628867-2-6.


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