Buffalo Mountain (Colorado)

Buffalo Mountain
East aspect
Highest point
Elevation12,781 ft (3,896 m)[1]
Prominence909 ft (277 m)[1]
Parent peakMount Powell (13,586 ft)[2]
Isolation1.84 mi (2.96 km)[1]
Coordinates39°37′00″N 106°08′34″W / 39.6167293°N 106.1427478°W / 39.6167293; -106.1427478[3]
Geography
Buffalo Mountain is located in Colorado
Buffalo Mountain
Buffalo Mountain
Location in Colorado
Buffalo Mountain is located in the United States
Buffalo Mountain
Buffalo Mountain
Buffalo Mountain (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountySummit County
Protected areaEagles Nest Wilderness
Parent rangeRocky Mountains
Gore Range[4]
Topo mapUSGS Vail Pass
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 2 hiking[1]

Buffalo Mountain is a 12,781-foot (3,896 m) mountain summit in Summit County, Colorado, United States.

Description[edit]

Buffalo Mountain is set in the Gore Range which is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. The mountain is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of the community of Frisco in the Eagles Nest Wilderness on land managed by White River National Forest. It ranks as the sixth-highest peak in the Gore Range and the sixth-highest in the wilderness.[2] Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains into tributaries of the Blue River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 2,800 feet (853 m) above South Willow Creek in one mile (1.6 km). Buffalo Mountain has several routes for mountaineers and skiers, the most popular of which is the north couloir, also known as Silver Couloir.[5] The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3] The mountain was so named by Native Americans because its massive rounded form resembled that of the buffalo.[6]

Climate[edit]

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Buffalo Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with 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.

See also[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Buffalo Mountain - 12,781' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Buffalo Mountain, Peakvisor.com". Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Buffalo Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  4. ^ "Buffalo Mountain, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Ben Conners, Brian Miller (2020), Climbing and Skiing Colorado's Mountains, Falcon Guides. ISBN 9781493046737, p. 84.
  6. ^ By Robert Hurst (2016), Hiking Through History Colorado, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493022939, p. 180.
  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.

External links[edit]