Bill Williams Peak
{{short description|Mountain summit in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Bill Williams Peak
| photo =
| photo_caption =
| elevation = {{convert|13389|ft|abbr=out}}
| elevation_ref = {{cite peakbagger|pid=16642|name=Williams Mountains Highpoint, Colorado|access-date=December 13, 2023}}
| prominence = {{convert|1682|ft|abbr=out}}
| isolation = {{convert|3.71|mi|abbr=out}}
| listing = 42nd highest major summit of Colorado
45th highest major summit of the Rocky Mountains
82nd highest major summit of the United States
101st highest major summit of North America
| location = Pitkin County, Colorado, U.S.
| range = Williams Mountains
| map = Colorado#USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Location in Colorado##Location in the United States
| coordinates = {{coord|39.1806|-106.6102|type:mountain_region:US-CO_scale:100000|format=dec|display=it}}
| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis|id=202690|name=Williams Mountains|access-date=July 10, 2017}}| topo = USGS Mount Champion
| first_ascent =
| easiest_route =
}}
{{for|the mountain in the Front Range|Williams Peak (Colorado)}}
Bill Williams Peak, elevation {{convert|13389|ft|abbr=out}}, is an (officially unnamed) mountain located in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The summit of the mountain is the high point of the Williams Mountains, a subrange of the Sawatch Range. The summit is located {{convert|12.2|mi|abbr=out}} east of Aspen, Colorado, in the Hunter–Fryingpan Wilderness of White River National Forest.{{Cite map|publisher=TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps)|title=Mount Champion, CO|url=https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=39.18056&lon=-106.60948&datum=nad83&zoom=2&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomin&size=m|access-date=July 10, 2017}} Bill Williams Peak is the 42nd highest major summit of Colorado and the 45th highest major summit of the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada.
Etymology
The mountain and its range are named for William Sherley "Old Bill" Williams (1787–1849), prominent American mountain man and frontiersman who frequented the region.
In November 1848, John C. Fremont hired Williams to guide his ill-fated fourth expedition through the Southern Rocky Mountains.{{cite web |last1=Meehan |first1=James |title=Williams, William Sherley |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/williams-william-sherley |website=ncpedia.org |publisher=NCPedia |access-date=3 December 2023 |date=December 2021}} Fremont sought to find a railroad route through the Rockies along the 38th parallel north. Williams warned Fremont against following his intended route through the La Garita Mountains in winter, but Fremont proceeded with his 35 men and 150 mules. The expedition eventually became hopelessly mired in deep snow and 11 men and all but a few of the pack animals died.{{cite web|url=https://taoscountyhistoricalsociety.org/images/AyerYHoy/051987Summer.pdf|title=Trail to Disaster: John C. Frémont's Fourth Exhibition into the San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado|first=Patricia Joy|last=Richmond|series=Ayer y Hoy en Taos|publisher=Taos County Historical Society|date=Summer 1987|access-date=December 21, 2023}} Williams led a rescue party south towards Taos, and the survivors of the expedition eventually managed to follow.{{cite web |title=Williams, William Sherley |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/reference/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/williams-william-sherley |website=encyclopedia.com |publisher=The Columbia Encyclopedia |access-date=3 December 2023 |date=November 16, 2023}}
In March, Williams and Dr. Benjamin Kern returned to the La Garita Mountains in hopes of finding more survivors. On March 14, 1849, Ute warriors murdered Bill Williams and Dr. Kern in the mountains by for trespassing on Ute lands.
Climbing
In August 2024, a 33-year old climber was fatally injured after falling 50-100 feet from Williams Peak. The climber was able to send their location to rescuers via a GPS device, however the climber had succumbed to their injuries by the time rescuers arrived.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-08-25 |title=Williams Mountain injury turned into fatality on Saturday |url=https://www.aspentimes.com/news/williams-mountain-injury-turned-into-fatality-on-saturday/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=www.aspentimes.com |language=en-US}}{{clear}}
See also
{{portal|United States|Colorado|Mountains}}
- Bibliography of Colorado
- Geography of Colorado
- History of Colorado
- Index of Colorado-related articles
- List of Colorado-related lists
- List of mountain peaks of Colorado
- Outline of Colorado
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{sister project links|Colorado|auto=yes}}
{{Colorado}}
{{Mountains of Colorado}}
{{NA highest}}
{{authority control}}