Grays Peak

{{Short description|Mountain in the state of Colorado, United States}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Grays Peak

| etymology = Asa Gray

| photo = Grays and Torreys Peaks 2006-08-06.jpg

| photo_caption = Grays Peak on left, Torreys Peak on right

| elevation_system = NAVD88

| elevation = 14275.5 ft (4351.18 m)

| elevation_ref = {{cite journal|doi=10.1007/s00190-024-01831-8|doi-access=free| title=Moving mountains: reevaluating the elevations of Colorado mountain summits using modern geodetic techniques|date=April 2024|first1=Kevin | last1=Ahlgren|first3=Brian|last3=Shaw|last2= Van Westrum | first2=Derek |journal=Journal of Geodesy|volume=98|article-number=29}} {{open access}}

| prominence = 2770 ft (844 m)

| prominence_ref = {{cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5664 |title=Grays Peak, Colorado|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=May 25, 2018}}

| isolation = 25.0 mi (40.2 km)

| isolation_ref =

| listing = {{unbulleted list

|North America highest peaks 39th

|US highest major peaks 25th

|Colorado highest major peaks 10th

|Colorado fourteeners 10th

|Colorado county high points 11th

}}

| location = High point of the Continental Divide in North America and the high point of both Clear Creek and Summit counties, Colorado, U.S.

| range = Highest summit of the
Front Range

| map = Colorado

| map_caption = Colorado

| coordinates = {{coord|39.6338834|N|105.8175704|W|type:mountain_region:US-CO_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| range_coordinates =

| coordinates_ref = {{cite ngs|pid=KK2036|name=GRAYS PEAK|access-date=January 2, 2016}}

| topo = USGS 7.5' topographic map
Grays Peak, Colorado{{cite gnis|id=181827|name=Grays Peak|access-date=November 14, 2014}}

| first_ascent = 1861 by Charles C. Parry

| easiest_route = 3.5 mile (5.6 km) hike on Grays Peak Trail

}}

Grays Peak is the tenth-highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of North America and the U.S. state of Colorado. The prominent {{convert|4351.18|m|0|order=flip|comma=5|adj=on}} fourteener is the highest summit of the Front Range and the highest point on the Continental Divide and the Continental Divide Trail in North America. (There are higher summits, such as Mount Elbert, which are near, but not on, the Divide.) Grays Peak is located in Arapahoe National Forest, {{convert|6.2|km|order=flip}} southeast by east (bearing 122°) of Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide between Clear Creek and Summit counties. The peak is the highest point in both counties.{{efn|name=NAVD88|The elevation of Grays Peak includes an adjustment of +1.881 m (+6.17 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.}}

Grays Peak is one of 53 fourteeners (mountains of over {{convert|14000|ft}} in elevation) in Colorado. Botanist Charles C. Parry made the first recorded ascent of the summit in 1861 and named the peak in honor of his botanist colleague Asa Gray. Gray did not see (and climb) the peak until 1872, eleven years later. Grays Peak is commonly mentioned in conjunction with adjacent Torreys Peak.{{cite book|pages=142, 302|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yL8nAAAAYAAJ&q=gray+peak+new+york+name+for+asa+gray&pg=RA2-PA142|publisher=United States Geological Survey|location=Washington, DC|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|volume=258|edition=2|year=1905}} In the Arapaho language Gray's Peak and the adjacent Torrey's Peak are named, Heeniiyoowuu or "Ant Hills".{{Cite web |date=2020-07-24 |title=Colorado Places: Their Native American Names |url=https://www.colorado.edu/cnais/resources/colorado-places-their-native-american-names |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS) |language=en}}

Climbing

Like the other fourteeners nearby, Grays Peak is considered to be an easy hike by fourteener standards, and is very popular among weekend climbers. Often a climb to the summit of Grays Peak is accompanied by continuing on to Torreys Peak, less than a mile away. The main trail, Grays Peak Trail, departs from Stevens Gulch. With cuts in the road over two feet deep and large stones in the path, travel to the trailhead is only feasible for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles.

From the trailhead, it is a hike of about {{convert|3.5|mi}} and a climb of {{convert|3040|ft}}. The trail, well-marked and well-trodden, begins by following the gulch for a slow rise in elevation, before hitting the steeper slopes. The summit includes a very small U-shaped rock shelter where a log book is maintained. Extensive views stretch south to Pike's Peak and the San Luis Valley, east to the Great Plains, West to Silverthorne, and north to Longs Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park. At the climber's option, the trail continues from the summit north to Torreys Peak. The trail descends the saddle down to {{convert|13707|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} before climbing back to the summit of Torreys Peak at {{convert|14274|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.

Climate

{{Weather box

|location = Grays Peak 39.6352 N, 105.8176 W, Elevation: {{cvt|13796|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)

|single line = y

|Jan high F = 19.4

|Feb high F = 18.4

|Mar high F = 24.2

|Apr high F = 30.9

|May high F = 39.5

|Jun high F = 50.2

|Jul high F = 56.2

|Aug high F = 53.8

|Sep high F = 47.8

|Oct high F = 36.9

|Nov high F = 26.0

|Dec high F = 19.7

|Jan mean F = 8.4

|Feb mean F = 7.4

|Mar mean F = 12.6

|Apr mean F = 18.3

|May mean F = 27.1

|Jun mean F = 37.2

|Jul mean F = 43.4

|Aug mean F = 41.7

|Sep mean F = 35.5

|Oct mean F = 25.2

|Nov mean F = 15.5

|Dec mean F = 9.0

|Jan low F = -2.6

|Feb low F = -3.7

|Mar low F = 0.9

|Apr low F = 5.6

|May low F = 14.8

|Jun low F = 24.3

|Jul low F = 30.7

|Aug low F = 29.6

|Sep low F = 23.2

|Oct low F = 13.5

|Nov low F = 5.0

|Dec low F = -1.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.37

|Feb precipitation inch = 4.36

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.15

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.97

|May precipitation inch = 3.76

|Jun precipitation inch = 1.79

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.13

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.04

|Sep precipitation inch = 2.21

|Oct precipitation inch = 2.72

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.59

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.96

|source=PRISM Climate Group{{cite web

|url= http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/

|title= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University

|publisher= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University

|access-date= October 9, 2023

|quote= To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking Coordinates (under Location); copy Latitude and Longitude figures from top of table; click Zoom to location; click Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click 30-year normals, 1991-2020; click 800m; click Retrieve Time Series button.}}

}}

Wildlife

Wildlife in the area includes, mountain goat, pika, cougar or mountain lion, mule deer, elk, marmot, coyote, ptarmigan, American red squirrel, and Canada jay. Wildflowers that bloom in the tundra area on the Continental Divide of the Americas include moss campion (Silene acaulis), alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris), sky pilot (Polemonium viscosum), sea pink, old-man-of-the-mountain (Rydbergia grandiflora), and mountain gentian (Gentiana). Below the tree-line, the blooms of monkshood or wolfsbane, blue columbine, fireweed, and paintbrush (Castilleja) can be found.

Gallery

File:Grays Peak, Colorado - 2007-06-17.jpg|Grays Peak as seen from nearby Torreys Peak

File:Greys Peak trailhead.jpg|Grays Peak trailhead

File:Grays Peak Trail, cairn, hikers, Grays & Torreys.jpg|Cairn along trail

File:CDT sign, footbridge at Grays Peak Trailhead.jpg|Footbridge at the beginning of the trail

File:Grays Summit view.jpg|From Grays Peak summit looking west

File:Grays and Torreys Peaks.jpg|Morning on the Grays Peak trail - Grays Peak on the left, Torreys Peak on the right

File:Mountain Goat on Grays Peak Trail.jpg|Mountain Goat from Grays Peak trail

File:Grays Peak South Ridge.jpg|The South Ridge of Grays Peak

Notes

References

External links

[http://www.14ers.com/photos/peakmain.php?peak=Grays%20Peak Grays and Torreys Peaks on 14ers.com]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080622145920/http://www.trailcentral.com/gps/gps_details.php?key=303 Grays and Torreys Peaks on TrailCentral.com]

Category:Mountains of Clear Creek County, Colorado

Category:Mountains of Summit County, Colorado

Category:Arapaho National Forest

Category:Fourteeners of Colorado

Category:Great Divide of North America

Category:Four-thousanders of the United States