Mount Massive

Mount Massive was first surveyed and climbed in 1873 during the Hayden Survey of the American West. Survey member Henry Gannett is credited with the first ascent.{{cite web |url=http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150369/mount-massive.html|title=Mount Massive|publisher=Summitpost|access-date=August 22, 2012}} Its name comes from its elongated shape: it has five summits, all above {{convert|14000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, and a summit ridge over {{convert|3|mi|km|abbr=on}} long, resulting in more area above {{convert|14000|ft|m|abbr=on}} than any other mountain in the 48 contiguous states, narrowly edging Mount Rainier in that category. Mount Elbert ({{convert|14440|ft|m|abbr=on}}) is Mount Massive's nearest neighbor among the fourteeners; it lies about {{convert|5|mi|km|abbr=on}} south-southeast of the peak.{{cite web |url=http://www.hikingincolorado.org/masv.html|title=Mount Massive|publisher=hikingincolorado.org|date=August 28, 1999|access-date=July 17, 2009}}

File:Mountain Goat Mount Massive.JPG

A matter of some contention after the Great Depression arose over the heights of Massive and its neighbor, Mount Elbert, which have a height difference of only {{convert|12|ft|m}}. This led to an ongoing dispute which came to a head with the Mount Massive supporters taking it upon themselves to build large piles of stones on the summit to boost its height, only to have the Mount Elbert proponents demolish them.{{Cite book|title=Best Summit Hikes in Colorado|page=157|publisher=Wilderness Press|last=Dziezynski|first=James}}Stewart Green, [https://www.thoughtco.com/mount-elbert-highest-mountain-in-colorado-755730 Fast Facts About Mount Elbert]KEN JENNINGS, [https://www.cntraveler.com/story/why-the-tallest-mountains-in-the-us-are-almost-the-same-height the Tallest Mountains in the U.S. Are Almost the Same Height]

A class 2 hiking path leads to the peak from the eastern face. The path is {{convert|13.6|mi|km|abbr=on}} round trip, with a {{convert|4500|ft|m|abbr=on}} elevation gain. There is also a class 2 route along the southwest slopes.{{Cite web |title=Mount Massive - Southwest Slopes Route Description |url=https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=mass2 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=14ers.com |language=en}}

There are several glacial lakes in the wilderness area. The lower slopes of the mountain are covered in lodgepole pine forests, which gradually yield to Engelmann Spruce and Fir. Treeline is just below 12,000 feet. Among the mountain's fauna are the American pika, the mountain goat, elk, mule deer, moose, Canada jay, martin, and the yellow-bellied marmot.

In the Arapaho Language the Collegiate Range and Mount Massive are called Hiwoxuu hookuhu'ee or Elk's Head.

{{Weather box

|location = Mount Massive (CO) 39.1836 N, 106.4761 W, Elevation: {{cvt|13934|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)

|single line = y

|Jan high F = 19.7

|Feb high F = 18.8

|Mar high F = 24.0

|Apr high F = 30.3

|May high F = 39.1

|Jun high F = 50.2

|Jul high F = 56.5

|Aug high F = 54.4

|Sep high F = 47.9

|Oct high F = 37.0

|Nov high F = 26.0

|Dec high F = 19.8

|Jan mean F = 8.2

|Feb mean F = 7.0

|Mar mean F = 11.7

|Apr mean F = 17.1

|May mean F = 25.9

|Jun mean F = 36.2

|Jul mean F = 42.4

|Aug mean F = 40.9

|Sep mean F = 34.6

|Oct mean F = 24.6

|Nov mean F = 15.0

|Dec mean F = 8.7

|Jan low F = -3.3

|Feb low F = -4.8

|Mar low F = -0.6

|Apr low F = 3.9

|May low F = 12.7

|Jun low F = 22.2

|Jul low F = 28.3

|Aug low F = 27.4

|Sep low F = 21.3

|Oct low F = 12.1

|Nov low F = 4.1

|Dec low F = -2.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.76

|Feb precipitation inch = 4.48

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.73

|Apr precipitation inch = 5.80

|May precipitation inch = 4.46

|Jun precipitation inch = 1.78

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.05

|Aug precipitation inch = 2.21

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.00

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.80

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.71

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.08

|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.}}

}}

{{portal|United States|Colorado|Mountains}}

• List of mountain peaks of North America
• List of mountain peaks of the United States
• List of mountain peaks of Colorado
• List of Colorado fourteeners

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{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{sister project links}}

• {{cite web

| url = https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/14er.php?peakid=10002

| title = Mount Massive

| publisher = 14ers.com

}}

{{Mountains of Colorado}}

{{NA highest}}

{{Colorado highest}}

{{Colorado Fourteeners}}

{{Colorado}}

{{commons category}}

Massive

Category:San Isabel National Forest

Massive

Massive