Truchas Peak
{{Short description|Mountain in New Mexico, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Truchas Peak
| photo = Truchas_peak_winter.jpg
| photo_caption = Truchas Peaks from Española in winter
| elevation_ft = 13108
| elevation_ref = {{navd88}}{{cite ngs |pid=FN0666 |name=Truchas |accessdate=2014-02-14}}
| prominence_ft = 4001
| prominence_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=5944 |name=Truchas Peak, New Mexico |accessdate=2014-02-14}}
| location = Rio Arriba / Mora counties, New Mexico, U.S.
| range = Sangre de Cristo Mountains
| coordinates = {{coord|35.962525883|N|105.644964742|W|type:mountain_region:US-NM_scale:100000_source:NGS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates =
| topo = USGS Truchas Peak
| type =
| age =
| first_ascent =
| easiest_route = Scramble, {{YDS|2}}
}}
Truchas Peak (more precisely, South Truchas Peak; Tewa: K'usenmp'in) is the second highest peak in the U.S. State of New Mexico behind Wheeler Peak.{{Cite journal |last=Harrington |first=J. P. |date=1920 |title=Old Indian Geographical Names around Santa Fe, New Mexico |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/660331 |journal=American Anthropologist |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=341–359 |doi=10.1525/aa.1920.22.4.02a00050 |jstor=660331 |issn=0002-7294}} It is in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains {{convert|26|mi}} northeast of Santa Fe. It lies within the Pecos Wilderness, part of the Santa Fe National Forest. (The north end of the mountain borders on the Carson National Forest.) The name of the peak is Spanish for "trout" (plural). It is the highest point in both Rio Arriba and Mora counties. It is also the most southerly peak and land area in the continental United States to rise above {{convert|13,000|ft|0|disp=|sp=us}}.
The entire mountain is a small north-south trending massif with four identifiable summits, North Truchas Peak, Middle Truchas Peak, "Medio Truchas Peak" (unofficial name),{{cite summitpost |152095 |name=Middle and Medio Truchas Peaks |accessdate=2014-02-13}} and South Truchas Peak, the highest. Of the three subsidiary summits, only North Truchas Peak ({{convert|13,025|ft|0|disp=or|sp=us}}) has enough topographic prominence (about {{convert|624|ft|0|disp=or|sp=us}}) to be considered an independent peak.{{cite peakbagger |pid=16467 |name=North Truchas Peak, New Mexico |accessdate=2014-02-13}}
The Truchas Peaks lie on the divide between the Rio Grande and the Pecos River. They are drained on the west by the Rio Medio, the Rio Quemado, and the Rio de las Trampas; on the northeast by the Rio Santa Barbara; and on the southeast by small creeks that quickly run into the upper reaches of the Pecos River. The massif also connects to numerous other high peaks in the region, many via the Santa Barbara Divide, a major east-west high ridge which separates the Pecos watershed on the south from the Santa Barbara watershed to the north.
The Truchas group has a true wilderness character, as it is difficult to access the peaks within a single day. Many trails access the slopes of the peaks, most notably the Skyline Trail (Trail number 251), which traverses the eastern slopes at elevation around 12,000 feet (3,660 m) and accesses the Truchas Lakes, a set of small lakes in a cirque below the south side of North Truchas Peak.
Climate
{{Weather box
|location = Truchas Peak 35.9683 N, 105.6411 W, Elevation: {{cvt|12418|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)
|single line = y
|Jan high F = 27.8
|Feb high F = 28.6
|Mar high F = 34.0
|Apr high F = 39.7
|May high F = 48.2
|Jun high F = 59.6
|Jul high F = 62.1
|Aug high F = 59.7
|Sep high F = 54.6
|Oct high F = 45.0
|Nov high F = 35.2
|Dec high F = 27.9
|Jan mean F = 18.2
|Feb mean F = 18.4
|Mar mean F = 23.3
|Apr mean F = 28.3
|May mean F = 36.8
|Jun mean F = 47.1
|Jul mean F = 50.4
|Aug mean F = 48.9
|Sep mean F = 44.0
|Oct mean F = 34.8
|Nov mean F = 25.7
|Dec mean F = 18.5
|Jan low F = 8.5
|Feb low F = 8.2
|Mar low F = 12.5
|Apr low F = 17.0
|May low F = 25.5
|Jun low F = 34.7
|Jul low F = 38.8
|Aug low F = 38.0
|Sep low F = 33.4
|Oct low F = 24.7
|Nov low F = 16.2
|Dec low F = 9.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.67
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.58
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.90
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.62
|May precipitation inch = 2.63
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.59
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.72
|Aug precipitation inch = 5.28
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.73
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.84
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.01
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.85
|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= September 30, 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.}}
}}
{{Weather box
|location = Jicarita Peak 36.0515 N, 105.5510 W, Elevation: {{cvt|12530|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)
|single line = y
|Jan high F = 28.7
|Feb high F = 29.2
|Mar high F = 34.1
|Apr high F = 39.1
|May high F = 47.6
|Jun high F = 59.0
|Jul high F = 61.5
|Aug high F = 59.1
|Sep high F = 54.1
|Oct high F = 44.5
|Nov high F = 35.8
|Dec high F = 29.1
|Jan mean F = 17.8
|Feb mean F = 18.0
|Mar mean F = 22.6
|Apr mean F = 27.4
|May mean F = 35.9
|Jun mean F = 46.2
|Jul mean F = 49.5
|Aug mean F = 47.9
|Sep mean F = 43.0
|Oct mean F = 33.9
|Nov mean F = 25.2
|Dec mean F = 18.3
|Jan low F = 7.0
|Feb low F = 6.7
|Mar low F = 11.2
|Apr low F = 15.7
|May low F = 24.2
|Jun low F = 33.5
|Jul low F = 37.5
|Aug low F = 36.7
|Sep low F = 32.0
|Oct low F = 23.2
|Nov low F = 14.6
|Dec low F = 7.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.59
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.41
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.73
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.06
|May precipitation inch = 2.28
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.87
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.97
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.91
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.42
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.80
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.79
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.63
|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= September 30, 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.}}
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite summitpost |id=151757 |name=Truchas Peak}}
- {{cite peakbagger |pid=16466 |name=Middle Truchas Peak, New Mexico}}
- {{cite peakbagger |pid=27797 |name=Medio Truchas Peak, New Mexico}}
{{Mountains of New Mexico}}
Category:Mountains of New Mexico
Category:Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Category:Landforms of Mora County, New Mexico
Category:Landforms of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
Category:Santa Fe National Forest
Category:Carson National Forest