Twin Peaks (Chaffee County, Colorado)

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Twin Peaks

| photo = Northeast aspect of Twin Peaks.jpg

| photo_caption = Northeast aspect, from Twin Lakes

| elevation_ft = 13341

| elevation_ref ={{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/458|title=Twin Peaks, South - 13,341' CO|website=listsofjohn.com|access-date=July 8, 2023}}

| prominence_ft = 251

| prominence_ref =

| isolation_mi = 0.86

| isolation_ref =

| parent_peak = Rinker Peak (13,789 ft)

| country = United States

| state = Colorado

| region = Chaffee

| region_type = County

| part_type = Protected area | part = San Isabel National Forest

| range = Rocky Mountains
Sawatch Range
Collegiate Peaks{{cite peakbagger|pid=19246|title=Twin Peaks, Colorado|access-date=July 8, 2023}}

| map = Colorado#USA

| map_caption = Location in Colorado

| coordinates = {{coord|39.0423585|N|106.4254736|W|type:mountain_region:US-CO_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref ={{cite gnis|id=180399|name=Twin Peaks|access-date=July 8, 2023}}

| topo = USGS Mount Elbert

| rock =

| age =

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = {{YDS|2}} hiking

}}

Twin Peaks is a {{convert|13341|ft|0|adj=on}} mountain summit in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States.

Description

Twin Peaks is set approximately {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} east of the Continental Divide in the Collegiate Peaks which are a subrange of the Sawatch Range. The mountain is located {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} southwest of Twin Lakes on land managed by San Isabel National Forest. Precipitation runoff from the peak's slopes drains to Lake Creek which is a tributary of the Arkansas River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises {{convert|3740|ft|0}} above Lake Creek in {{convert|1.5|mi|km}}. The highest peak in Colorado, Mount Elbert, is {{convert|4.97|mi|km}} to the north and line parent Rinker Peak is 0.62 mile to the southwest. The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Twin Peaks is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 | issn = 1027-5606}} 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. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.

Gallery slideshow

File:Twin Peaks, Chaffee County, Colorado.jpg|Northeast aspect of Twin Peaks from Highway 82

File:Twin Peaks and Rinker Peak.jpg|Northeast aspect of Twin Peaks and Rinker Peak (behind), from Twin Lakes

File:Twin Peaks from Mt. Hope.jpg|South aspect of Twin Peaks (centered) viewed from Mount Hope. Centered at the top in the distance are Mount Elbert and Mount Massive (the two highest peaks in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains).

File:Rockies from Leadville CO.jpg|Mount Hope (left) and Twin Peaks (right) viewed from north