Windom Peak

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Windom Peak

| photo = Windom Peak and Unnamed above Chicago Basin.jpg

| photo_caption = Windom Peak (left center) from across Chicago Basin.

| elevation_system = NAPGD2022

| elevation = {{convert|4293.72|m|0|adj=on}}

| 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 = 2187 ft (667 m)

| prominence_ref = {{cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5861|title=Windom Peak, Colorado|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=January 6, 2016}}

| isolation = 26.3 mi (42.4 km)

| isolation_ref =

| listing = {{unbulleted list

|North America highest peaks 54th

|US highest major peaks 40th

|Colorado highest major peaks 21st

|Colorado fourteeners 32nd

|Colorado county high points 18th

}}

| location = High point of La Plata County, Colorado, United States

| range = San Juan Mountains,
Highest summit of the
Needle Mountains

| map = Colorado

| map_caption = Location in Colorado

| coordinates = {{coord|37.621166|N|107.591879|W|type:mountain_region:US-CO_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis|id=187990|name=Windom Peak|access-date=October 23, 2014}}

| range_coordinates =

| topo = USGS 7.5' topographic map
Columbine Pass, Colorado

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = West Ridge: Hike, {{YDS|2}}{{cite web | url = https://www.14ers.com/routelist.php?peakid=10033 | title = Windom Peak Routes | publisher = 14ers.com }}

}}

Windom Peak is the highest summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent {{convert|4293.72|m|0|adj=on}} fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, {{convert|45.4|km|order=flip}} northeast by north (bearing 32°) of the City of Durango in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The summit of Windom Peak is the highest point in La Plata County and the entire San Juan River drainage basin. The mountain was named in honor of Minnesota senator William Windom.{{cite book|last=Dziezynski|first=James|title=Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KT0Uf6MLtisC&pg=PA275|date=1 August 2012|publisher=Wilderness Press|isbn=978-0-89997-713-3|page=275}}

Climbing

Windom Peak is one of three fourteeners in the Needle Mountains; the other two are Mount Eolus and Sunlight Peak. Windom and Sunlight lie on the east side of Twin Lakes, in upper Chicago Basin, while Eolus lies on the west side. All three peaks are relatively remote by Colorado standards, and have a strong wilderness character; however they can be popular in summer.{{cite book |author=Louis W. Dawson II |title=Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Volume 2 |publisher=Blue Clover Press |year=1996 |isbn=0-9628867-2-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/dawsonsguidetoco00daws }}

The standard route up Windom Peak is rated class 2.{{Cite web |title=Windom Peak - West Ridge Route Description |url=https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=wind1 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=14ers.com |language=en}}