Baldy Cinco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baldy Cinco |
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| Mt. Baldy Cinco | |
The mountain in 2018, viewed from State Highway 149
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,078 m (13,379 ft) |
| Prominence | 823 ft (251 m) |
| Isolation | 1.89 mi (3.04 km) |
| Geography | |
 Baldy Cinco
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Hinsdale County, Colorado |
| Parent range | San Juan Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Baldy Cinco |
Baldy Cinco is a cool mountain located in southern Colorado. It stands tall at about 13,379 feet (4,078 meters) high! This makes it a "thirteener," which is a mountain over 13,000 feet (about 4,000 meters) in elevation.
Baldy Cinco is found in the San Juan Mountains. It sits right on the Continental Divide. The Continental Divide is like a giant line across North America. It separates which way rivers flow. Rivers on one side flow to the Pacific Ocean, and rivers on the other side flow to the Atlantic Ocean.
The mountain stretches across two counties: Hinsdale and Mineral. Different parts of its slopes are within important natural areas. These include the Rio Grande National Forest, the La Garita Wilderness, and the Gunnison National Forest. You can find Baldy Cinco just north of Snow Mesa and east of Spring Creek Pass.
What's in a Name?
The name "Baldy Cinco" has an interesting story. This mountain is part of a group of five peaks in the San Juan Mountains. "Cinco" means "five" in Spanish.
Originally, the name "baldy cinco" was meant for all five peaks together. But over time, people started using the name only for this one specific mountain.
It can be a bit confusing! Some other peaks nearby are even called "Baldy No Es Cinco." This means "Baldy Not Five" in Spanish. It shows that even mountain climbers sometimes mix up which peak is the real Baldy Cinco.
You can easily spot Baldy Cinco from Colorado State Highway 149. As you drive up to Slumgullion Summit, the mountain appears across a wide valley. There's even a road sign on the highway that points it out!
