Colter Peak Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Colter Peak
Colter Peak and Turret Mountain
Highest point
Elevation	10,640 ft (3,240 m)
Geography
Colter Peak Location in Wyoming
Parent range	Absaroka Range
Topo map	Eagle Peak

Colter Peak is a tall mountain peak. It stands at about 10,640 feet (3,243 meters) high. You can find it in the Absaroka Range in the southeastern part of Yellowstone National Park.

This mountain is named after a famous mountain man named John Colter. Many believe he was the first white person to explore the Yellowstone area.

History of Colter Peak
Images for kids
See also

History of Colter Peak

First Climbers

Colter Peak was first climbed in 1870. Two explorers, Lt. Gustavus Cheyney Doane and Nathaniel P. Langford, made the first trip to its top. They were part of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition.

How the Mountain Got Its Name

The leader of that expedition, Henry D. Washburn, first named the peak after Langford and Doane. But things changed quickly!

In 1871, a geologist named Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden moved those names to other peaks. Then, in 1888, Philetus Norris, who was the second superintendent of Yellowstone Park, called it Mount Forum. We don't know why he chose that name.

Finally, in 1885, another geologist named Arnold Hague gave the peak its official name: Colter Peak. This is the name it still has today.

Mapping Yellowstone Lake

Colter Peak was very important for mapping the area. On September 7, 1870, Nathaniel Langford sketched the very first detailed map of Yellowstone Lake from the top of this mountain. This helped people understand the shape and size of the lake much better.

Doane also wrote about his climb. He described the amazing view of the lake and the surrounding mountains from the summit.