Mount Wilson (Colorado) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Wilson |
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Mount Wilson is the peak in the far left background of this photo. (Wilson Peak is in the center foreground.)
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,252 ft (4,344 m) NAVD88 |
| Prominence | 4,024 ft (1,227 m) |
| Isolation | 33.0 mi (53.1 km) |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
 Mount Wilson
Location in Colorado
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| Location | High point of Dolores County, Colorado, United States |
| Parent range | Highest summit of the San Miguel Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Mount Wilson, Colorado |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | September 13, 1874, by A. D. Wilson, Franklin Rhoda, and others (Hayden Survey party) |
| Easiest route | North Face (hike/snow climb/scramble) |
Mount Wilson is a very tall mountain in the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is the highest point in the San Miguel Mountains range. This mountain is a "fourteener," which means it is over 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) tall. Mount Wilson stands at 14,252 feet (4,344 meters) high.
You can find Mount Wilson in the Lizard Head Wilderness area, which is part of the San Juan National Forest. It's located in Dolores County, Colorado, United States. It's important not to confuse Mount Wilson with Wilson Peak, which is a nearby mountain that is not as tall.
The mountain was named after A.D. Wilson. He was a mapmaker who worked with the Hayden Survey, a group that explored and mapped the western United States. A.D. Wilson was part of the first team to climb Mount Wilson on September 13, 1874. They climbed a difficult path along the south ridge.
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Climbing Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson is known as one of the toughest "fourteeners" to climb in Colorado. A "fourteener" is a mountain peak that is at least 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) high. Because of its height and challenging routes, it's a popular goal for experienced climbers.
Popular Climbing Routes
The most common way to climb Mount Wilson is by going up its North Face. This route starts from a place called Navajo Basin. Even in summer, you might find permanent snowfields in the basin. Because of this, climbers often need special gear like an ice axe and crampons (spikes that attach to boots for walking on ice). After the snowy parts, climbers have to do some "scrambling" on rocks to reach the top. Scrambling means climbing over rocks using both your hands and feet.
Connecting to El Diente Peak
For very skilled climbers, there is a long and challenging path that connects Mount Wilson to El Diente Peak. This path is a ridge about a mile long. It is very narrow and rocky, requiring difficult scrambling. Sometimes, climbers even need to "rappel" down sections. Rappelling is when you lower yourself down a steep rock face using a rope and special equipment.
Geology and Mining History
Mount Wilson and the other mountains in the San Miguel range are made of a type of rock formed from cooled magma deep inside the Earth. This rock pushed up from below to create the mountains we see today.
Mining for Silver
In the early 1880s, the area around Mount Wilson became a busy place for mining. People were especially looking for silver. One of the most famous mines was called the Silver Pick Mine. This mine gave its name to Silver Pick Basin, which is just north of Navajo Basin.
Glaciers and Permafrost
Mount Wilson has four small glaciers near its top. These are the southernmost glaciers in the Rocky Mountains and in the United States outside of California's Sierra Nevada. They reach down to about 12,750 feet (3,887 meters). No one has given these glaciers names, and scientists are still studying if they are currently moving or growing.
The mountain also has at least nine "rock glaciers." These are like slow-moving rivers of rock, ice, and dirt that are frozen solid. This frozen ground is called permafrost. These rock glaciers are found on the northern side of the mountain.
During the Pleistocene Ice Age, glaciers were much bigger than they are today. They covered the entire top of Mount Wilson. In even older ice ages, it's thought that these ice caps were even larger and joined together to form a huge "San Miguel Glacier" with other ice caps in the San Juan Mountains.
Historical Names
Over time, Mount Wilson has been known by a few different names:
- Glacier Mountain
- Mount Wilson – This name became official in 1906.
