Silver Mountain (Colorado) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver Mountain |
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| Dike Mountain | |
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The mountain on a summer morning. Note the dikes at the base.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,208 m (10,525 ft) |
| Prominence | 1,242 ft (379 m) |
| Isolation | 2.87 mi (4.62 km) |
| Geography | |
 Silver Mountain
Location in Colorado
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| Parent range | Sangre de Cristos |
| Topo map | USGS La Veta |
Silver Mountain is a cool mountain located in Huerfano County, Colorado. It stands tall at about 10,525 feet (3,208 meters) above sea level! This mountain is part of the southern Sangre de Cristo Range, which is a big part of the Southern Rocky Mountains in North America.
Silver Mountain is found northeast of Mount Mestas and north of the famous Spanish Peaks. It's a great spot to explore the natural beauty of Colorado.
Why the Name Changed
Did you know Silver Mountain wasn't always called that? Its original name was Dike Mountain. This name came from the many "dikes" that spread out from its base.
What are Dikes?
In geology, a dike is like a wall of rock that forms when hot, melted rock (magma) pushes its way into cracks in other rocks. When the magma cools down and hardens, it creates these cool, wall-like structures. So, Dike Mountain had lots of these natural rock walls all around it!
From Dikes to Silver
The name changed in the 1870s. Why? Because miners found something exciting there: gold and silver! Imagine finding precious metals on a mountain. After these discoveries, the mountain became known as Silver Mountain, a name that stuck.
