Snowmass Mountain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Snowmass Mountain
Snowmass Mountain, July 2007
Highest point
Elevation	14,099 ft (4,297 m)
Prominence	1,152 ft (351 m)
Isolation	2.34 mi (3.77 km)
Listing	Colorado Fourteener 31st
Geography
Snowmass Mountain Location in Colorado
Location	Gunnison and Pitkin counties, Colorado, United States
Parent range	Elk Mountains
Topo map	USGS 7.5' topographic map Snowmass Mountain, Colorado
Climbing
First ascent	August 7, 1873 by William Byers, James Gardner and W. Rideling
Easiest route	Hike/rock scramble, class 3/snow climb (ice axe recommended)

Snowmass Mountain is a really tall mountain in Colorado, United States. It's one of the "fourteeners," which means it's over 14,000 feet (about 4,267 meters) high! In fact, it's the 34th highest mountain peak in Colorado. You can find it in the beautiful Elk Mountains.

This mountain is part of a special protected area called the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, which is inside the White River National Forest. Snowmass Mountain sits right on the edge of two counties: Pitkin and Gunnison. It's not too far from the towns of Aspen and Snowmass Village.

Snowmass Mountain got its name because of a huge area of snow that stays on its eastern side for most of the year. It's easy to get this mountain mixed up with other nearby places. For example, there's the Snowmass ski area, where people go skiing. There's also Snowmass Peak, which looks very impressive even though it's not as tall. Another mountain, Hagerman Peak, is also often mistaken for Snowmass Mountain.

Climbing Snowmass Mountain

Climbing Snowmass Mountain is a big adventure! The most common way to reach the top is by following the Snowmass Creek path.

Starting Your Journey

The climb usually begins at Snowmass Lake. Getting to the lake itself is a long hike, about 8.1 miles (13 kilometers) from the parking area. Most people hike to the lake, set up camp for the night, and then continue their climb to the summit the next day.

Best Time to Climb

• Spring and Early Summer: This is a good time to climb because a large snowfield still covers much of the path. If you go then, you'll need special gear like an ice axe and crampons (spikes for your boots) to walk safely on the snow.
• Later Summer: As summer goes on, the snow melts. This means you'll be walking more on loose rocks called talus or scree. This can be tricky, and there's a higher chance of rockfall, where rocks tumble down the mountain.

Different Paths to the Top

One way to avoid the snowfield later in the summer is to hike up to a "saddle." A saddle is a low point between two peaks, in this case, between Snowmass Mountain and Hagerman Peak. From there, you can find trails that go up the other side (the west side) of the ridge to the summit.

Another path, which is used much less often, starts from Geneva Lake. This lake is reached from the North Fork of the Crystal River.

Historical Names of the Mountain

Over time, this mountain has been known by a few names:

• Snowmass Mountain (its current name)
• Snowmass Peak (this name was also used for the main mountain, but now refers to a different, nearby peak)