Malemute Peak | |
Elevation Ft: | 13321 |
Prominence Ft: | 333 |
Prominence Ref: | [1] |
Isolation Mi: | 1.18 |
Parent Peak: | Castle Peak (14,279 ft) |
Country: | United States |
State: | Colorado |
Region: | Pitkin |
Region Type: | County |
Part Type: | Protected area |
Part: | Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness |
Range: | Rocky Mountains Elk Mountains[2] |
Map: | Colorado#USA |
Coordinates: | 39.0202°N -106.844°W |
Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
Topo: | USGS Hayden Peak |
Malemute Peak is a 13321feet mountain summit in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States.
Malemute Peak is located 14miles west of the Continental Divide in the Elk Mountains which are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. The mountain is situated 12miles south of the community of Aspen and 1.2miles northeast of Castle Peak. The peak is set in the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness on land managed by White River National Forest.[2] Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains into Castle Creek which is a tributary of the Roaring Fork River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3300feet above Castle Creek in 1.8miles.
The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on March 11, 1976, by the United States Board on Geographic Names and was named in association with sled dog teams operated by Stuart Mace in nearby Ashcroft during the 1950s.[3] Malemute is the less common spelling of malamute.
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Malemute Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[4] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring.