Mount Sheridan (Colorado) Explained

Mount Sheridan
Elevation Ft:13748
Elevation Ref:[1] [2] [3]
Prominence Ft:616
Prominence Ref:[4]
Isolation Mi:1.36
Parent Peak:Mount Sherman (14,043 ft)
Etymology:Philip Sheridan
Country:United States
State:Colorado
Region:Lake / Park
Region Type:County
Part Type:Protected area
Part:San Isabel National Forest
Pike National Forest
Range:Rocky Mountains
Mosquito Range[5]
Map:Colorado#USA
Coordinates:39.2092°N -106.1848°W
Coordinates Ref:[6]
Topo:USGS Mount Sherman
Rock:Porphyry[7]
Age:Late Cretaceous

Mount Sheridan is a 13748feet mountain summit on the boundary shared by Lake County and Park County, in Colorado, United States.

Description

Mount Sheridan is set 18 miles east of the Continental Divide in the Mosquito Range, which is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. It ranks as the 11th-highest peak in Park County and the 124th-highest in Colorado.[4] The mountain is located 6miles southeast of the community of Leadville on land managed by San Isabel National Forest and Pike National Forest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's west slope drains to the Arkansas River, whereas the east slope drains into the headwaters of Fourmile Creek which is a tributary of the South Fork South Platte River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1750feet above Empire Amphitheater in one-half mile (0.8 km) and 1,750 feet above Fourmile Creek in 1miles. Mount Sheridan has an officially-named subsidiary peak, "West Sheridan" (12,953 feet) approximately one mile distant.[8]

Etymology

The mountain's toponym was officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names to honor General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (1831–1888).[6] [9] There is also a Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park named after him.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mount Sheridan is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[10] 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.

Climbing

An ascent of the peak involves hiking 4.2miles (round-trip) with 1728feet of elevation gain (4WD access), or 8.2miles with 2508feet of elevation gain without 4WD.[11] Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Robert M. Ormes (2000), Guide to the Colorado Mountains, Colorado Mountain Club Press,, p. 167.
  2. Mike Garratt, Bob Martin (1984), Colorado's High Thirteeners, Johnson Books,, p. 23.
  3. 5804. Mount Sheridan, Colorado. June 10, 2023.
  4. Web site: Sheridan, Mount - 13,757' CO. listsofjohn.com. June 10, 2023.
  5. 5804. Mount Sheridan, Colorado. June 10, 2023.
  6. 180205. Mount Sheridan. June 10, 2023.
  7. https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3271/pdf/sim3271.pdf Bohannon, R.G, and Ruleman C.A. (2013), Geologic Map of the Mount Sherman 7.5' Quadrangle, Park and Lake Counties, Colorado
  8. 180206. West Sheridan. June 10, 2023.
  9. James Dziezynski, Best Summit Hikes in Colorado (2012), Wilderness Press,, page 158.
  10. Peel, M. C. . Finlayson, B. L. . McMahon, T. A. . 2007 . Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification . Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. . 11 . 1027-5606.
  11. Gerry Roach (2022), Colorado's Fourteeners: From Hikes to Climbs Fourth Ed., Chicago Review Press,