Mount Sopris

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Twin-Peak Mountain in Colorado, United States

title: "Mount Sopris" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mountains-of-pitkin-county,-colorado", "white-river-national-forest", "roaring-fork-valley", "three-thousanders-of-the-united-states", "volcanoes-of-colorado"] description: "Twin-Peak Mountain in Colorado, United States" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sopris" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Twin-Peak Mountain in Colorado, United States ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]

FieldValue
nameMount Sopris West Peak
photoMtsop.JPG
photo_captionMount Sopris as viewed from State Highway 82.
elevation_ft12965
elevation_ref
prominence_ft1453
prominence_ref
isolation_mi9.23
isolation_ref
rangeElk Mountains
locationPitkin County, Colorado, U.S.
mapColorado
map_captionColorado
coordinates
coordinates_ref
topoUSGS 7.5' topographic map
Mount Sopris, Colorado
easiest_routeMount Sopris Trail (hike)
::

| name = Mount Sopris West Peak | photo = Mtsop.JPG | photo_caption = Mount Sopris as viewed from State Highway 82. | elevation_ft = 12965 | elevation_ref = | prominence_ft = 1453 | prominence_ref = | isolation_mi = 9.23 | isolation_ref = | listing = | range = Elk Mountains | location = Pitkin County, Colorado, U.S. | map = Colorado | map_caption = Colorado | coordinates = | range_coordinates = | coordinates_ref = | topo = USGS 7.5' topographic map Mount Sopris, Colorado | first_ascent = | easiest_route = Mount Sopris Trail (hike) | name = Mount Sopris East Peak | photo = | photo_caption = | elevation_ft = 12965 | elevation_ref = | prominence_ft = | prominence_ref = | isolation_mi = | isolation_ref = | listing = | range = | location = | map = | map_caption = | coordinates = | coordinates_ref = | topo = | type = | age = | first_ascent = | easiest_route = Mount Sopris is a twin-summit mountain in the northwestern Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent 12965 ft mountain is located in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness of White River National Forest, 10.7 km north by northeast (bearing 30°) of the community of Redstone in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States.

Mountain

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Time-lapse_of_Mount_Sopris,_Colorado,_USA.webm" caption="Time-lapse of Mount Sopris."] ::

Mount Sopris is located in western Pitkin County, south of Carbondale and southwest of the confluence of the Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers. Mount Sopris is notable for having two summits, East Sopris and West Sopris, that are one-half mile (0.8 km) apart and have the same elevation of 12965 ft.

It is named for Richard Sopris, a former mayor of Denver and part of the first European expedition in the Roaring Fork Valley. In 2011 J.P. McDaniels petitioned to rename East Sopris "Mount John Denver" after the Colorado singer. A local poll in Aspen and Carbondale said 74 percent of the respondents were against the proposal.

Mount Sopris is believed to have been formed by an igneous intrusion 10,000 feet below the Earth's surface, geologically referred to as a pluton, that occurred around 30 million years ago, after the initial uplift of the modern Rocky Mountains. Mount Sopris is not a volcano, but it is possible that an ancient volcano sat above it, with the current rock forming the magma chamber far below. Due to subsequent continued erosion, any evidence is now gone. In either case, the rock that makes up Sopris never reached the surface, cooling and crystallizing in situ, and later becoming exposed due to erosion. Nearby prominent peaks Mount Gunnison and Crested Butte are believed to have formed similarly.

Mount Sopris dominates the skyline of Carbondale and the lower Roaring Fork Valley, serving as an unofficial symbol of the area. It is prominently visible from State Highway 82 in the vicinity of Carbondale. In terms of local relief, it is one of the largest peaks in the state of Colorado. For example, West Sopris rises 6,400 ft (1,905 m) above the valley to the west in only 2.7 mi (4 km). (One can compare this to the corresponding vertical rise of the more well-known Maroon Peak in the heart of the Elks: it rises only about 4,300 ft (1,310 m), at best, in the same horizontal distance.) In fact a vertical rise of over 6,000 feet in less than 3 miles is rare and impressive anywhere in the contiguous United States. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Mt_Sopris_View.jpg" caption="Looking North West from Mt. Sopris"] ::

Hiking/Climbing

The Mount Sopris Trail ascends to East Sopris via its east ridge. It starts near Dinkle Lake, on the northeast side of the mountain, and passes between the two Thomas Lakes just before reaching timberline. The ascent involves about 4,300 ft (1,300 m) of vertical gain (plus 600 ft/180 m for a round-trip to West Sopris, if desired) and 12 mi (20 km) of hiking (plus 1 mi/1.6 km for West Sopris); it is a strenuous trail hike, with some scree.

Historical names

  • "Wemagooah Kazuhchich,”(Ute) or “Ancient Mountain Heart Sits There.”
  • Mount Sopris
  • Sopris Peak
  • Mother Mountain

Glacial Activity

Mount Sopris is famed for its extensive rock glaciers that rest in the mountain's cirques. The cirques on Mount Sopris were formed by ancient ice glaciers. As the mountain has eroded, the cirques have been filled with rock glaciers, a slowing moving mass composed of a mixture of rock and ice. These rock glaciers creep down the mountain at a rate of around 10 inches every year and they provide a water source for creeks coming off the mountain.

References

References

  1. {{cite ngs
  2. The elevation of Mount Sopris West Peak includes an adjustment of +1.669 m (+5.48 ft) from [[Sea Level Datum of 1929. NGVD 29]] to [[North American Vertical Datum of 1988. NAVD 88]].
  3. "Mount Sopris, Colorado".
  4. {{cite gnis
  5. The elevation of Mount Sopris East Peak includes an adjustment of +1.723 m (+5.65 ft) from [[Sea Level Datum of 1929. NGVD 29]] to [[North American Vertical Datum of 1988. NAVD 88]].
  6. [http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=39.26113&lon=-107.16417&s=24&size=l&u=6&datum=nad27&layer=DRG East Sopris on TopoQuest]
  7. The peaks are connected by a saddle at elevation of about 12,660 feet, giving them a relative [[topographic prominence. prominence]] of just around 300 feet. Hence by the usual 300 foot prominence rule for Colorado summits, the two summits are on the borderline of being considered separate peaks.
  8. Dziezynski, James. (1 August 2012). "Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet". Wilderness Press.
  9. Home About Sponsor. (2011-07-24). "Mt. John Denver?". Upadowna.com.
  10. (2011-08-02). "Speak out against Denver Peak proposal". AspenTimes.com.
  11. Will Grandbois. (2014-08-06). "Some Rock History You Probably Didn't Know". Post Independent.com.
  12. [[Fred Beckey]], ''[[Cascade Alpine Guide]]'', [[The Mountaineers (Pacific NW). The Mountaineers]].
  13. Osberger, Madeleine. (2011-05-20). "Roaring Fork Valley Towns Bursting With History". Aspen Times.com.
  14. "The Real Glaciers of Colorado".
  15. "Rocky Mountain Why?: Is Mt. Sopris A Volcano?".

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mountains-of-pitkin-county,-coloradowhite-river-national-forestroaring-fork-valleythree-thousanders-of-the-united-statesvolcanoes-of-colorado