Diorite Peak

Diorite Peak
Diorite Peak
	North-northeast aspect
Highest point
Elevation	12,761 ft (3,890 m)
Prominence	441 ft (134 m)
Parent peak	Mount Moss (13,192 ft)
Isolation	1.24 mi (2.00 km)
Coordinates	37°26′24″N108°03′03″W / 37.4399407°N 108.0508765°W
Naming
Etymology	Diorite
Geography
	Diorite Peak Location in Colorado Diorite Peak Diorite Peak (the United States)
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Montezuma / La Plata
Parent range	Rocky Mountains ; San Juan Mountains ; La Plata Mountains
Topo map	USGS La Plata
Climbing
Easiest route	class 2

Last updated December 18, 2024

Diorite Peak is a 12,761-foot-elevation (3,890-meter) mountain summit on the common boundary shared by La Plata County and Montezuma County in Colorado.

Description

Diorite Peak is located 14 miles (23 km) northwest of the community of Durango on land managed by San Juan National Forest. It ranks as the seventh-highest summit of the La Plata Mountains which are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains.^[3] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains southeast to the La Plata River and north into the headwaters of Bear Creek which is a tributary of the Dolores River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,760 feet (840 meters) above the La Plata River in one mile (1.6 km). Neighbors include Centennial Peak, 1.52 miles (2.45 km) to the west-northwest and Mount Moss, 1.51 miles (2.43 km) to the west.^[3] An ascent of Diorite Peak's summit involves hiking 5.2 miles (8.4 km) with 2,851 feet (869 meters) of elevation gain.^[6]

Etymology

The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names,^[4] and was recorded in publications as early as 1906.^[7] The peak is named for diorite which is an intrusive igneous rock formed by the slow cooling underground of magma.^[1] Diorite makes up a large stock of this peak, and a smaller mass makes up nearby Lewis Mountain.^[8]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Diorite Peak has an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.^[9] 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.

Related Research Articles

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Sharkstooth Peak is a 12,468-foot-elevation (3,800-meter) mountain summit in Montezuma County, Colorado.

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Snowdon Peak is a 13,077-foot-elevation (3,986-meter) mountain summit located in San Juan County, Colorado, United States. It is situated seven miles south of the community of Silverton, in the Weminuche Wilderness, on land managed by San Juan National Forest. It is part of the San Juan Mountains range which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains of North America, and is set nine miles west of the Continental Divide. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 4,300 feet above the Animas River in approximately 1.5 mile. Neighbors include Mount Garfield three miles to the east-southeast, and Twilight Peak, which is the nearest higher peak, 3.7 miles to the south-southwest. This mountain can be seen from U.S. Route 550. The mountain is named after Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.

Electric Peak is a 13,292-foot-elevation (4,051-meter) mountain summit located in San Juan County, Colorado, United States. It is situated eight miles south of the community of Silverton, in the Weminuche Wilderness, on land managed by San Juan National Forest. It is part of the Needle Mountains which are a subset of the San Juan Mountains, which in turn is a subset of the Rocky Mountains. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Animas River. The peak can be seen from U.S. Route 550 and the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises over 4,500 feet above the river and railway in approximately two miles. It is set five miles west of the Continental Divide, and one mile east of Mount Garfield. The mountain's name, which has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, was in use before 1906 when Henry Gannett published it in the Gazetteer of Colorado.

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Engineer Mountain is a 12,968-foot-elevation (3,953-meter) mountain summit located in San Juan County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the San Juan Mountains range which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains, and is west of the Continental Divide. Engineer Mountain is a prominent landmark set 1.5 mile immediately west of Coal Bank Pass, and is visible from multiple viewpoints along Highway 550, making it one of the most photographed mountains in the San Juans. It is situated 11 miles southwest of the community of Silverton, on land managed by San Juan National Forest. Topographic relief is significant as the southwest aspect rises 3,800 feet above Cascade Creek in approximately two miles. Neighbors include Snowdon Peak seven miles to the east, and Twilight Peak, five miles to the southeast.

Wildhorse Peak is a 13,266-foot-elevation (4,043-meter) mountain summit located in Ouray County, of Colorado, United States. It is situated five miles east of the community of Ouray, in the Uncompahgre Wilderness, on land managed by Uncompahgre National Forest. It is part of the San Juan Mountains which are a subset of the Rocky Mountains, and is situated west of the Continental Divide. Neighbors include Darley Mountain 2.2 miles to the south, and Abrams Mountain five miles to the southwest. This distinctive peak abruptly rises 1,000 feet above the alpine tundra of American Flats, and topographic relief is significant as the northwest aspect rises 1,600 feet above Wildhorse Creek in less than one mile. The peak can be seen from Montrose and Highway 550. The first ascent of the summit was made August 25, 1899, by Eli Stanton, F. H. Stanton, and William Killen. The mountain's name, which has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, was in use in 1906 when Henry Gannett published it in A Gazetteer of Colorado.

Golden Horn is a 13,780-foot-elevation (4,200-meter) mountain summit located on the shared boundary of San Juan County with San Miguel County, in southwest Colorado, United States. It is situated nine miles west of the community of Silverton, on land managed by San Juan National Forest and Uncompahgre National Forest. Golden Horn is part of the San Juan Mountains which are a subset of the Rocky Mountains, and is west of the Continental Divide. It ranks as the 116th-highest peak in Colorado, and topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 3,800 feet in approximately 1.5 mile. The mountain's name, which has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, was in use in 1906 when Henry Gannett published it in A Gazetteer of Colorado.

Lookout Peak is a 13,661-foot-elevation (4,164-meter) mountain summit located on the shared boundary of San Juan County with San Miguel County, in southwest Colorado, United States. It is situated three miles east of the community of Ophir, and one mile immediately north of Ophir Pass, on land managed by San Juan National Forest and Uncompahgre National Forest. Lookout Peak is part of the San Juan Mountains which are a subset of the Rocky Mountains, and is west of the Continental Divide. It ranks as the 166th-highest peak in Colorado, and topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 3,000 feet in approximately one mile. Neighbors include Silver Mountain three miles to the west-northwest, Wasatch Mountain two miles north-northwest, and Golden Horn five miles south-southwest. The mountain's name, which has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, was in use in 1899 when Henry Gannett published it in A Dictionary of Altitudes in the United States, and in 1906 when he published it in A Gazetteer of Colorado.

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Centennial Peak is a 13,062-foot-elevation (3,981-meter) mountain summit in Montezuma County, Colorado.

Graystone Peak is a 13,489-foot-elevation (4,111-meter) mountain summit located in San Juan County, Colorado, United States.

Spiller Peak is a 13,123-foot-elevation (4,000-meter) mountain summit on the common boundary shared by La Plata County and Montezuma County in Colorado.

Babcock Peak is a 13,161-foot-elevation (4,011-meter) mountain summit in La Plata County, Colorado.

Little Giant Peak is a 13,417-foot-elevation (4,090-meter) mountain summit in San Juan County, Colorado, United States.

Grayrock Peak is a 12,504-foot-elevation (3,811-meter) mountain summit located in San Juan County, Colorado, United States.

Bristol Head is a 12,712-foot-elevation (3,875-meter) mountain summit in Mineral County, Colorado, United States.

References

1 2 William Bright, Colorado Place Names, 2004, Johnson Books, ISBN 9781555663339, page 53.
↑ Robert F. Rosebrough (1986), The San Juan Mountains: A Climbing & Hiking Guide, Cordillera Press, p. 34.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "Diorite Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
1 2 3 "Diorite Peak". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved May 22, 2023.
↑ "Diorite Peak - 12,761' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
↑ John Peel, Paul Pixler (2020), Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado, Fifth Edition, West Margin Press, ISBN 9781513262987, p. 71.
↑ Henry Gannett, United States Geological Survey (1906), A Gazetteer of Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 58.
↑ Whitman Cross (1935), A Brief Review of the Geology of the San Juan Region of Southwestern Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 105.
↑ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.

External links

Weather forecast: Diorite Peak

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[Bright-1] 1 2 William Bright, Colorado Place Names, 2004, Johnson Books, ISBN 9781555663339, page 53.

[2] Robert F. Rosebrough (1986), The San Juan Mountains: A Climbing & Hiking Guide, Cordillera Press, p. 34.

[pb-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Diorite Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved May 22, 2023.

[GNIS-4] 1 2 3 "Diorite Peak". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved May 22, 2023.

[listsofjohn-5] "Diorite Peak - 12,761' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved May 22, 2023.

[Pixler-6] John Peel, Paul Pixler (2020), Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado, Fifth Edition, West Margin Press, ISBN 9781513262987, p. 71.

[7] Henry Gannett, United States Geological Survey (1906), A Gazetteer of Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 58.

[8] Whitman Cross (1935), A Brief Review of the Geology of the San Juan Region of Southwestern Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 105.

[Peel-9] Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.

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