Otis Peak

Otis Peak
Otis Peak
	North aspect
Highest point
Elevation	12,486 ft (3,806 m)
Prominence	450 ft (137 m)
Parent peak	Hallett Peak (12,720 ft)
Isolation	0.79 mi (1.27 km)
Coordinates	40°17′31″N105°40′51″W / 40.2920367°N 105.6808297°W
Geography
	Otis Peak Location in Colorado Otis Peak Otis Peak (the United States)
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Grand County / Larimer County
Protected area	Rocky Mountain National Park
Parent range	Rocky Mountains ; Front Range
Topo map	USGS McHenrys Peak
Geology
Rock age	Paleoproterozoic
Rock type	Biotite schist and gneiss
Climbing
Easiest route	class 2

Last updated December 20, 2024

Otis Peak is a 12,486-foot-elevation (3,806-meter) mountain summit on the boundary shared by Grand County and Larimer County, in Colorado, United States.

Description

Otis Peak is set along the Continental Divide in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.^[3] The mountain is situated within Rocky Mountain National Park and 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Estes Park. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains chiefly into tributaries of Glacier Creek which in turn is a tributary of the Big Thompson River, and the lower west slope drains to Grand Lake via North Inlet. A portion of that water that arrives at Grand Lake is then diverted to the east side of the Continental Divide via the Alva B. Adams Tunnel which is bored under Otis Peak.^[7] Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,300 feet (700 meters) above Loch Vale in one mile.

Etymology

The mountain's toponym was reported in publications as early as 1915,^[8] and was officially adopted in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.^[9] The peak is named for Dr. Edward Osgood Otis (1848–1933), a recognized authority on tuberculosis, who spent time mountain climbing in this area in the 1880s.^[10]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Otis Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.^[11] 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. This climate supports the Andrews Glacier below the south slope of Otis Peak.

Gallery

Otis Peak (left) and Hallett Peak from northeast
Otis Peak (left), Hallett Peak (center), Flattop Mountain (right)
Taylor Peak, Otis Peak, and Hallett Peak
Otis Peak

Notes

Elevation for Otis Peak ranges from 12,481 feet measured by LiDAR,^[2] 12,486 feet on USGS topographical map, and 12,504 feet with a GPS unit.^[4]

Related Research Articles

Hallett Peak is a mountain summit in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 12,720-foot (3,877 m) peak is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, 10.1 miles (16.2 km) southwest by west of the Town of Estes Park, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide between Grand and Larimer counties.

Lead Mountain is a summit in Grand County, Colorado, in the United States. With an elevation of 12,546 feet (3,824 m), Lead Mountain is the 970th-highest summit in the state of Colorado. Lead Mountain was named in 1879 on account of its lead deposits.

Mount Ida is a mountain summit in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 12,874-foot (3,924 m) peak is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, 13.4 miles (21.6 km) west of the Town of Estes Park, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide between Grand and Larimer counties. The mountain was probably named after Mount Ida on Crete.

Chief Cheley Peak is a mountain summit in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 12,815-foot (3,906 m) peak is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, 13.1 miles (21.1 km) west of the Town of Estes Park, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide between Grand and Larimer counties.

Powell Peak is a summit in Grand County, Colorado, in the United States. With an elevation of 13,176 feet (4,016 m), Powell Peak is the 493rd-highest summit in the state of Colorado.

Cirque Mountain is a 13,686-foot-elevation (4,171-meter) mountain summit located in Ouray County of southwest Colorado, United States. It is situated six miles west of the community of Ouray, above the north side of Yankee Boy Basin, on land managed by Uncompahgre National Forest. It is part of the Sneffels Range which is a subset of the San Juan Mountains, which in turn is part of the Rocky Mountains. Cirque ranks as the 155th-highest peak in Colorado, and the ninth-highest in the Sneffels Range. It is west of the Continental Divide, 1.12 mile east of Mount Sneffels, and 0.59 mile west of Teakettle Mountain, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 3,000 feet above Blaine Basin in one mile, and the south aspect rises over 2,000 feet above Yankee Boy Basin in less than one mile. These basins are cirques which were carved by ancient glaciers. The mountain's name has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Mount Chapin is a 12,454-foot-elevation (3,796-meter) mountain summit located in Rocky Mountain National Park, in Larimer County, of Colorado, United States. It is situated 11 miles west-northwest of the community of Estes Park, one mile east of Chapin Pass, and six miles east of the Continental Divide. Mount Chapin is part of the Mummy Range which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises 2,700 feet above Fall River in less than one mile. Neighbors include Mount Chiquita and Ypsilon Mountain to the immediate northeast, and the park's Alpine Visitor Center is three miles to the west.

Terra Tomah Mountain is a 12,718-foot-elevation (3,876-meter) mountain summit located in Rocky Mountain National Park, in Larimer County, of Colorado, United States. It is situated 13 miles west of the community of Estes Park, and 1.5 mile east of the Continental Divide. Terra Tomah Mountain is part of the Front Range which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains. Topographic relief is significant as the northeast aspect rises 3,300 feet above Forest Canyon in 1.5 mile. It is a prominent landmark viewed from Forest Canyon Overlook along the Trail Ridge Road.

Hayden Spire is a 12,480+ foot elevation (3,800 meter) pillar located in Rocky Mountain National Park, in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. It is situated 12 miles west of the community of Estes Park in Hayden Gorge, along a short spur on the Continental Divide. Hayden Spire is part of the Front Range which is a subset of the Rocky Mountains. It is the highest tower in a cluster of spires which can be viewed from Forest Canyon Overlook along the Trail Ridge Road. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 2,100 feet above Hayden Gulch in one-half mile. Neighbors include Terra Tomah Mountain two miles to the north, and Mount Julian 1.8 mile to the northwest.

Mount Nimbus is a 12,721-foot-elevation (3,877-meter) mountain summit in Grand County, Colorado, United States.

Chiefs Head Peak is a 13,577-foot-elevation (4,138-meter) mountain summit in Boulder County, Colorado, United States.

McHenrys Peak is a 13,327-foot-elevation (4,062-meter) mountain summit on the boundary shared by Grand County and Larimer County in Colorado, United States.

Pagoda Mountain is a 13,497-foot-elevation (4,114-meter) mountain summit in Boulder County, Colorado, United States.

Stones Peak is a 12,922-foot-elevation (3,939-meter) mountain summit located in Larimer County, Colorado. It is situated in Rocky Mountain National Park, one mile east of the Continental Divide and 11.5 miles (18.5 km) west of the community of Estes Park. Stones Peak is part of the Front Range which is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Big Thompson River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 3,900 feet above the Big Thompson River in Forest Canyon in two miles. The peak is a prominent landmark viewed from Forest Canyon Overlook along the Trail Ridge Road.

Sprague Mountain is a 12,713-foot-elevation (3,875-meter) mountain summit on the boundary shared by Grand County and Larimer County, in Colorado, United States. It is set on the Continental Divide in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west of the community of Estes Park. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's east side drains into tributaries of the Big Thompson River and the west slope drains into headwaters of Tonahutu Creek which flows to Grand Lake. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 1,900 feet above Tonahutu Creek in one mile. The peak is visible from Trail Ridge Road.

The Sharkstooth is a 12,630-foot-elevation (3,850-meter) mountain summit in Larimer County, Colorado, United States.

Apache Peak is a 13,441-foot (4,097 m) mountain summit on the boundary shared by Boulder County and Grand County, in Colorado, United States.

Shoshoni Peak is a 12,967-foot (3,952 m) mountain summit on the boundary shared by Boulder County and Grand County, in Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thatchtop</span> Mountain in the American state of Colorado

Thatchtop is a 12,668-foot-elevation (3,861-meter) mountain summit in Larimer County, Colorado, United States.

Sawtooth Mountain is a 12,304-foot (3,750 m) summit on the boundary shared by Boulder County and Grand County, in Colorado, United States.

References

↑ Robert M. Ormes (1992), Guide to the Colorado Mountains, Johnson Books, ISBN 9781555661946, p. 42.
1 2 3 4 5 "Otis Peak - 13,481' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
1 2 "Otis Peak, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved April 22, 2023.
1 2 "Otis Peak". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved April 23, 2023.
↑ "Otis Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
1 2 Geologic map of the Estes Park 30' x 60' quadrangle, north-central Colorado, W.A. Braddock, U.S. Geological Survey, 1984.
↑ Phyllis J. Perry (2008), Rocky Mountain National Park, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7385-5627-7, p. 94.
↑ R. B. Marshall (1915), Results of Spirit Leveling in Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 184.
↑ Decisions of the United States Geographic Board No. 27, (June 30, 1932), US Government Printing Office, p. 7.
↑ Essays and Monographs in Colorado History (1983), Publisher: Colorado Historical Society, p. 84.
↑ 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: Otis Peak
Dr. Edward Osgood Otis in memoriam: National Library of Medicine
Otis Peak rock climbing: Mountainproject.com

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[1] Robert M. Ormes (1992), Guide to the Colorado Mountains, Johnson Books, ISBN 9781555661946, p. 42.

[listsofjohn-2] 1 2 3 4 5 "Otis Peak - 13,481' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.

[peakvisor-3] 1 2 "Otis Peak, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved April 22, 2023.

[gnis-4] 1 2 "Otis Peak". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved April 23, 2023.

[pb-5] "Otis Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.

[usgs-6] 1 2 Geologic map of the Estes Park 30' x 60' quadrangle, north-central Colorado, W.A. Braddock, U.S. Geological Survey, 1984.

[7] Phyllis J. Perry (2008), Rocky Mountain National Park, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7385-5627-7, p. 94.

[8] R. B. Marshall (1915), Results of Spirit Leveling in Colorado, US Government Printing Office, p. 184.

[9] Decisions of the United States Geographic Board No. 27, (June 30, 1932), US Government Printing Office, p. 7.

[10] Essays and Monographs in Colorado History (1983), Publisher: Colorado Historical Society, p. 84.

[Peel-11] 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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