The Sharkstooth

The Sharkstooth
The Sharkstooth
	Northeast aspect, centered; (Taylor Peak in background)
Highest point
Elevation	12,630 ft (3,850 m)
Prominence	394 ft (120 m)
Parent peak	Taylor Peak (13,158 ft)
Isolation	0.54 mi (0.87 km)
Coordinates	40°16′51″N105°40′28″W / 40.2809016°N 105.6744514°W
Geography
	The Sharkstooth Location in Colorado The Sharkstooth The Sharkstooth (the United States)
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Larimer
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	East gully class 5.4 climbing

Last updated December 20, 2024

The Sharkstooth is a 12,630-foot-elevation (3,850-meter) mountain summit in Larimer County, Colorado, United States.^[4]

Description

The Sharkstooth is set 1,500 feet east of the Continental Divide in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is in the "Cathedral Spires" area,^[7] and is the second-steepest point in Colorado.^[1] The summit is situated within Rocky Mountain National Park, approximately 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Estes Park. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of Glacier Creek which in turn is a tributary of the Big Thompson River. Topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 2,200 feet (670 meters) above Loch Vale in one mile. The landforms's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.^[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, The Sharkstooth is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.^[8] 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.

Gallery

North aspect of Sharkstooth viewed from The Gash
Cathedral Spires seen from Sky Pond. The apparent highest spire is "Saber" and immediately left of it is "Petit Grepon". At far left edge is Taylor Peak. Even though Sharkstooth is higher, it is hidden behind Saber.
The top of Sharkstooth is the apparent highest point, view from The Loch

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mummy Mountain (Colorado)</span> Mountain in Colorado, United States

Mummy Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Mummy Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,430-foot (4,093 m) thirteener is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, 8.5 miles (13.7 km) northwest by north of the Town of Estes Park in Larimer County, Colorado, United States.

Petit Grepon is a semi-detached spire in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. It is one of the "Cathedral Spires" which also includes: Sharkstooth, The Saber, and The Foil. The South Face route of Petit Grepon is described in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.

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.

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

Fairchild Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Mummy Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,508-foot (4,117 m) thirteener is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, 9.6 miles (15.5 km) northwest of the Town of Estes Park in Larimer County, Colorado, United States.

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.

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 Cirrus is a 12,808-foot-elevation (3,904-meter) mountain summit in Colorado, United States.

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

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.

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.

<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

1 2 John Fayhee (2012), The Colorado Mountain Companion: A Potpourri of Useful Miscellany from the Highest Parts of the Highest State, West Margin Press, ISBN 9780871089670
1 2 "Sharkstooth, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
1 2 3 4 "Sharkstooth, The - 12,531' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
1 2 3 "The Sharkstooth". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved April 26, 2023.
1 2 Geologic map of the Estes Park 30' x 60' quadrangle, north-central Colorado, W.A. Braddock, U.S. Geological Survey, 1984.
↑ George Wuerthner (2001), Rocky Mountain National Park Visitors Companion, Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-8117-2919-2, p. 22.
↑ "The Sharkstooth, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved April 26, 2023.
↑ 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: The Sharkstooth
The Sharkstooth rock climbing: Mountainproject.com

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Fayhee-1] 1 2 John Fayhee (2012), The Colorado Mountain Companion: A Potpourri of Useful Miscellany from the Highest Parts of the Highest State, West Margin Press, ISBN 9780871089670

[pb-2] 1 2 "Sharkstooth, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[listsofjohn-3] 1 2 3 4 "Sharkstooth, The - 12,531' CO". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[gnis-4] 1 2 3 "The Sharkstooth". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[usgs-5] 1 2 Geologic map of the Estes Park 30' x 60' quadrangle, north-central Colorado, W.A. Braddock, U.S. Geological Survey, 1984.

[6] George Wuerthner (2001), Rocky Mountain National Park Visitors Companion, Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-8117-2919-2, p. 22.

[peakvisor-7] "The Sharkstooth, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[Peel-8] 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.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]