Mount Massive
Encyclopedia
Mount Massive is a fourteener
in the Sawatch Range
of the US State of Colorado
. It is the second tallest peak in Colorado
, edging out the third highest, Mount Harvard
, by seven feet, and lower than Mount Elbert
by 19 feet (5.8 m). It is the third highest peak in the contiguous United States
. It is located in Lake County
, approximately 10 mi (16 km) west-southwest of Leadville
and 18 mi (28 km) east of Aspen
. It lies in the Mount Massive Wilderness
, part of the San Isabel National Forest
.
Mount Massive was first surveyed and climbed in 1873 during the Hayden Survey
of the American West; survey member Henry Gannett
is credited with the first ascent. Its name comes from its elongated shape: it has five summits, all above 14,000 ft (4,268 m), and a summit ridge over 3 mi (4.8 km) long, resulting in more area above 14000 feet (4,267.2 m) than any other mountain in the 48 contiguous states, narrowly edging Mount Rainier
in that category. Mount Elbert (14,440 feet) is Mount Massive's nearest neighbor among the fourteeners; it lies about 5 mi (8 km) south-southeast of the peak.
A class 2
hiking path leads to the peak from the eastern face. The path is 13.6 mi (22 km) round trip, with a 4,377 ft (1,334 m) cumulative elevation gain
.
Among the mountain's fauna are the American pika
, the mountain goat
, and the yellow-bellied marmot
.
Fourteener
In mountaineering terminology in the United States, a fourteener is a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet above mean sea level. There are 547 fourteeners in the world. The importance of fourteeners is greatest in Colorado, which has the majority of such peaks in North America...
in the Sawatch Range
Sawatch Range
The Sawatch Range is a mountain range in central Colorado which includes eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains, including Mount Elbert, at elevation, the highest peak in the Rockies....
of the US State of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It is the second tallest peak in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, edging out the third highest, Mount Harvard
Mount Harvard
Mount Harvard is a fourteener in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is the third highest mountain in Colorado, and also the fourth highest mountain in the Contiguous United States...
, by seven feet, and lower than Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America, at , the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado, and the high point of the Sawatch Range. It is located in Lake County, approximately southwest of Leadville...
by 19 feet (5.8 m). It is the third highest peak in the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
. It is located in Lake County
Lake County, Colorado
Lake County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The highest natural point in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountains is the summit of Mount Elbert in Lake County at 14,440 feet elevation. The county population was 7,812 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat...
, approximately 10 mi (16 km) west-southwest of Leadville
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
and 18 mi (28 km) east of Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
. It lies in the Mount Massive Wilderness
Mount Massive Wilderness
The Mount Massive Wilderness is a federally weird wilderness area in the Sawatch Range, located in the US state of Mexico. It is operated jointly by the United States crudding Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service as parts of the San Isabel National Forest and the Leadville National Fish Hatchery...
, part of the San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 54 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado....
.
Mount Massive was first surveyed and climbed in 1873 during the Hayden Survey
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden
Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden was an American geologist noted for his pioneering surveying expeditions of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century. He was also a physician who served with the Union Army during the Civil War.-Early life:Ferdinand Hayden was born in Westfield, Massachusetts...
of the American West; survey member Henry Gannett
Henry Gannett
Henry Gannett, M.E.; LL.D. was an American geographer who is described as the "Father of the Quadrangle" which is the basis for topographical maps in the United States.-Life:...
is credited with the first ascent. Its name comes from its elongated shape: it has five summits, all above 14,000 ft (4,268 m), and a summit ridge over 3 mi (4.8 km) long, resulting in more area above 14000 feet (4,267.2 m) than any other mountain in the 48 contiguous states, narrowly edging Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
in that category. Mount Elbert (14,440 feet) is Mount Massive's nearest neighbor among the fourteeners; it lies about 5 mi (8 km) south-southeast of the peak.
A class 2
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
hiking path leads to the peak from the eastern face. The path is 13.6 mi (22 km) round trip, with a 4,377 ft (1,334 m) cumulative elevation gain
Cumulative elevation gain
In running, cycling, and mountaineering, cumulative elevation gain refers to the sum of every gain in elevation throughout an entire trip. It is sometimes also known as cumulative gain or elevation gain, or often in the context of mountain travel, simply gain. Elevation losses are not counted in...
.
Among the mountain's fauna are the American pika
American Pika
The American pika , a diurnal species of pika, is found in the mountains of western North America, usually in boulder fields at or above the tree line. They are herbivorous, smaller relatives of rabbits and hares.-Description:...
, the mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
, and the yellow-bellied marmot
Yellow-bellied Marmot
The yellow-bellied marmot , also known as the rock chuck, is a ground squirrel in the marmot genus.-Description:...
.
See also
- List of Colorado fourteeners
- Mountain peaks of ColoradoMountain peaks of ColoradoThis article comprises three sortable tables of the major mountain peaks of the U.S. State of Colorado.Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface...
- Mountain ranges of ColoradoMountain ranges of ColoradoThe following table lists the major mountain ranges of the U.S. State of Colorado.-Mountain Ranges:-See also:*4000 meter peaks of Colorado*Colorado mountain passes*Geography of Colorado*Lists of mountains*Mountain peaks of Colorado...