Venado Peak
Encyclopedia
Venado Peak is one of the major peaks of the Taos Mountains group of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
, a subrange of the Rocky Mountains
. It is located in Taos County
, New Mexico
, about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the town of Questa
. It lies in the Latir Peak Wilderness
, part of Carson National Forest
. The peak's name means "deer" in Spanish
.
The high point of the group of peaks north of the Red River and southwest of Costilla Creek, Venado Peak ranks tenth by elevation in the state and third by topographic prominence
in New Mexico's portion of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Other peaks in the group include Latir Peak, 12708 feet (3,873 m), Virsylvia Peak, 12594 feet (3,839 m), Cabresto Peak, 12448 feet (3,794 m), Baldy Mountain
, 12048 feet (3,672 m) and Pinabete Peak, 11948 feet (3,642 m). (The origins of the names "Latir" and "Virsylvia" are unknown, while "Cabresto" means "rope" or "halter" and "Pinabete" means "pine tree" in Spanish.) Latir Peak is the most well-known of the entire group, despite not being the highest peak, and is the namesake for the surrounding wilderness area, nine small alpine lakes on the northeast side of the group, and a creek draining those lakes. Despite being significantly lower than the other peaks, Pinabete peak is just as visually prominent, as it is the end of a long ridge jutting out southwest toward the plains near Questa. It rises about 4250 feet (1,295.4 m) above the plain in about 4 miles (6 km).
Just south of the group is Cabresto Creek, and also Cabresto Lake, a popular fishing
destination with an established Forest Service campground. The Latir Lakes, and the entire northeast side of the group, are owned by the Rio Costilla Cattle Association, which allows recreational access for a fee. On the southeast side of the group lies Heart Lake. The peaks themselves can be accessed from either Cabresto Lake (via the Lake Fork, Bull Creek, and Heart Lake Trails) or Latir Lakes.
Geologically, the Taos Mountains have a Precambrian
metamorphic
core, about 1.7 billion years old. However, the region around Venado Peak also includes Tertiary
volcanic
rocks such as tuff
, as well as the remnants of "a complex and mineral-rich caldera that formed about 25 million years ago." Most of the summit areas are broad, and covered with alpine tundra
; the tree line lies between 11000 feet (3,352.8 m) and 12000 feet (3,657.6 m). A notable feature of the group is the large, gently sloped Latir Mesa, lying south of Latir Peak at elevations between 12200 feet (3,718.6 m) and 12600 feet (3,840.5 m).
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States...
, a subrange of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. It is located in Taos County
Taos County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*68.7% White*0.4% Black*6.2% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.9% Two or more races*20.1% Other races*55.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the town of Questa
Questa, New Mexico
Questa is a village in Taos County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,864 at the 2000 census. Located on the Enchanted Circle scenic highway, near the confluence of the Rio Grande and the Red River, Questa is the least tourist-oriented town on the route...
. It lies in the Latir Peak Wilderness
Latir Peak Wilderness
Latir Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area located within the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico, USA. Designated in 1980, the Wilderness is composed of dense forest, meadows, and alpine tundra on Latir Mesa in the northern portion...
, part of Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers and is administered by the United States Forest Service...
. The peak's name means "deer" in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
The high point of the group of peaks north of the Red River and southwest of Costilla Creek, Venado Peak ranks tenth by elevation in the state and third by topographic prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
in New Mexico's portion of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Other peaks in the group include Latir Peak, 12708 feet (3,873 m), Virsylvia Peak, 12594 feet (3,839 m), Cabresto Peak, 12448 feet (3,794 m), Baldy Mountain
Baldy Mountain (Taos County, New Mexico)
Baldy Mountain is a peak of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. It is in the Latir Peak Wilderness, east of Latir Peak....
, 12048 feet (3,672 m) and Pinabete Peak, 11948 feet (3,642 m). (The origins of the names "Latir" and "Virsylvia" are unknown, while "Cabresto" means "rope" or "halter" and "Pinabete" means "pine tree" in Spanish.) Latir Peak is the most well-known of the entire group, despite not being the highest peak, and is the namesake for the surrounding wilderness area, nine small alpine lakes on the northeast side of the group, and a creek draining those lakes. Despite being significantly lower than the other peaks, Pinabete peak is just as visually prominent, as it is the end of a long ridge jutting out southwest toward the plains near Questa. It rises about 4250 feet (1,295.4 m) above the plain in about 4 miles (6 km).
Just south of the group is Cabresto Creek, and also Cabresto Lake, a popular fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
destination with an established Forest Service campground. The Latir Lakes, and the entire northeast side of the group, are owned by the Rio Costilla Cattle Association, which allows recreational access for a fee. On the southeast side of the group lies Heart Lake. The peaks themselves can be accessed from either Cabresto Lake (via the Lake Fork, Bull Creek, and Heart Lake Trails) or Latir Lakes.
Geologically, the Taos Mountains have a Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
metamorphic
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
core, about 1.7 billion years old. However, the region around Venado Peak also includes Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
rocks such as tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
, as well as the remnants of "a complex and mineral-rich caldera that formed about 25 million years ago." Most of the summit areas are broad, and covered with alpine tundra
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
; the tree line lies between 11000 feet (3,352.8 m) and 12000 feet (3,657.6 m). A notable feature of the group is the large, gently sloped Latir Mesa, lying south of Latir Peak at elevations between 12200 feet (3,718.6 m) and 12600 feet (3,840.5 m).