| Wilkins Peak | |
|---|---|
 Wilkins Peak | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,650 ft (2,330 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°29′47.44″N109°20′45.15″W / 41.4965111°N 109.3458750°W /41.4965111; -109.3458750[1] |
| Geography | |
  Wilkins Peak | |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Access Road |
Wilkins Peak is a small mountain located inSweetwater County, Wyoming, between the cities ofGreen River andRock Springs. It is primarily used forradio andtelevision station transmitters, but it also serves radio needs of theFAA,EMS, and local businesses such asQuestar Gas. In 2003, a tower on the peak was knocked down by a vehicle delivering propane to customers. The tower was owned byWyoming Public Radio and served the local area with programming fromNational Public Radio. There are numerous access roads to the peak. It is not gated and is open year-round, weather permitting. Along with radio, the mountain is also a popular location formountain biking andhiking. The mountain's geology is typical for its location in southwestern Wyoming.
Along with other mountains in southwestern Wyoming, Wilkins Peak is part of theGreen River Formation, a formation of theintermontane Lake Gosiute environment during theEocene epoch. Similar to its neighboringAspen Mountain, Wilkins Peak is part of theRock Springs Uplift,[2] and some of the largestoil shale andtrona beds in the region are located near the mountain. Wilkins Peak also has its own distinct segment of the Green River Formation, which is known as theWilkins Peak Member.[3][4] The peak itself is 7,650 feet (2,332 m) in elevation and is located 8.18 miles (13 km) fromRock Springs, Wyoming and 6.3 miles (10 km) fromGreen River, Wyoming.
Wilkins Peak holdsradio towers for severalFMradio andtelevision stations. Stations includeKYCS (95.1 FM) and itssister stationsKFRZ (92.1 FM) andKZWB (97.9 FM). Also on the mountain is the tower for the stationKTME 89.5, which signed on the air in September 2010. KTME is an affiliate ofPilgrim Radio. The transmitter forKREO 93.5 is also on the peak.KLWR 101.9 FM, andKAWR 98.7 are also on Wilkins Peak, and carry programming fromK-Love andAir1 respectively. Severaltelevision translators transmit or have transmitted their signals from two small towers located in the center of Wilkins Peak. The religious television networkTBN had a translator known asK35CN, broadcasting from the mountain.[5] Prior to 2009,K22BK, the localPBS television translator, carried its signal from Wilkins Peak. K22BK was moved across the interstate toWhite Mountain to the same tower as its digital counterpart (K28JU-D).[6] In late 2009, a new television station signed on the air from the peak. It was known as K33IX-D on channel 33 (UHF) and carried programming from IBN Television. The station is currentlyoff air.[7] K35CN and K22BK have been off the air since thedigital television transition in the year 2009.
Among high-powered FM radio stations, Wilkins Peak is also currently host lower-powered FM translators.K205FE carries aGospel format on 88.9 FM. K232CU rebroadcastsKLWR on 94.3 FM, andK285FG retransmits programming fromAM station KUGR on 104.9 FM.[8][9][10]
Wilkins Peak also hasrepeater towers for localpolice,fire, andEMS services. The emergency radio repeaters on the mountain are used in conjunction with other repeaters located on nearbyAspen Mountain andMansface Hill.[11]
In September 2003, a commercial truck deliveringpropane to customers on the peak knocked down the then-existent KUWZ tower after the vehicle's brakes failed. The collapse of the tower knocked out power to the mountain for several hours, and while KUWZ borrowed space from neighboring towers for several months thereafter, the station ultimately relocated its transmitter to nearbyAspen Mountain.[12][13]
Wilkins Peak is not gated, and it can be reached via an unpaved road known asWilkins Peak Road that starts onU.S. Route 191 southwest ofRock Springs, Wyoming. The mountain can also be accessed via another unpaved road that begins in theScott's Bottom Nature Area inGreen River, Wyoming. The peak is accessible year-round, weather permitting. The Green River access road is in worse shape than the Rock Springs side, and it has several road hazards such assteep grades, poorgrading, and off-road vehicle traffic. Along with serving radio needs, the peak also is a popularhiking andmountain biking location in the area. There are many smaller roads and trails that spring from the peak that offer varied degrees of challenge.[14][15]
The Sweetwater Mountain Bike Association, in partnership with the BLM, U.S. Forest Service and Rock Springs Grazing Association has sanctioned the mountain biking trail system known as the Wilkins Peak Trail System, currently a group of single track trails encompassing just over 24 miles located on land directly west of Wilkins Peak. Accessed primarily from the Green River area these trails offer a mix of varying difficulty levels for every rider. Current trail maps can be obtained for free at the Green River Chamber of Commerce at the Visitor Center.
