Nokhu Crags
Nokhu Crags, seen from State Highway 14 on the west side of Cameron Pass
Highest point
Elevation	12,490 ft (3,807 m)[1][2]
Prominence	345 ft (105 m)[2]
Coordinates	40°29′05″N105°53′37″W / 40.4847051°N 105.8936243°W /40.4847051; -105.8936243[3]
Geography
Nokhu Crags Colorado
Location	Jackson County,Colorado,U.S.[3]
Parent range	Never Summer Mountains[2]
Topo map(s)	USGS 7.5' topographic map Mount Richthofen, Colorado[3]
Geology
Mountain type	Hornfels

Nokhu Crags is arock formation andmountainsummit in theNever Summer Mountains range of theRocky Mountains ofNorth America. The name is derived from theArapaho language,Neaha-no-xhu, meaning "Eagles Nest." The 12,490-foot (3,807 m) peak is located inState Forest State Park, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south (bearing 181°) ofCameron Pass inJackson County,Colorado,United States. The summit lies just northwest of theContinental Divide andRocky Mountain National Park, near the headwaters of theMichigan River. The peak is prominently visible fromState Highway 14 and can be seen throughout the southernNorth Park basin where it is known also known as "Sawtooth Mountain", "the Crags" or "Sleeping Indian" for its resemblance to the form of a supine chief.^[4] To the east lie the shallow basins ofSnow Lake and the Michigan or American Lakes; to the north lies a snow filledcouloir; to the west the mountain descends directly into the deep waters ofLake Agnes; and to the south lieStatic Peak,Mount Richthofen, and the remainder of theNever Summer Mountain Range.

The rocks of the peak were formed as a sedimentary deposit millions of years ago in an ancient ocean basin. The entire region was subsequently thrust up with the formation of theMedicine Bow Range at the close of the Mesozoic Era. Around 24–29 million years ago, rising magma began to create volcanoes that were the predecessors of theNever Summer Mountains. The magma cooled into granitic formations and nearby, now vertical, shale metamorphosed into thehornfels that forms the present day Nokhu Crags.^[5] After millions of years of erosion and glaciation, the vertical fin-like form of the Nohku Crags was exposed. Erosion continues to reshape the Crags, as evidenced by the extensive talus field at its base.

Today the mountain is a barren, almost treeless form, virtually devoid of vegetation. During the day,pika and mountain goats may be seen and heard on the steep slopes. In the afternoon light green and orange hues of lichen covering the face of the rocks becomes apparent. In the evening thousands of bats stream from nooks and crannies of the western face. In the winter the Nokhu Crags are covered with deep snow and the flanks are the scene of frequent avalanches. An avalanche in 2013 killed a skier and buried another skier for hours.^[6]

• Nokhu Crags^[3]
• Sawtooth Crags
• Sawtooth Mountain
• Sleeping Indian^[7]

• List of Colorado mountain ranges
• List of Colorado mountain summits
  • List of Colorado fourteeners
  • List of Colorado 4000 meter prominent summits
  • List of the most prominent summits of Colorado
• List of Colorado county high points

• Colorado State Forest Geology

• Mountains of Jackson County, Colorado
• Three-thousanders of the United States

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