| Sangre de Cristo Mountains | |
|---|---|
 Blanca Peak | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Blanca Peak, East ofAlamosa, Colorado |
| Elevation | 14,351 ft (4,374 m) |
| Listing | Mountain ranges of Colorado |
| Coordinates | 37°34′39″N105°29′08″W / 37.57750°N 105.48556°W /37.57750; -105.48556 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 242 mi (389 km) north-south |
| Width | 120 mi (190 km) east-west |
| Area | 17,193 sq mi (44,530 km2) |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Sangre de Cristo (Spanish:Blood of Christ) |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| States | |
| Parent range | Rocky Mountains |
TheSangre de Cristo Mountains (Spanish for "Blood of Christ") are the southernmostsubrange of theRocky Mountains. They are located in southernColorado and northernNew Mexico in theUnited States. The mountains run fromPoncha Pass inSouth-Central Colorado, trending southeast and south, ending atGlorieta Pass, southeast ofSanta Fe, New Mexico.The mountains contain a number offourteen thousand foot peaks in the Colorado portion, as well as several peaks in New Mexico which are over thirteen thousand feet.
The name of the mountains may refer to the occasional reddish hues observed during sunrise and sunset, and whenalpenglow occurs, especially when the mountains are covered with snow. Although the particular origin of the name is unclear, it has been in use since the early 19th century. Before that time the terms "La Sierra Nevada", "La Sierra Madre", "La Sierra", and "The Snowies" (used by English speakers) were used.[1] According to legend, "sangre de Cristo" were the last words of a priest who was killed by Native Americans.[2]
Much of the mountains are within various National Forests: theRio Grande andSan Isabel in Colorado, and theCarson andSanta Fe in New Mexico. These publicly accessible areas are managed by the United States Forest Service and are popular forhunting,camping,hiking,mountain biking,backpacking,climbing, andcross-country anddownhill skiing.
The mountains include two largewilderness areas, theSangre de Cristo Wilderness in Colorado and thePecos Wilderness in New Mexico, as well as some smaller wilderness areas, such asLatir Peak Wilderness. TheGreat Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve lies on the southwest side of the mountains in Colorado and are managed by the National Park Service.
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are divided into various subranges, described here from north to south. Use of the terms "Sangre de Cristo Range" and "Sangre de Cristo Mountains" is inconsistent and may refer to the northernmost subrange, the southernmost subrange, or the mountains as a whole.[citation needed]
The Sangre de Cristo Range, the largest and most northerly subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, runs directly along the east side of theRio Grande rift, extending southeast fromPoncha Pass for about 75 miles (120 km) through south-central Colorado toLa Veta Pass, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west ofWalsenburg. They form a high ridge separating theSan Luis Valley on the west from the watershed of theArkansas River on the east.
TheCrestones are a group of four 14,000 feet (4,000 m)+ peaks (fourteeners) in theSangre de Cristo Range aboveCrestone, Colorado.
The Spanish Peaks are a pair of mountains,West Spanish Peak, 13,626 ft (4,153 m), andEast Spanish Peak, 12,860 ft (3,920 m), located in southwesternHuerfano County,Colorado.[3] The Spanish Peaks were designated aNational Natural Landmark in 1976 as one of the best known examples of igneousdikes.[4] The mountains can be seen from as far as 133 mi (214 km) to the north fromColorado Springs, 65 mi (105 km) to the south fromRaton, New Mexico, and 85 mi (137 km) to the east fromLa Junta, Colorado.
TheCulebra Range runs almost due north and south, with its northern limit atLa Veta Pass in Colorado, and its southern limit atCostilla Creek, just south ofBig Costilla Peak in New Mexico. Its highest point isCulebra Peak at 14,047 ft (4,282 m), which is notable for being the onlyfourteener in Colorado on private land with an access fee. Climbers wishing to ascend Culebra must pay a fee (currentlyUS$150 per person),[5] and the number of climbers per year is limited.[6] It is also the most southerly fourteener in the U.S. Rockies. Standing to the east of the main crest are the two prominentSpanish Peaks (West: 13,626 ft (4,153 m), East: 12,860 ft (3,920 m)). These peaks were important landmarks for 19th century travelers on the mountain branch of theSanta Fe Trail.
The western slope of the Culebras and theSan Luis Valley are located within theSangre de Cristo Land Grant, dating back to the 1840s but still a factor in the pattern of land ownership within the grant. The San Luis Valley is arid. The town ofSan Luis, Colorado has an annual precipitation of only 9.6 inches (240 mm).The surrounding area, traversed byCulebra Creek, has a rich agricultural history and has been the scene of land disputes between the descendants ofHispanic settlers andAnglo ranchers since the 1860s.[7]
TheTaos Mountains span the western lobe of the range from Costilla Creek in the north, toTres Ritos in the south.[8][a] They include the highest point in New Mexico,Wheeler Peak, at 13,161 feet (4,011 m), which is part of theWheeler Peak Wilderness. Other notable peaks includePueblo Peak, which at 12,305 feet (3,751 m) rises dramatically aboveTaos Pueblo, andLatir Peak, at 12,708 feet (3,873 m).Williams Lake is located below Wheeler Peak in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness.
Taos Ski Valley lies just to the west of Wheeler Peak. Much of the central portion of the Taos Mountains is onTaos Pueblo land. As viewed fromTaos, they are locally called "Taos Mountain."
The southern portion of the Taos Mountains, betweenPalo Flechado Pass and Tres Ritos (U.S. Route 64 and NM Route 518), is lower and less dramatic than the northern section, with its high point being Cerro Vista, 11,939 ft (3,639 m). The Fernando Mountains are a small subrange lying in this section, just south of US Route 64.
The Cimarron Range lies across the Moreno Valley to the east of the Taos Mountains. It is a lower range, with its highest point beingBaldy Mountain at 12,441 ft (3,792 m). ThePhilmont Scout Ranch lies on the east side of the Cimarron Range.
This is a minor subrange, significantly lower than the rest of the Sangre de Cristos; it lies east of the southernmost portion of the Taos Mountains.
Rounding out the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the Santa Fe Mountains, which include all peaks south of NM Route 518.[8] This group lies nearSanta Fe and surrounds thePecos Wilderness, which protects the sourcewatershed of thePecos River. The peaks includeTruchas Peak, 13,102 ft (3,993 m), as their highest point. Other notable peaks areSanta Fe Baldy (12,622 ft (3,847 m)) and Jicarita Peak (12,835 ft (3,912 m)). The Pecos Wilderness is crossed by many trails and is popular for backpacking and for fishing in its high alpine lakes.
| Rank | Mountain Peak | Subrange | Elevation | Prominence | Isolation | Image | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blanca Peak[9] | Sierra Blanca | 14,351 ft 4374 m | 5,326 ft 1623 m | 103.4 mi 166.4 km |  | Blanca Peak in Colorado is the highest peak of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. |
| 2 | Crestone Peak[9] | Crestones | 14,300 ft 4359 m | 4,554 ft 1388 m | 27.4 mi 44.1 km |  | Crestone Peak is rockscrambles (Class 3) with some exposure and significantrockfall danger. (Image: Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle seen from the south) |
| 3 | Culebra Peak[9] | Culebra Range | 14,053 ft 4283 m | 4,827 ft 1471 m | 35.5 mi 57.1 km |  | (Image: Big Costilla Peak in the Culebra Range, viewed fromValle Vidal.) |
| 4 | West Spanish Peak[9] | Spanish Peaks | 13,631 ft 4155 m | 3,685 ft 1123 m | 20.4 mi 32.9 km |  | (Image: West Spanish Peak taken from the south) |
| 5 | Mount Herard[9] | Sangre de Cristo Range | 13,325 ft 4062 m | 2,040 ft 622 m | 4.64 mi 7.47 km |  | (Image: Sangre de Cristo range from the Great Sand Dunes National Park) |
| 6 | Wheeler Peak[b] | Taos Mountains | 13,167 ft 4013 m | 3,409 ft 1039 m | 37.4 mi 60.1 km |  | Wheeler Peak, of the Wheeler Peak Wilderness, is the highest peak in New Mexico.Taos Ski Valley lies just to the west of Wheeler Peak. Much of the central portion of the Taos Mountains are onTaos Pueblo land. As viewed fromTaos, they are locally called "Taos Mountain." |
| 7 | Bushnell Peak[9] | Sangre de Cristo Range | 13,111 ft 3996 m | 2,405 ft 733 m | 11.07 mi 17.82 km | ||
| 8 | Truchas Peak[10] | Santa Fe Mountains | 13,107 ft 3995 m | 4,001 ft 1220 m | 42.4 mi 68.2 km |  | Truchas Peak is the highest point in the Santa Fe Mountains. (Image: Truchas Peak in winter from Española, New Mexico) |
| 9 | Venado Peak[9] | Taos Mountains | 12,739 ft 3883 m | 2,954 ft 900 m | 11.8 mi 18.99 km | .jpg) | (Image: Taos Mountain at sunset.) |
| 10 | East Spanish Peak[9] | Spanish Peaks | 12,688 ft 3867 m | 2,383 ft 726 m | 4.21 mi 6.78 km |  | East Spanish Peak is the lower of the twoSpanish Peaks, two largeigneous stocks which form an eastern outlier of theCulebra Range, a subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. (Image: Spanish Peaks as seen from I25, Huerfano county, Colorado) |
| 11 | Santa Fe Baldy[11] | Santa Fe Mountains | 12,632 ft 3850 m | 2,002 ft 610 m | 10.99 mi 17.69 km |  | Santa Fe Baldy is a prominentsummit in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains ofNew Mexico, located 15 mi (24 km) northeast ofSanta Fe. It is prominent as seen fromLos Alamos and communities along theRio Grande in northern New Mexico, but is relatively inconspicuous from Santa Fe, as its north-south trending main ridge line is seen nearly end-on, disguising the size of the mountain. Santa Fe Baldy lies in thePecos Wilderness within theSanta Fe National Forest, on thewater divide between theRio Grande and thePecos River. |
| 12 | Baldy Mountain[12] | Cimarron Range | 12,445 ft 3793 m | 2,701 ft 823 m | 11.33 mi 18.24 km |  | (Image: Baldy Peak summit ridge in the Cimarron Range.) |
| 13 | Greenhorn Mountain[13] | Wet Mountains | 12,352 ft 3765 m | 3,777 ft 1151 m | 26.4 mi 42.5 km |  | Greenhorn Mountain is the highest point in theWet Mountains of southernColorado, just high enough to passtree line which is about 11,500 feet (3,500 m) in this part of Colorado. The massive mountain can be seen fromPueblo and all alongInterstate 25. The mountain is protected within the secludedGreenhorn Mountain Wilderness Area but is accessed by a few trails and a nearby 4-wheel drive road to the north. |
| 14 | Mount Zwischen[9] | Sangre de Cristo Range | 12,011 ft 3661 m | 2,266 ft 691 m | 4.54 mi 7.31 km |  | (Image:Mount Zwischen, east aspect) |
| 15 | Cerro Vista[9] | Cerro Vista | 11,944 ft 3640 m | 2,519 ft 768 m | 14.19 mi 22.8 km | ||
| 16 | Mount Phillips[9] | Cimarron Range | 11,745 ft 3580 m | 2,921 ft 890 m | 7.51 mi 12.09 km |  | Mount Phillips, formerly called Clear Creek Mountain, is located in Colfax County about 11 mi (17 km) south of Baldy Mountain in the Cimarron Range, a subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. The peak was renamed in 1960 in honor of Waite Phillips, who donated the area to the Boy Scouts of America. (Image: Mount Phillips (tallest mountain, at center) seen from Baldy Mountain) |
| 17 | Mount Mestas[9] | Sierra Blanca | 11,574 ft 3528 m | 2,229 ft 679 m | 16.33 mi 26.3 km |  | |
| 18 | Iron Mountain[9] | Sierra Blanca | 11,416 ft 3480 m | 1,951 ft 595 m | 6.95 mi 11.18 km | .JPG) |
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains wereuplifted during theCenozoicLaramide orogeny. They are bounded on the west by theRio Grande rift and on the east by a series ofreverse andthrust faults. Vertical displacement along the faults is at least 4,200 metres (13,800 ft), andgravity measurements suggest the uplift has been thrust eastward great distances. This faulting placesPrecambrianbasement rock in contact withsedimentary strata along the eastern margin of the uplift except whereigneous rocks have beenintruded along the fault.[14]
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