Sunlight Peak

Sunlight Peak rises to 4,287 m in Colorado. North Eolus stands 4,311 m to the west, 1.4 miles off. The nearest named place is Windom Peak, a peak 0.5 miles away. San Juan Skyway passes 9.3 miles off.
The story
Sunlight Peak is a high mountain summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,059.0-foot (4,285 m) fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, 28.5 miles (45.8 km) northeast by north (bearing 32°) of the City of Durango in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. Sunlight Peak was so named in 1902; the name is likely descriptive.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q7640490, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 4287 m
How to reach it
- 9.3 mi off the San Juan Skyway, National
- 12.9 mi off the Alpine Loop
- 27.4 mi off the Silver Thread Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway, National
Overlooks nearby
- Molas Pass · 9 mi
- Twilight Peak · 11 mi
- Arrastra Gulch · 14 mi
- Sunnyside Mill Ruins Viewpoint · 18 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Windom Peak: 0.5 mi
- Needle Mountains Peak Eleven: 0.6 mi
- Twin Thumbs: 0.7 mi
- Knife Point: 0.8 mi
- Glacier Point: 1.0 mi
- Soaring Tree Top Adventures: 10.9 mi
- Big Giant Tram Station: 12.5 mi
- Buffalo Boy Tram House: 12.8 mi
- Old Hundred Mine: 13.6 mi
- Old Hundred Boarding House: 14.0 mi
- Molas Park: 9.7 mi
- Silverton Memorial Park: 13.6 mi
- Horse Thief Park: 15.2 mi
- Old Timers Day Use Area: 17.4 mi
- Day Use Area: 21.8 mi
- Silver Lake Mine Complex: 11.4 mi
- Christ of the Mines Shrine: 13.5 mi
- Red Mountain: 20.7 mi
- Animas Forks: 21.0 mi
- Corkscrew Gulch Turntable: 21.2 mi
- Needleton: 5.3 mi
- Eureka: 17.5 mi
- Red Mountain Town: 20.0 mi
- Guston: 20.6 mi
- Animas Forks: 21.0 mi
- Overlook Point: 5.4 mi
- Hermosa Cliffs: 13.9 mi
- Lakeview: 15.9 mi
- Rock Cliff: 22.4 mi
- Rands Point: 24.3 mi
- Clear Creek Falls: 16.2 mi
- Upper Ingram Falls: 22.3 mi
- Bridal Veil Falls: 22.3 mi
- Lower Ingram Falls: 22.3 mi
- Bear Creek Falls: 22.6 mi
- Marian Shrine: 13.2 mi
- Haviland Lake SWA: 13.6 mi
- Telluride Historical Museum: 24.6 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 5.7 miles of Sunlight Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Eolus | W 264° | 4,311 m | 1.4 mi |
| Windom Peak | SSE 153° | 4,296 m | 0.5 mi |
| Mount Eolus | WSW 255° | 4,295 m | 1.5 mi |
| Pigeon Peak | W 277° | 4,247 m | 2.8 mi |
| Jagged Mountain | NNE 27° | 4,213 m | 1.4 mi |
| Jupiter Mountain | SSE 168° | 4,212 m | 1.1 mi |
| Turret Peak | W 270° | 4,211 m | 2.4 mi |
| Trinity Peaks | NNE 11° | 4,210 m | 4.1 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:15 | 18:48 | 19:23 |
| June solstice | 05:50 | 19:57 | 20:36 |
| September equinox | 06:59 | 18:34 | 19:09 |
| December solstice | 07:23 | 16:15 | 16:56 |
Local time (America/Denver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 14 | 17 | 24 | 33 | 42 | 51 | 57 | 54 | 48 | 38 | 25 | 14 |
| Precip in | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Silverton, 13 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/358923608
Day trips start here
- Southwestern Colorado · 9 mi
Take the scenic way to Sunlight Peak.
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