Wetterhorn Peak
Wetterhorn Peak rises to 4,274 m in Colorado. Uncompahgre Peak stands 4,365 m to the east-northeast, 2.7 miles off. The nearest named place is Matterhorn Peak, a peak 0.9 miles away. Alpine Loop passes 4.4 miles off.
The story
Wetterhorn Peak (German: Wetterhorn, literally "weather horn") is a fourteen thousand-foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Uncompahgre Wilderness of the northern San Juan Mountains, in northwestern Hinsdale County and southeastern Ouray County, approximately 9 miles (14 km) east of the town of Ouray and 2.75 mi (4.4 km) west of Uncompahgre Peak. Wetterhorn Peak and neighboring Matterhorn Peak (13,590 ft (4,142 m)) are named after the Wetterhorn and the Matterhorn, two famous peaks in the Swiss Alps. Both Colorado peaks are pointed rock spires (hence resembling their namesake peaks), whose shapes contrast with the broad bulk of the higher Uncompahgre Peak. The first recorded ascent of Colorado's Wetterhorn was made in 1906 by George Barnard, C. Smedley, W. P. Smedley, and D. Utter, but a previous ascent by miners working in the area in the 19th century is likely. The standard route to the summit of Wetterhorn Peak ascends the southeast ridge, which is accessed via the Matterhorn Creek drainage on the south side of the mountain. The trailhead is on the Henson Creek Road, accessible from Lake City. The route involves 3,535 ft (1,077 m) of ascent from the trailhead and some exposed scrambling (Class 3/4) on the ridge itself. The nearby east face is considered a high-quality advanced snow climb or extreme ski descent.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q2565993, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 4,274 m
How to reach it
- 4.4 mi off the Alpine Loop
- 8.9 mi off the San Juan Skyway, National
- 10.8 mi off the Silver Thread Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway, National
Overlooks nearby
- Oh Point (Odom Point) · 8 mi
- Look Out Point · 9 mi
- Sunnyside Mill Ruins Viewpoint · 13 mi
- Red Mountain Overlook · 14 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Matterhorn Peak: 0.9 mi
- Coxcomb Peak: 1.8 mi
- Redcliff: 2.2 mi
- Broken Hill: 2.5 mi
- Uncompahgre Peak: 2.7 mi
- The Blowout: 8.3 mi
- Deep South: 9.1 mi
- South Park: 9.1 mi
- New Funtier: 9.2 mi
- Grad School: 9.3 mi
- Golconda Boarding House: 7.5 mi
- Golconda Compressor / Blacksmith House: 7.5 mi
- Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour: 9.1 mi
- Duncan House: 9.5 mi
- Animas Forks: 9.5 mi
- Women's Club Mini-Park: 9.0 mi
- Fellin Park: 9.1 mi
- Rotary Park: 9.3 mi
- Town Park: 10.8 mi
- Hinsdale County Veteran Memorial Park: 10.9 mi
- Capitol City: 4.5 mi
- Ute-Ulay Mine: 7.7 mi
- Whitecross: 8.1 mi
- Tellurium: 8.1 mi
- Argentum: 8.4 mi
- Treasure Falls: 8.6 mi
- Cascade Falls: 8.7 mi
- Bear Creek Falls: 9.1 mi
- Crooke Falls: 11.3 mi
- Argenta Falls: 12.8 mi
- Capitol City: 4.4 mi
- Henson: 7.8 mi
- Animas Forks: 9.5 mi
- Ironton: 12.8 mi
- Eureka: 12.9 mi
- historic mineshaft winch: 9.1 mi
- historic mine cart: 9.1 mi
- historic hanging mine car: 9.1 mi
- Russ Brown Gallery: 10.8 mi
- Marian Shrine: 19.2 mi
- Addington Springs: 20.3 mi
- Tenmile Springs: 23.7 mi
- Cutler Spring: 23.7 mi
- Goose Creek Spring: 24.4 mi
- Lake City Museum: 10.8 mi
- Ridgway Railroad Museum: 14.7 mi
- Telluride Historical Museum: 18.3 mi
- Orvis Hot Spring: 13.2 mi
- Bike path access: 15.7 mi
- Dutch Charlie Swim Beach: 16.4 mi
- Cebolla Day Use Area: 22.4 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 13.3 miles of Wetterhorn Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncompahgre Peak | ENE 74° | 4,365 m | 2.7 mi |
| Handies Peak | S 178° | 4,285 m | 10.2 mi |
| Redcloud Peak | SSE 150° | 4,280 m | 9.6 mi |
| Sunshine Peak | SSE 154° | 4,269 m | 10.6 mi |
| Mark Mountain | SE 142° | 4,218 m | 10.0 mi |
| Jones Mountain | S 184° | 4,215 m | 11.4 mi |
| Niagara Peak | S 186° | 4,202 m | 11.9 mi |
| American Peak | S 180° | 4,184 m | 11.1 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:14 | 18:47 | 19:22 |
| June solstice | 05:48 | 19:58 | 20:37 |
| September equinox | 06:59 | 18:34 | 19:09 |
| December solstice | 07:23 | 16:13 | 16:54 |
Local time (America/Denver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 25 | 28 | 35 | 42 | 51 | 60 | 66 | 63 | 57 | 46 | 34 | 25 |
| Precip in | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Ouray, 9 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/358924372
Day trips start here
- Southwestern Colorado · 25 mi
Take the scenic way to Wetterhorn Peak.
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