Blanca Mountains near Fort Garland Colorado
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
Blanca Mountains near Fort Garland Colorado
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Capture/your Final Image Will Not Contain The Faa Watermark.
Description
This is the Sierra Blanca mountains north of Ft. Garland, Colorado. Blanca Peak is the highest peak of the Sierra Blanca Massif at the southern tip of the Sangre de Cristo Range in Colorado. It is the fourth highest peak of the Rocky Mountains, and the eighth highest peak in the contiguous United States. It is located at the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Range, a subrange of the larger Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and is the highest peak in both ranges. Marking the common boundary of Huerfano, Costilla and Alamosa counties, it lies approximately 20 miles east-northeast of the town of Alamosa.
Approximately 15 miles to the north-northwest is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Blanca Peak is notable not only for its absolute height, but also for its great local relief and dominant position at the end of the range, rising high above the San Luis Valley to the west. It rises nearly 7,000 feet over the edge of the San Luis Valley in only 6 miles and is the third most topographically prominent peak in Colorado; it is separated from the higher peaks in the Sawatch Range by relatively low Medano Pass at 9,982 feet.
Blanca Peak heads up three major creeks: Holbrook Creek to the west, flows from a basin including Crater Lake, Blue Lakes, and Como Lake. It is an extremely challenging four wheel drive road accesses Como Lake 11,750 feet, and provides the most common access to Blanca Peak. Most vehicles stop at an elevation of between 8,000 feet and 10,000 feet on this road. The Como Lake Road is a designated Alamosa County Road and runs to the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness just short of Blue Lakes and is rated as the most challenging 4WD road in Colorado. The Huerfano River flows from the north side of Blanca Peak. It starts out as a two wheel drive road and becomes a four wheel drive road less challenging than the Como Lake Road, providing access to the technical climbing on the North Face of Blanca Peak. Blanca Creek drains Blanca Basin under the south slopes of the peak, and Little Ute Creek descends from the Winchell Lakes on the southeast side. These roads are not used to access the peak because they cross private property. Three other fourteeners are nearby: Mount Lindsey to the east, Ellingwood Point to the north and Little Bear Peak to the southwest. Ellingwood Point is connected to Blanca by a short, high ridge, and is often climbed in conjunction with Blanca. Little Bear also has a high connecting ridge to Blanca, but it is a technical traverse, only recommended for highly experienced parties
Blanca Peak is known to the Navajo people as the Sacred Mountain of the East: Sisnaajin', or Tsisnaasjin', the Dawn or White Shell Mountain. The mountain is considered to be the eastern boundary of the Dinetah, the traditional Navajo homeland. It is associated with the color white, and is said to be covered in daylight and dawn and fastened to the ground with lightning.
Image copyright 2013 Jon Burch Photography.
Uploaded
March 30th, 2012
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