Grays Peak
Description
WikipediaGrays Peak is the tenth-highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of North America and the U.S. state of Colorado. The prominent 14,276-foot (4351.18 m) fourteener is the highest summit of the Front Range and the highest point on the Continental Divide and the Continental Divide Trail in North America. (There are higher summits, such as Mount Elbert, which are near, but not on, the Divide.) Grays Peak is located in Arapahoe National Forest, 3.9 miles (6.2 km) southeast by east (bearing 122°) of Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide between Clear Creek and Summit counties. The peak is the highest point in both counties. Grays Peak is one of 53 fourteeners (mountains of over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in elevation) in Colorado. Botanist Charles C. Parry made the first recorded ascent of the summit in 1861 and named the peak in honor of his botanist colleague Asa Gray. Gray did not see (and climb) the peak until 1872, eleven years later. Grays Peak is commonly mentioned in conjunction with adjacent Torreys Peak. In the Arapaho language Gray's Peak and the adjacent Torrey's Peak are named, Heeniiyoowuu or "Ant Hills".
First ascent
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torreys Peak | 4,351 m | N 342° | 1.0 km |
| Ruby Mountain | 4,032 m | S 172° | 2.0 km |
| Mount Edwards | 4,218 m | E 82° | 2.0 km |
| Cooper Mountain | 3,896 m | S 200° | 2.5 km |
| Grizzly Peak | 4,064 m | NW 293° | 2.9 km |
| Kelso Mountain | 4,016 m | NE 28° | 3.1 km |
Routes of ascent
| Route | Network | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT - Colorado Section | nwn | 2,150.6 km | — |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelso Ridge | Torrey's Peak | 1- | 1.0 km |
| Short Stack | Small Wall | 6a | 7.9 km |
| Frostbitten Fingers | Frozen Slab | 5c | 7.9 km |
| Jolly Roger | Lost Wall | 5b | 7.9 km |
| Shipwreck Slab | Lost Wall | 4c | 7.9 km |
| Beginner Buccaneer | Lost Wall | 5a | 7.9 km |
| Flying Dutchman | Lost Wall | 6b+ | 7.9 km |
| Pirate Boot-ie | Lost Wall | 5c | 7.9 km |
| Hug A Pirate | Lost Wall | 5c | 7.9 km |
| Come Shale Away | Lost Wall | V2- | 7.9 km |
| Black Pearl | Lost Wall | 6a | 7.9 km |
| Splitsville | Alpenglow Wall, The | 6a | 8.8 km |
| Help Gain | Alpenglow Wall, The | 6c+ | 8.8 km |
| Rockin' Science (submitted as Un-named) | Alpenglow Wall, The | 7a+ | 8.8 km |
| The Chockstone Arete | Alpenglow Wall, The | 6b+ | 8.8 km |
| Why Ask Y | Alpenglow Wall, The | 5a | 8.8 km |
| Fragile Balance | Alpenglow Wall, The | 6c | 8.8 km |
| Equilibrium | Alpenglow Wall, The | 6a | 8.8 km |
| Hollow Face | Hummingbird Boulder #4 | 5c | 8.9 km |
| Amnesia | Wanderer's Wall | 6c+ | 8.9 km |
| Oasis | Oasis Boulder | V2-3 | 9.0 km |
| Lean Left or Right | Oasis Boulder | V4 | 9.0 km |
| Watering Hole | Oasis Boulder | V4 | 9.0 km |
| Mirage | Oasis Boulder | V3 | 9.0 km |
| Oasis Sit-Start | Oasis Boulder | V2 | 9.0 km |