Nature
Uncompahgre Peak, a 14,321-foot mountain in southwestern Colorado, is the highest summit in the San Juan Mountains and the sixth highest in the state. Of volcanic origin but not a volcano, it is known for its broad, table-like summit plateau, gentle slopes on three sides, and a sheer north cliff. Its poor rock has made it primarily a hiking peak, with established routes from Nellie Creek and Matterhorn Creek. The peak’s name comes from the Ute word Uncompaghre, linked to nearby hot springs. It also figured in communications history when a U.S. Army Signal Corps team used heliographs there in 1894 to set a world record for visual signaling over 183 miles.
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Lake City, Colorado · United States
