James Peak

James Peak
James Peak
	James Peak at dawn viewed from Green Mountain in Boulder County
Highest point
Elevation	13,271 ft (4,045 m)
Prominence	714 ft (218 m)
Isolation	1.55 mi (2.49 km)
Listing	Colorado county high points 27th
Coordinates	39°51′08″N 105°41′24″W / 39.8522094°N 105.6900039°W
Naming
Etymology	Edwin James
Geography
	James Peak Colorado
Location	Continental Divide at the tripoint of Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Grand counties, Colorado, United States. High point of Gilpin County.
Parent range	Front Range
Topo map(s)	USGS 7.5' topographic map; Empire, Colorado

James Peak is a high mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,271 foot thirteener is located on the Continental Divide in the James Peak Wilderness of Arapaho National Forest and Roosevelt National Forest, 5.2 miles (8.4 km) east-southeast (bearing 110°) of the Town of Winter Park, Colorado, United States. The summit is the tripoint of Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Grand counties. The peak is the highest point in Gilpin County and the second-highest in the James Peak Wilderness.^[1]^[2]^[3]

James Peak is named after Edwin James, the botanist on Major Stephen H. Long's expedition of 1820. James is the first known person to successfully climb Pikes Peak.^[4]

James Peak has a broad south slope that is very popular with hikers. The steep, sheer walls of the east face offer multiple technical couloirs for snow climbers, skiers, and snowboarders. From south to north, these routes are named 'Bailout', 'Starlight', 'Sky Pilot', 'Shooting Star', and 'Superstar'.^[5]

Climate

Climate data for James Peak 39.8515 N, 105.6907 W, Elevation: 12,890 ft (3,930 m) (1991–2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	21.0 (−6.1)	19.9 (−6.7)	26.4 (−3.1)	32.4 (0.2)	41.2 (5.1)	51.9 (11.1)	58.2 (14.6)	55.9 (13.3)	49.6 (9.8)	38.1 (3.4)	27.7 (−2.4)	21.2 (−6.0)	37.0 (2.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)	10.7 (−11.8)	9.7 (−12.4)	15.4 (−9.2)	20.8 (−6.2)	29.7 (−1.3)	40.1 (4.5)	46.5 (8.1)	44.7 (7.1)	38.2 (3.4)	27.5 (−2.5)	17.9 (−7.8)	11.2 (−11.6)	26.0 (−3.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	0.5 (−17.5)	−0.4 (−18.0)	4.5 (−15.3)	9.3 (−12.6)	18.3 (−7.6)	28.2 (−2.1)	34.8 (1.6)	33.4 (0.8)	26.8 (−2.9)	16.9 (−8.4)	8.2 (−13.2)	1.3 (−17.1)	15.2 (−9.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.73 (95)	3.67 (93)	4.11 (104)	5.14 (131)	3.83 (97)	1.81 (46)	2.78 (71)	2.69 (68)	2.39 (61)	2.76 (70)	3.23 (82)	3.34 (85)	39.48 (1,003)
Source: PRISM Climate Group^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b The elevation of James Peak includes an adjustment of +1.789 m (+5.86 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "James Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "James Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
^ Dziezynski, James (1 August 2012). Best Summit Hikes in Colorado: An Opinionated Guide to 50+ Ascents of Classic and Little-Known Peaks from 8,144 to 14,433 Feet. Wilderness Press. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-89997-713-3.
^ Bueler, William M (2000). Roof of the Rockies (3rd ed.). Golden Colorado: The Colorado Mountain Club Press. ISBN 9780967146614.
^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Retrieved October 10, 2023. To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking Coordinates (under Location); copy Latitude and Longitude figures from top of table; click Zoom to location; click Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click 30-year normals, 1991-2020; click 800m; click Retrieve Time Series button.