| Elk Mountains (colorado) |
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The Elk Mountains (elevation approximately 14,000 ft) are a high Mountain Range in the Rocky Mountains of western Colorado in the United States . The mountains sit on the western side of the Continental Divide , largely in southern Pitkin and northern Gunnison counties, in the area southwest of Aspen , south the Roaring Fork River valley, and east of the Crystal River . The range sits west of the Sawatch Range and north of the West Elk Mountains . Much of the range is located within the White River National Forest , as well as the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and Raggeds Wilderness . The highest peaks in the range are Castle Peak (14,265 ft),, Maroon Peak (14,156 ft), Capitol Peak (14,130 ft), Snowmass Mountain (14,092 ft), Pyramid Peak (14, 018 ft), and North Maroon Peak (14,014 ft). Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak are collectively known as the Maroon Bells , a popular destination for recreation Alpinism . Mount Sopris (12,953 ft) sits at the northwest end of the range and dominates the skyline of the lower Roaring Fork Valley and the town of Carbondale , serving as an unofficial symbol of the area. The range provides a formidable barrier to travel and is traversed only by backroads passes and trails, including Schofield Pass , Pearl Pass , and Taylor Pass . Colorado State Highway 133 traverses McClure Pass , at the western end of the range. The range has been the site of mining activity since the days of the Colorado Silver Boom , which saw the founding of mining towns such as Aspen and Ashcroft . In the late 19th Century , the western and southern flank of the range became the site of intense Coal mining activity which continues to the present day. Sitting on the western side of the continental divide, the range receives a great deal of snowfall, a fact that is exploited in the Ski areas in the vinicity of Aspen, which are located on the flanks of smaller mountains alongside the Roaring Fork Valley. EXTERNAL LINK |
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