Grizzly Peak (Summit County, Colorado)
# Grizzly Peak (Summit County, Colorado)

Grizzly Peak is a high mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Also known as Grizzly Peak D, the 13,433-foot (4,094 m) thirteener is located in Arapaho National Forest, 2.1 miles (3.4 km) southeast by east (bearing 129°) of Loveland Pass, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide between Clear Creek and Summit counties. Its proximate parent peak is Torreys Peak.

## Location and geography

Grizzly Peak sits along the Continental Divide on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The summit is located near Interstate 70, east of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel. The larger Grays Peak (14,278 feet (4,400 m)) and Torreys Peak (14,275 feet (4,400 m)) sit nearby, and the closest major town is Silver Plume, Colorado. It is also in close proximity to Mount Sniktau, which rises to 13,235 feet (4,034 m) at its peak. Other nearby points of interest include Loveland Ski Area, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Ski Resort and the Arapahoe Basin.

## Climate

Climate data for Grizzly Peak, Colorado (Grizzly Peak Snotel), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1983–present :

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) | 68 (20) | 73 (23) | 80 (27) | 77 (25) | 79 (26) | 81 (27) | 78 (26) | 74 (23) | 67 (19) | 68 (20) | 58 (14) | 81 (27) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 41.7 (5.4) | 42.9 (6.1) | 50.2 (10.1) | 54.9 (12.7) | 62.2 (16.8) | 70.5 (21.4) | 72.9 (22.7) | 70.2 (21.2) | 66.3 (19.1) | 58.7 (14.8) | 48.7 (9.3) | 41.7 (5.4) | 73.6 (23.1) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 28.1 (−2.2) | 35.3 (1.8) | 41.3 (5.2) | 49.6 (9.8) | 60.2 (15.7) | 65.4 (18.6) | 62.6 (17.0) | 56.1 (13.4) | 44.9 (7.2) | 33.1 (0.6) | 25.5 (−3.6) | 44.0 (6.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.3 (−8.2) | 18.5 (−7.5) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 30.8 (−0.7) | 39.3 (4.1) | 48.9 (9.4) | 54.1 (12.3) | 51.9 (11.1) | 45.7 (7.6) | 35.6 (2.0) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 17.2 (−8.2) | 34.1 (1.2) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 8.4 (−13.1) | 8.8 (−12.9) | 14.7 (−9.6) | 20.3 (−6.5) | 29.0 (−1.7) | 37.5 (3.1) | 42.9 (6.1) | 41.3 (5.2) | 35.7 (2.1) | 26.0 (−3.3) | 16.1 (−8.8) | 8.4 (−13.1) | 24.1 (−4.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −8.6 (−22.6) | −7.9 (−22.2) | −2.4 (−19.1) | 5.3 (−14.8) | 16.1 (−8.8) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 36.6 (2.6) | 35.4 (1.9) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 7.8 (−13.4) | −4.0 (−20.0) | −10.8 (−23.8) | −13.7 (−25.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) | −26 (−32) | −17 (−27) | −6 (−21) | 6 (−14) | 16 (−9) | 24 (−4) | 27 (−3) | 5 (−15) | −7 (−22) | −14 (−26) | −26 (−32) | −26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.12 (79) | 3.12 (79) | 3.26 (83) | 3.90 (99) | 2.98 (76) | 1.54 (39) | 2.20 (56) | 2.12 (54) | 1.82 (46) | 2.09 (53) | 2.52 (64) | 2.81 (71) | 31.48 (799) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 50.2 (128) | 60.2 (153) | 65.3 (166) | 66.4 (169) | 51.8 (132) | 14.7 (37) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 1.6 (4.1) | 11.3 (29) | 23.7 (60) | 36.3 (92) | 70.9 (180) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 13.9 | 14.0 | 15.6 | 16.7 | 13.2 | 7.2 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 8.7 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 143.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (snow depth 2006–2020) ||||||||||||||

## Other summits with same name

The state of Colorado actually has four other Grizzly Peaks and one Grizzly Mountain on record. The Grizzly Peak in Chaffee County, which sits in the Sawatch Range, is the tallest of these. The Summit County Grizzly Peak is fourth-tallest of the mountains, and is thus also referred to as "Grizzly Peak D":

| Rank | Mountain | Elevation | Range |
| - | - | - | - |
| 54 | Grizzly Peak | 13,995 ft (4,266 m) | Sawatch Range |
| 130 | Grizzly Peak | 13,738 ft (4,187 m) | San Juan Mountains |
| 142 | Grizzly Mountain | 13,708 ft (4,178 m) | Sawatch Range |
| 145 | Grizzly Peak | 13,700 ft (4,176 m) | San Juan Mountains |
| 302 | Grizzly Peak | 13,433 feet (4,094 m) | Front Range |
| 415 | Grizzly Peak | 13,281 ft (4,048 m) | Sawatch Range |

## Hiking

The trail to Grizzly Peak, which allows hikers to reach the summit of the mountain by foot, is accessible immediately off of a parking lot at Loveland Pass on U.S. Highway 6. The trailhead begins above the treeline at about 12,000 feet (3,700 m) and rises to the peak, but reaching the summit does not necessarily require the use of extra mountain climbing equipment such as ropes. Visitors can also reach Mount Sniktau, a smaller peak, from the same point along Loveland Pass.

From the summit, hikers can see Loveland Pass below them, plus views of nearby Chihuahua Lake and the Arapahoe Basin ski trails.

## Historical names

* Grizzly Peak
* Grizzly Peak D
