This list identifies and ranks the 100 mountains in Colorado
with the largest primary factor. The primary factor is also called
the "prominence" of a mountain in the USA.
The primary factor of a mountain is the minimal vertical drop from its summit before one can ascend a higher peak.
The primary factors (or prominence) has almost in all cases been computed using interpolation based on 40 feet contours. That is, the highest contour encircling the peak without containing any higher peaks inside its closed curve is approcximately 6 meters (20 feet) higher than the value used to compute the primary factor. A few interpolations are based on smaller contour intervals as noted under "Remarks". (Some lists use this lower value when they list prominence.)
The saddle name provided is either the actual name of the pass or saddle or the name of the area (the Saddle Quad name).
This list is based on work by Ryan Schilling, with good initial data provided by Andy Martin, Edward Earl and David Olson. This list is metric as a service to those more comfortable with these units.
Corrections to this list are highly appreciated.
Confirmed or suspected corrections/updates are most welcome by email to: petter@ii.uib.no
Two stars behind the rank means that I have climbed it. (17/50, 29/100)
Rank | Height | Name | Primary factor | Saddle name | Saddle location | Remarks |
1** | 4399 | Mount Elbert | 2772 | Sylvania Canyon | N37:23.020, W117:50.000 | Colorado HP |
2** | 4301 | Pikes Peak | 1686 | Lake George | N38:53.058, W105:16.484 | El Paso County HP |
3** | 4372 | Blanca Peak | 1623 | Poncha Pass | N38:25.326, W106:05.287 | Herfano County HP |
4** | 4282 | Culebra Peak | 1471 | La Veta Pass | N37:29.104, W105:10.493 | Culebra Range HP |
5** | 4363 | Crestone Peak | 1388 | Mosca Pass | N37:43.975, W105:27.275 | Saguache County HP |
6** | 4361 | Uncompahgre Peak | 1293 | Cochetopa Pass | N38:09.771, W106:36.026 | Hinsdale County HP |
7 | 3765 | Flat Top Mountain | 1236 | Toponas | N40:03.947, W106:49.218 | Garfield County HP |
8 | 3042 | Ute Peak | 1231 | Mud Creek | N37:17.054, W108:46.686 | |
9** | 4342 | Mount Wilson | 1227 | Lizard Head Pass | N37:48.659, W107:54.400 | Dolores County HP |
10** | 4354 | Mount Lincoln | 1177 | Tennessee Pass | N39:21.724, W106:18.666 | Park County HP |
11 | 3763 | Greenhorn Mountain | 1148 | Devils Gulch | N37:56.253, W105:19.626 | Pueblo County HP, 20 feet contours |
12 | 4153 | West Spanish Peak | 1123 | Cucharas Pass | N37:19.219, W105:04.417 | Las Animas County HP |
13 | 3877 | Mount Gunnison | 1082 | Minnesota Pass | N38:46.428, W107:23.334 | |
14 | 3712 | Mount Zirkel | 1058 | Muddy Pass | N40:22.764, W106:34.754 | Routt County HP, 20 feet contours |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********** |
15** | 4271 | San Luis Peak | 949 | Spring Creek Pass | N37:56.381, W107:09.512 | Garita Range HP |
16 | 3390 | North Mamm Peak | 946 | Hightower Mountain | N39:19.745, W107:40.261 | |
17 | 3973 | West Elk Peak | 943 | Mount Axtell | N38:50.853, W107:05.936 | West Elk Range HP |
18 | 3612 | Huntsman Ridge | 936 | McClure Pass | N39:07.712, W107:17.177 | |
19** | 4313 | Mount Sneffels | 930 | Red Mountain Pass | N37:53.894, W107:42.748 | Sneffels Range HP |
20** | 3438 | Castle Peak | 920 | State Bridge | N39:48.609, W106:40.433 | |
21 | 4133 | Mount Powell | 908 | Vail Pass | N39:31.883, W106:12.944 | Gore Range HP |
22** | 4345 | Longs Peak | 901 | Berthoud Pass | N39:47.889, W105:46.624 | Boulder County HP |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | *********** |
23 | 4035 | Lavender Peak | 871 | Hermosa Pass | N37:38.933, W107:02.803 | Montezuma County HP |
24 | 2938 | Diamond Peak | 861 | Desert Springs WY | N41:39.380, W108:25.220 | 10 feet contours |
25 | 4123 | Treasure Mountain | 860 | Schofield Pass | N39:00.897, W107:02.803 | |
26** | 4349 | Grays Peak | 850 | Boreas Pass | N39:24.647, W105:58.132 | Front Range HP |
27 | 3947 | Clark Peak | 845 | La Poudre Pass | N40:28.600, W105:49.334 | Jackson County HP |
28** | 4348 | Mount Evans | 842 | Mount Evans | N39:35.786, W105:41.620 | Road (almost) to the top |
29 | 4054 | Summit Peak | 841 | Weminuche Pass | N37:40.875, W107:19.007 | Archuleta County HP |
30 | 3459 | Marcellina Mountain | 831 | Marcellina Mountain | N38:54.722, W107:13.874 | |
31 | 3944 | Mount Richthofen | 817 | Cameron Pass | N40:31.213, W105:53.557 | Never Summer Range HP |
32 | 3748 | Parkview Mountain | 816 | Willow Creek Pass | N40:21.036, W106:05.383 | |
33 | 4258 | Mount Ouray | 814 | Monarch Pass | N38:29.788, W106:19.539 | |
34 | 2950 | Pinon Mesa HP | 811 | Unaweep Divide | N38:47.428, W108:39.298 | |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********** |
35 | 3707 | Crested Butte | 787 | Gothic | N38:55.145, W106:57.596 | |
36 | 3819 | Graham Peak | 778 | Divide Lakes | N37:35.927, W107:20.285 | |
37** | 4349 | Mount Antero | 763 | Williams Pass | N38:38.449, W106:23.404 | |
38 | 3789 | East Beckwith Mountain | 760 | Beckwith Pass | N38:50.561, W107:11.000 | |
39 | 3877 | Chair Mountain | 750 | Anthracite Pass | N39:01.802, W107:10.728 | Ragged Mountains HP |
40 | 3815 | Whetstone Mountain | 748 | Ohio Pass | N38:50.175, W107:05.626 | |
41** | 3789 | Bison Peak | 747 | Kenosha Pass | N39:24.840, W105:45.476 | |
42 | 4008 | South River Peak | 746 | Railroad Pass | N37:27.841, W106:45.723 | |
43 | 3673 | Mount Guero | 741 | Big Soap Park | N38:44.205, W107:16.731 | |
44 | 4133 | Hagues Peak | 738 | Chapin Pass | N40:26.127, W105:43.705 | Larimer County HP |
45 | 3304 | Black Mountain | 738 | Meaden Peak | N40:48.529, W107:07.314 | Moffat County HP |
46 | 4044 | Antora Peak | 734 | Marshall Pass | N38:23.515, W106:14.829 | |
47 | 3994 | Bushnell Peak | 733 | Hayden Pass | N38:17.658, W105:51.022 | Fremont County HP |
48 | 2745 | Zenobia Peak | 730 | Sheephead Basin | N40:38.517, W108:33.166 | 20 feet contours |
49 | 3866 | East Spanish Peak | 726 | Spanish Peaks | N37:23.436, W104:56.957 | |
50** | 4395 | Mount Harvard | 719 | Independence Pass | N38:59.536, W106:35.098 | Chaffee County HP |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********** |
51 | 3306 | Sleepy Cat Peak | 714 | Lost Park | N40:07.251, W107:27.019 | |
52 | 4011 | Twilight Peak | 713 | 39N8W | , | |
53** | 4348 | Castle Peak | 712 | Taylor Pass | N39:01.215, W106:45.353 | Elk Range HP |
54** | 4315 | Maroon Peak | 712 | East Maroon Pass | N39:00.705, W106:56.544 | |
55 | 3569 | Waugh Mountain | 710 | Agate Mountain | N38:48.477, W105:50.380 | |
56 | 3495 | Tomichi Dome | 709 | Sargents | N38:29.290, W106:29.412` | |
57 | 3452 | Crater Peak | 703 | Spruce Mountain | N39:09.563, W107:36.531 | |
58 | 3483 | Twin Sisters Peaks | 700 | Wind River Pass | N40:17.809, W105:32.608 | |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********** |
59** | 4213 | Mount Silverheels | 696 | Hoosier Pass | N39:21.720, W106:03.760 | |
60 | 3844 | Lone Cone | 693 | Groundhog Mountain | N37:50.062, W108:09.888 | |
61 | 3659 | Mount Zwischen | 691 | Mosca Pass | N37:43.975, W105:27.275 | |
62 | 3527 | "Puma Peak" | 689 | Eagle Rock | N39:09.119, W105:27.275 | 20 feet contours |
63 | 2657 | Tanks Peak | 685 | Elk Springs | N40:21.560, W108:27.595 | 20 feet contours |
64 | 3761 | Elliott Mountain | 683 | Dunton Meadows | N37:47.633, W108:01.521 | |
65 | 3552 | Black Mountain | 681 | Black Mountain | N38:38.199, W105:43.780 | |
66 | 3526 | Mount Maestas | 679 | La Veta Pass | N37:37.553, W105:12.970 | |
67** | 4292 | Mount Eolus | 665 | Wetterhorn Peak | N38:00.832, W107:32.296 | |
68** | 4327 | Mount Princeton | 664 | Browns Pass | N38:51.237, W106:21.608 | |
69 | 3682 | Carbon Peak | 664 | Mount Axtell | N38:49.020, W107:02.772 | |
70 | 3316 | Meaden Peak | 664 | Hahns Peak | N40:51.147, W106:57.995 | |
71 | 3481 | Elk Mountain | 658 | Radial Mountain | N40:16.890, W106:07.387 | |
72 | 3775 | Anthracite Range | 648 | Swampy Pass | N38:47.951, W107:09.450 | |
73** | 4269 | Mount of the Holy Cross | 643 | Nast | N39:18.554, W106:30.074 | Eagle County HP |
74 | 4235 | Vermilion Peak | 642 | Ophir Pass | N37:51.038, W107:46.764 | San Juan County HP |
75** | 4171 | Bald Mountain | 640 | Georgia Pass | N39:27.502, W105:54.974 | |
76 | 3520 | Thirtynine Mile Mtn. | 636 | Currant Creek Pass | N38:50.200, W105:38.131 | |
77** | 4025 | Jacque Peak | 629 | Robinson Tailings Pond | N39:24.187, W106:12.354 | |
78 | 3541 | Williams Peak | 625 | Ute Pass | N39:49.405, W106:06.339 | |
79 | 3688 | Park Cone | 622 | Taylor Park, | N38:48.247, W106:34.060 | |
80 | 4060 | Mount Herard | 616 | Crestone Peak | N37:55.442, W105:30.186 | |
81 | 3669 | Red Table Mountain | 615 | Crooked Creek Pass | N39:26.485, W106:41.116 | |
82 | 4062 | West Buffalo Peak | 605 | Harvard Lakes, | N38:59.457, W106:09.986 | |
83 | 3667 | Chalk Benchmark | 601 | Elephant Head Rock | N37:11.842, W106:42.296 | |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********** |
84** | 4296 | Mount Massive | 598 | Mount Champion | N39:07.635, W106:30.452 | |
85 | 3478 | Iron Mountain | 595 | Red Wing | N37:38.819, W105:19.269 | |
86 | 4051 | Dolores Peak | 594 | Dolores Peak | N37:50.851, W108:04.350 | |
87 | 4264 | Grizzly Peak | 588 | Independence Pass | N39:06.329, W106:34.013 | |
88 | 3702 | Sawtooth Mountain | 587 | Rock Creek Park | N38:11.347, W106:55.007 | |
89 | 4015 | Conejos Peak | 583 | Victoria Lake | N37:14.270, W106:37.006 | |
90 | 3125 | Columbus Mountain | 583 | Bears Ears Peaks | N40:52.033, W107:08.780 | |
91** | 4282 | Handies Peak | 582 | Howardsville | N37:46.226, W107:35.465 | |
92** | 4327 | Mount Yale | 578 | Mount Harvard | N38:53.259, W106:19.595 | Conejos County HP |
93 | 3032 | Horse Mountain | 575 | Oakbrush Ridge | N37:22.790, W107:10.060 | |
94 | 4213 | Rio Grande Pyramid | 573 | Rio Grande Pyramid | N37:38.294, W107:26.090 | |
95 | 4075 | Sultan Mountain | 569 | Silverton | N37:45.953, W107:43.626 | |
96 | 3354 | South Bald Mountain | 568 | Chambers Lake | N40:36.406, W105:50.497 | |
97 | 3176 | Green Mountain | 567 | Stony Pass, | N39:17.842, W105:20.059 | |
98 | 2934 | Fishers Peak | 563 | Tin Pan Canyon | N38:59.599, W104:29.525 | |
99 | 3652 | Little Cone | 561 | Litle Cone | N37:54.199, W108:05.576 | |
100** | 4370 | La Plata Peak | 560 | Winfield | N38:55.127, W106:23.533 | |
***** | **** | ***************** | **** **** | ********** | ********** | ********* |
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