Mount Sopris
Mount Sopris sits just south of the town of Carbondale, Colorado where
the Crystal River meets the Roaring Fork River. Although Mount
Sopris is not one of the classic 14'ers of Colorado, it is regarded as
one of the most impressive mountains in the state with a twin summit of
12,953 feet. It towers above the town of Carbondale and the
Roaring Fork River Valley in a very dramatic fashion, rising over 6,000
feet in a few miles.
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The high mountains of Colorado's Elk Range are among the finest peaks
in the Rockies. As a part of wilderness designation, these
protected mountains are rugged, steep and aesthetically pleasing.
Crystal clear stream, pristine alpine lakes and lush green vegetation
are common sights.
Mount Sopris is the striking northern sentinel of the Elk Mountains in
White River National Forest. Mount Sopris has two summits – East
Mount Sopris and West Mount Sopris are of equal height and are easily
climbed together. The East summit is attained by the Mount Sopris
Trail and is the more popular of the two. The trail begins at the
Dinkle Lake parking area and offers the easiest and most pragmatic way
to get up Mount Sopris. There is no trail to the summit of West
Mount Sopris but it is accessible adding about a half hour to summit or
0.7 miles and offers very similar views.
Due to Mount Sopris' prominence rising above the agrarian Roaring Fork
Valley it has been endlessly photographed from below. The
mountain's enchanting beauty is largely derived from the rich geologic
history that shaped the Elk Mountains. The white rock that makes
up Sopris is beautiful as it stands in stark contrast to the lush
greens of Elk Mountain vegetation and the red, purples and yellows of
the surrounding sedimentary rocks.
From any vantage point – whether from the Roaring Fork River Valley or
on one of Mount Sopris' summits – the overwhelming beauty of this area
is not to be missed!
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