| | | Greenhorn Mountain - Pueblo COHP, CO | | | |
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Greenhorn Mountain - Pueblo COHP, CO
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Hiking | 5.37 Miles |
1,303 AEG |
| Hiking | 5.37 Miles | 3 Hrs 22 Mns | | 1.83 mph |
1,303 ft AEG | 26 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This was a hike to the summit of Greenhorn Mountain (elevation of 12,352 feet and prominence of 3,773 feet), the highpoint of Pueblo County. There are over 1,100 peaks in Colorado that are higher than Greenhorn Mountain; however, Greenhorn is the 11th most prominent peak in the state.
Greenhorn Mountain is in the Wet Mountains and in the Greenhorn Wilderness, and it is the high point of both.
Greenhorn Mountain is named for the great Comanche Chief Greenhorn or Cuerno Verde. He got the name from wearing a bison headdress that had the horns tinted green. Cuerno Verde was killed in a battle in the late 1700's by an army led by Juan Bautista de Anza, the governor of the New Mexico. After his death, Greenhorn's headdress made its way to the Vatican, where some say that the Pope became fond of wearing it.
I started the hike at the Greenhorn-Bartlett Trailhead and did a clockwise loop. I first went up the Greenhorn Trail to a saddle below North Peak, and then took a ridgeline all the way to the summit, going over a couple of false summits in the process. On the way back I descended down the steep south slopes of Greenhorn until I got to the Bartlett Trail, which I took back to the trailhead.
It was sunny when I started the hike, but as I approached the summit there was a dark cloud overhead. As a result I did not stay at the summit as long as I would have liked. On the descent I head some thunder behind me and it started snowing on me. Thankfully the snow did not last long.
As I was approaching the Bartlett Trail I came across several bighorn sheep and I watched them for a good while.
This was a great hike that exceeded my expectations. There were great views both at the summit and along the entire route. |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial This is the first hike that I have done this year where I would describe the wildflowers as being substantial. |
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Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there |
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