Vermilion Peak, Mountain summit in San Juan Range, Colorado
Vermilion Peak is a mountain summit in the San Juan Range of Colorado, reaching about 13,900 feet (4,237 m) and listed among Colorado's fourteeners. Its exposed rock faces display a reddish-orange color that sets it apart from neighboring peaks in the range.
The peak was documented during early survey expeditions of the San Juan region in the late 19th century, when mappers were charting Colorado's high terrain for the first time. Its clear visibility from the surrounding valleys made it a natural reference point in the surveyors' records.
The peak takes its name from the reddish-orange color of its exposed rock, which comes from iron-rich minerals in the stone. This color is most visible in direct sunlight and helps hikers spot the mountain from far away across the surrounding valleys.
The most common starting point is the South Mineral Creek Trailhead, north of Silverton, which requires a high-clearance vehicle to reach on an unpaved road. Once on the mountain, conditions can shift quickly, so solid footwear and layered clothing are a good idea at any time of year.
One of the routes to the top follows a steep couloir known as the Vermilion Dollar Couloir, which holds snow well into summer and requires ice axes and crampons even after most nearby trails are snow-free. This makes it a popular destination for mountaineers looking to practice glacier-style climbing without traveling to Alaska or the Alps.
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