Culebra Peak, Mountain summit in Costilla County, United States.
Culebra Peak is the highest summit of the Culebra Range in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, on private land 14.2 miles east-southeast of San Luis in Costilla County, Colorado. It reaches 14,053.2 feet (4,283 m) and is the southernmost fourteener in the Rocky Mountains.
Culebra Peak lies within Cielo Vista Ranch in Costilla County. Ownership and public access to the land have been contested for years, leading to lawsuits and occasional violence. In 2017 the ranch was offered for sale at $105 million and sold later that year for an undisclosed sum.
Culebra is Spanish for "snake", the name the peak carries in the Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The summit stands on the privately owned Cielo Vista Ranch, where public access has been contested for years through lawsuits and occasional violence. In 2017 the ranch was offered for sale at $105 million and sold later that year for an undisclosed sum.
The mountain sits on private land, so any visit requires advance permission from the landowner, which is typically granted through a seasonal access program. The terrain is demanding and involves significant elevation gain, so solid mountain experience and proper gear are necessary before attempting the summit.
Culebra Peak is the southernmost fourteener in the Rocky Mountains, lying 14.2 miles east-southeast of San Luis. It is also the fourth-most topographically prominent peak in Colorado, separated from other summits by the low La Veta Pass. The ranch containing the peak was offered for sale in 2017 for $105 million and sold later that year for an undisclosed sum.
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