Page Type:
|
Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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40.41288°N / 105.50602°W |
County:
|
Larimer |
Activities:
|
Hiking, Scrambling |
Season:
|
Spring, Summer, Fall |
|
Elevation:
|
9140 ft / 2786 m |
|
Overview
The summit of 'Gem Peak'.'Gem Peak' is an unofficially named peak which resides at the east end of Lumpy Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. The name 'Gem Pk' was likely coined by Gerry Roach and is the name used in his Rocky Mountain National Park Summits List. Another unofficial name for this peak is 'West Gemstone', a name used by SummitPost member Mountain Jim in his Annotated Gemstones Picture and Annotated Lumpy Ridge Picture.
'Gem Peak' is one of three rock formations near small Gem Lake. Mountain Jim unofficially names these three rock formations 'The Gemstones', with individual names being 'West Gemstone', 'Middle Gemstone', and 'East Gemstone'. 'Gem Peak' is the 'West Gemstone' (the tallest of the 'The Gemstones'). Gem Lake sits in between 'Middle Gemstone' and 'East Gemstone'.
The easiest approach up any of 'The Gemstones' involves some class 3 scrambling and some route-finding, so be prepared accordingly.
'Gem Peak' does not appear on Mountain Jim's Summits of Rocky Mountain National Park List because the peak does not have an official USGS name. It is the 89th tallest peak on Gerry Roach's Rocky Mountain National Park Summits List. 'Gem Peak' has 360 feet of prominence above the saddle with its parent peak, The Needles 2.4 miles to the west.
The summit provides a nice view along the top of Lumpy Ridge to the west, as well as views of Sheep Mountain to the northwest, the other two 'Gemstones' to the southeast, and the Longs Peak massif and peaks of the Continental Divide to the southwest.
1 Trip Reports