Never Summer Mountains

Never Summer Mountains
Nokhu Crags, at the northern end of the Never Summer Mountains
Highest point
Peak	Mount Richthofen
Elevation	12,945 ft (3,946 m)
Coordinates	40°28′10″N 105°53′42″W / 40.46944°N 105.89500°W / 40.46944; -105.89500
Dimensions
Length	10 mi (16 km) north-south
Area	25 sq mi (65 km2)
Geography
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Jackson, Grand and Larimer
Range coordinates	40°25′N 105°54′W / 40.42°N 105.9°W / 40.42; -105.9Coordinates: 40°25′N 105°54′W / 40.42°N 105.9°W / 40.42; -105.9
Parent range	Front Range

The Never Summer Mountains are a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado in the United States consisting of seventeen named peaks. The range is located along the northwest border of Rocky Mountain National Park, forming the continental divide between the headwaters of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park to the local-east and the upper basin of the North Platte River (North Park) to the local-west; the continental divide makes a loop in these mountains. The range is small and tall, covering only 25 sq mi (65 km²) with a north-south length of 10 mi (16 km) while rising to over 12,000 ft (3,700 m) at over ten distinct peaks. The range straddles the Jackson-Grand county line for most of its length, and stretches into Jackson and Larimer county at its northern end. A panoramic view of the range is available from sections of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. One of the northernmost peaks, Nokhu Crags, is prominently visible from the west side of Cameron Pass.

The rocks of Never Summer Mountains are younger than most of the surrounding mountain ranges. They, along with the Rabbit Ears Range to the west, were formed by volcanic and intrusive processes 24-29 million years ago and consist mostly of igneous granitic formations along with preceding metamorphic formations. Most of the highest peaks in the range are granodiorite that was uplifted during the Miocene epoch. The range's highest summit, Mount Richthofen, is the remnant of an andesite volcanic plug. The Nokhu Crags in the north are mostly Pierre Shale dating from Cretaceous times. A large thrust fault underneath the Kawuneeche Valley thrust older Precambrian rocks on top of the younger Cretaceous rocks on the east side of the range. The southern peaks are Miocene-aged granite, and finally Precambrian-aged biotite gneiss and schist.