Sangre de Cristo Range
| Sangre de Cristo Range | |
|---|---|
| Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains | |
Sangre de Cristo Range seen from Hardscrabble Pass.
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Blanca Peak |
| Elevation | 14,345 ft (4,372 m) |
| Coordinates | 37°34′38″N 105°29′7″W / 37.57722°N 105.48528°WCoordinates: 37°34′38″N 105°29′7″W / 37.57722°N 105.48528°W |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 75 mi (121 km) north-south |
| Width | 48 mi (77 km) east-west |
| Area | 1,250 sq mi (3,200 km2) |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Sangre de Cristo Spanish: Blood of Christ |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | |
| Parent range | Sangre de Cristo Mountains |
| Borders on | San Luis Valley and Arkansas River watershed |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Fault-block mountains |
| Age of rock | Precambrian and Permian-Pennsylvanian |
The Sangre de Cristo Range, called the East Range locally in the San Luis Valley, is a high, rugged and narrow mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in southern Colorado in the United States, running north and south along the east side of the Rio Grande Rift . The mountains extend southeast from Poncha Pass for about 75 miles (120 km) through south-central Colorado to La Veta Pass, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Walsenburg, and form a high ridge separating the San Luis Valley on the west from the watershed of the Arkansas River on the east. The Sangre de Cristo Range rises over 7,000 feet above the valleys and plains to the west and northeast.
According to the USGS, the range is the northern part of the larger Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which extend through northern New Mexico. Usage of the terms "Sangre de Cristo Range" and "Sangre de Cristo Mountains" is varied; however, this article discusses only the mountains between Poncha Pass and La Veta Pass.
Most of the range is shared by two National Forests, which abut along the range divide. Most of the northeast (Arkansas River) side is located within the San Isabel National Forest, while most of the southwest (San Luis Valley) side is included in the Rio Grande National Forest. The central part of the range is designated as the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The Great Sand Dunes National Park sits on the southwestern flank of the range at the edge of the San Luis Valley. The range divide is traversed by no paved roads, only by four wheel drive and foot trails over Hayden Pass, Hermit Pass, Music Pass, Medano Pass, and Mosca Pass.
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Wikipedia