Windom Peak is the highest summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest north of Durango in La Plata County, Colorado, United States, Windom Peak is the most topographically prominent peak in the Needle Mountains.
Here are 52 riddles about Windom Peak to test your knowledge about this iconic Colorado mountain. See if you can solve them all!
Riddles about Location
Where in Colorado is Windom Peak located?
In the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, within the Weminuche Wilderness area.
What county is Windom Peak in?
La Plata County.
What national forest is Windom Peak part of?
San Juan National Forest.
What mountain range does Windom Peak belong to?
The Needle Mountains, which are part of the San Juan Mountains.
Does Windom Peak have any cities nearby?
No, the closest city is Durango, about 40 miles to the southeast. Windom Peak is in a very remote wilderness area.
Riddles about Elevation
How tall is Windom Peak?
14,082 feet or 4,298 meters above sea level.
Is Windom Peak one of Colorado’s 14ers (peaks over 14,000 feet)?
Yes, Windom Peak is considered a Colorado 14er.
Is Windom Peak the tallest peak in the Needle Mountains?
Yes, at 14,082 feet, Windom Peak is the highest summit in the Needle Mountains range.
What is the most prominent peak in the Needle Mountains?
Windom Peak, with a topographic prominence of 5,098 feet.
How does Windom Peak rank among Colorado’s highest 100 peaks?
It ranks 46th highest in the state.
Riddles about Geology
What types of rock make up Windom Peak?
Mostly granodiorite and gneiss bedrock.
When did the rocks that form Windom Peak originate?
Around 1.7 billion years ago during Precambrian times.
What gives the Needle Mountains their distinct jagged appearance?
Glaciers sculpting the peaks combined with erosion and weathering of vertical rock joints in the granitic rock.
What evidence of glaciers exists on Windom Peak?
Cirque basins, arêtes, U-shaped valleys, and tarns can be seen, which were carved out by glaciers.
Does Windom Peak have any unique or distinctive rock formations?
Yes, there are some spectacular pinnacles, spires and buttresses near its summit.
Riddles about Climate
What bioclimate zone is Windom Peak located in?
The Hudsonian zone, a cold alpine tundra climate.
What causes the climate at 14,000 feet to be so harsh?
Extremely low air pressure, intense solar radiation, and extreme temperature shifts in this exposed high-altitude environment.
How cold can it get on Windom Peak?
Temperatures can be below freezing even in summer, and likely have dropped as low as -60°F (-51°C) in winter.
Does Windom Peak have glaciers?
There are no longer active glaciers on the peak, only small permanent snowfields.
What weather hazards exist on Windom Peak?
Thunderstorms, lightning, high winds, blizzards, snow, ice, extremely cold temperatures.
Riddles about Plants & Wildlife
What types of flora grow at the summit and on the slopes of Windom Peak?
Mostly lichens, mosses, alpine grasses and small, hardy wildflowers that can withstand the harsh conditions.
What large wildlife species live around Windom Peak?
Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, black bear and pikas among the more commonly sighted.
Are there trees growing at the summit?
No, it’s above the tree line so the summit and high slopes are free of trees.
Has a glacier ever advanced down from Windom Peak?
Yes, during past ice ages, a glacier extended north for two kilometers down the West Needle Creek valley.
Are there many bird species spotted on Windom Peak?
Not a huge diversity, but white-tailed ptarmigan, American pipit, gray-crowned rosy finch are among birds adapted to the habitat.
Riddles about Exploring Windom Peak
When was Windom Peak first successfully reached?
Albert Ellingwood and Eleanor Davis first climbed to the summit on July 18, 1916.
How long does it typically take to hike to the summit from Chicago Basin?
A 15 mile round trip hike with about 4,500 feet elevation gain, taking roughly 8-14 hours for most hikers.
What is a common route to climb Windom Peak?
The standard route starts at Chicago Basin and goes up West Needle Creek to the saddle between Sunlight Peak and Windom Peak.
Does climbing Windom Peak require technical mountaineering skills?
Not for the standard route, but hikers should still be experienced with route-finding, exposure and high elevation terrain.
What makes the last section to the summit block challenging?
A steep, slippery gully with loose rock often holding snow late into summer. Scrambling the final 20 feet also requires caution.
Riddles about History & Names
Who was Windom Peak named after?
William Windom, a Minnesota senator who pushed the bill that funded the Hayden Survey of the West from 1870-1880 which first mapped the peak.
What was Windom Peak originally called by the Hayden Survey?
Point 13,700 feet. Not very imaginative but it described the elevation.
How did Eleanor Davis feel about being the first woman to summit Windom?
She was an avid mountaineer for whom it was just another peak to climb in exploring the high peaks of the West.
Before modern times, did Native Americans climb Windom Peak?
There is no evidence of Native Americans ascending Windom Peak, as they generally did not climb mountains solely for recreation.
How many people climb Windom Peak each year?
Around 1,500 successfully reach the summit annually based on peak register records and estimates.
Riddles about Windom Peak’s Name
Does Windom refer to windy conditions on the peak?
No, Windom comes from the name of Senator William Windom and has no relation to “wind” itself. But it can be quite windy on Windom!
What does “Peak” mean in the name?
It tells us Windom is a pointed mountain summit, meaning it comes to a defined top and has good prominence.
Were there any other naming possibilities?
If the early surveyors were more creative, perhaps Mount Evans, Sherman Peak, or Mount Hayden. But Windom stuck.
Is Windom the official or colloquial name?
Windom Peak is recognized as the official name by the USGS Geographic Names Information System.
Does the Needle Mountains range have lots of peaks with “Needle” in their names?
Surprisingly no, most of the named high peaks have unique names not containing “Needle”. Windom follows this pattern.
Fun Riddles about Windom Peak
If Windom Peak could talk, what stories might it tell?
It would describe the ancient seas and volcanoes that existed before the uplift of the Rockies. It would tell tales of the glaciers that carved its slopes and about all the climbers that have struggled up its flanks!
Can you see Windom Peak from the town of Windom in Minnesota?
No unfortunately, at a distance of over 1,000 miles, Windom Peak is not visible from the town of Windom that gave it its name.
What hobbies would be good preparations for climbing Windom Peak?
Rock climbing, ice climbing, hiking, camping, and studying geology would all be fun ways to get ready for an ascent of Windom.
If Windom Peak could choose anything, what would it most want to be?
It would probably want to stay a majestic Rocky Mountain peak! Though being a volcano or canyon would also be adventurous alternatives.
What makes Windom Peak meaningful to you?
It represents nature’s beauty, the spirit of mountaineering, relics of geologic history, and a symbol of wilderness to be preserved for all time.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed these 52 riddles about Colorado’s Windom Peak! Solving the riddles required a mix of geographic knowledge, curiosities about nature, and simply having some fun. Perhaps you’ve learned something new about Windom Peak that will encourage you to explore it in person someday. The beauty and history of places like Windom are what make living in Colorado so great.
