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Weston Peak Proposed Wilderness
Acreage
Total CCWC Acreage = 21,500
Location
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Weston Peak, in the San Isabel National Forest, is
20 miles southwest of Fairplay and 15 miles southeast of Leadville.
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It lies in Park and Lake Counties north and east
of Weston Pass Road, south of Mt. Sherman, and north of Buffalo Peaks
Wilderness on the Mosquito Range.
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Access Weston Peak via Hwy 285 and Weston Pass road,
CR 22. From Hwy 285, turn west on the gravel Weston Pass Road 11 miles
south of Fairplay or 11 miles north of Antero Junction. At the junction
of CR 22 and CR 5, you are southeast of Weston Peak. Continuing over
Weston Pass takes you around the northwest end of Weston Peak and
requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. Northeast access includes Browns
Pass jeep trail and gravel CR 18 around Sheep Mountain.
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Topo maps: Leadville South, Mt. Sherman, Granite,
South Peak, Jones Hill
Wilderness Qualities
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Weston Peak has challenging alpine terrain with cirques
and cliffs, and except along Weston Pass road, the area is remote.
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Solitude can be found in the distant views and absence
of visitors in the alpine areas.
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The area provides scenic views of South Park, the
upper Arkansas Valley, and the mountains of the Mosquito Range.
Natural Features
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Weston Peak lies on the high peaks of the Mosquito
Range with the upper elevations in the 12,000 ft. to 13,900 ft. range.
A series of peaks trending south to north from Weston Peak (13,572’),
Ptarmigan Peak (13,739’) and Horseshoe Mountain (13, 898’)
define the west-central part of the area. These peaks continue northward
out of the roadless area to Mount Sheridan and Mount Sherman. Sheep
and Lamb Mountains anchor the northwest corner at 12,518 ft. and 12,438
ft. To the east, the area drops into the forested edge of South Park
at 10,000 feet.
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Bighorn sheep have their winter range in Weston Peak.
Elk calve in the area. Weston Peak provides potential lynx habitat.
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Vegetation includes alpine tundra; aspen; spruce-fir;
Lodgepole,
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Bristlecone, and Limber pine and a riparian wetlands.
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Weston Peak is the headwaters of the South Fork of
the South Platte. Twelevemile Creek drains the east central part of
the area, joining the South Platte outside the area and west of Hwy
285.
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