| Sawatch Range | |
|---|---|
 Sawatch Range seen from Monarch Pass | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Elbert |
| Elevation | 14,440 ft (4,401 m) |
| Listing | Mountain ranges of Colorado |
| Coordinates | 39°07′03.9″N 106°26′43.29″W / 39.117750°N 106.4453583°W |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 80 mi (130 km) NW/SE |
| Geography | |
  Sawatch Range | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| Parent range | Rocky Mountains |
The Sawatch Range /səˈwɑːtʃ/ or Saguache Range[1][2][3] is a high and extensive mountain range in central Colorado which includes eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains, including Mount Elbert, at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) elevation, the highest peak in the Rockies.
The range is oriented along a northwest–southeast axis, extending roughly 80 miles (130 km) from 39°37′36″N 106°32′13″W / 39.62667°N 106.53694°W in the north to 38°5′51″N 106°3′48″W / 38.09750°N 106.06333°W in the south. The range contains fifteen peaks in excess of 14,000 feet (4,267 m), also known as fourteeners. The range forms a part of the Continental Divide, and its eastern side drains into the headwaters of the Arkansas River. The western side of the range feeds the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River, the Eagle River, and the Gunnison River, tributaries of the Colorado River.
The Sawatch mountains in general are high, massive, and relatively gentle in contour. While some peaks are rugged enough to require technical climbing, most can be climbed by a simple, yet arduous hike. Notable summits include Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, La Plata Peak, Mount of the Holy Cross, and the Collegiate Peaks (Mounts Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Belford, and Oxford).
State Highway 82 traverses the range at Independence Pass (Colorado). It is also traversed by Cottonwood Pass, which connects the town of Buena Vista with Gunnison County. Both Independence Pass and Cottonwood Pass are over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), making them 2 of the highest passes in Colorado and are typically open only from late spring to mid autumn. Hagerman Pass is another pass to the north, connecting the Arkansas Headwaters near Leadville with the upper valley of the Fryingpan River. Hagerman Pass is traversable with four-wheel drive vehicles and on foot during summer and early autumn months. The range contains numerous hiking trails within the San Isabel National Forest and White River National Forest.
- ^ The place name "Saguache” is pronounced “Sawatch” /səˈwɑːtʃ/. This name derives from the Ute language noun "sawup" /səˈwʌp/ meaning "sand dunes" and is spelled using the Spanish language version of this name "Saguache".
- ^ Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition (1997), p. 1060 s.v. Sawatch Range.
- ^ Merkl, Dameon (February 26, 2013), "What's in a Colorado name pronunciation?", The Denver Post, retrieved March 7, 2013