I've been looking on the web for a map that shows the boundaries of the San Juan Mountains, the Cimarron Mountains, and the La Plata Mountains. There's plenty of maps that show generally where these mountains are, but I haven't found any that clearly show the boundaries of each of these mountain ranges. Does anyone have advice on where I might find such a map? Something online would be preferable, but if there's a map I can buy that would be okay too.
re: Cimarron Range. DK is exactly right. It's become a usage term to describe the mountains encompassed by the various branches of the Cimarron River, but nothing official.
Posted by Grant Collier on June 14, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Thanks for the replies. Are the "Cimarrons" then considered to be part of the San Juan Mountains? And are the La Platas a separate range from the San Juans. Or are they considered to be part of the San Juan Mountains.
I did see a map once delineating some but not all of the mountain ranges. I think it must have been in a book, though, as I can't find anything on the web.
Posted by Todd Caudle on June 14, 2007 at 11:03 PM
The San Juans is a patchwork of sub-ranges, the "Cimarrons" and La Platas among them. Just like the Sneffels Range, San Miguel Mountains, Needles, Grenadiers, West Needles, etc. Those mountains that are not part of a sub-range (Sunshine and Redcloud, and that whole area, for one instance of many) are simply part of the greater San Juans.
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on June 14, 2007 at 11:51 PM
Here's the best I found online. When I get home, I'll check my bookshelf. I'm certain I can do better.
Posted by Arthur Lund on June 15, 2007 at 12:12 AM
An interesting question.
I did a little research and did find one site that specifically lists the Cimmarons as part of the
San Juans: http://www.ryananderin.org/13ers/sanjuan.html
This site lists 7 different groups of mountains that make up the
San Juans.
Art,
The first site leaves out the La Platas in their list of San Juan ranges while including an "Ice Lake Group". I don't think they've paid too much attention to official geographic nomenclature.
Thanks for the feedback. I suppose I should know this but had never really thought about it. The 13ers.com map does give a good, if rough outline. Ironically enough, I probably found the best boundaries for the San Juans in one of my own books. I forgot I had a map showing the San Juans in there. I must be getting awfully old . And now I think the reference for that map may have been in the Roadside Geology of Colorado, which dilineated several ranges. I'll have to check the library for that book.
Thanks again for the feeback. I think my brain's uncluttered now .
Discussion
8 repliesThanks!
I did see a map once delineating some but not all of the mountain ranges. I think it must have been in a book, though, as I can't find anything on the web.
http://home.earthlink.net/~colorado_hiking/1_Hiking_topics/colo_mt_ranges_map.htm
As Todd said, the San Juans are pretty inclusive of just about any hill in SW Colorado.
I did a little research and did find one site that specifically lists the Cimmarons as part of the
San Juans: http://www.ryananderin.org/13ers/sanjuan.html
This site lists 7 different groups of mountains that make up the
San Juans.
The "official" 13ers site only lists 8 ranges.
http://www.13ers.com/mranges.html
Art L.
The first site leaves out the La Platas in their list of San Juan ranges while including an "Ice Lake Group". I don't think they've paid too much attention to official geographic nomenclature.
Thanks again for the feeback. I think my brain's uncluttered now