Greenhorn Mountain

Greenhorn Mountain sits near the northern edge of Spanish Peaks Country. Although the mountain’s summit is just 12,347 feet and only ranks as the 1,107 highest peak in the state, there isn’t a higher mountain for over forty miles, making its summit an ideal spot for a 360-degree view.

The endless vista of the Great Plains makes up the views to the east. The spectacular and rugged looking Sangre de Cristo Mountains dominate the view to the west. Looking south, the Spanish Peaks with their twin summits rule your vision, and Pikes Peak makes its appearance to the north

The following is an account of hiking Greenhorn Mountain:

Reaching the top of the North Peak only took an hour from the parking lot, but the trail led straight across the face of the rock pile that composed the peak. This was early October, and the wind was pretty stiff, especially at sunrise.

As soon as we crested the edge of the rockface, we were in a large bowl of grass and small shrubs. The going was very easy, but the wind was howling. The South Peak (12,346′) was across the mountaintop meadow, but when we reached the ridgeline, we’d have to walk for a mile, and the wind convinced us to be content with reaching the top of the North Peak (12,221′).