Overview
'Never Summer Peak' from the unnamed peak east of Howard Mountain.
'Never Summer Peak' is an unofficially named peak which resides 0.5 miles east of Lead Mountain in the Never Summer Mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. The name 'Never Summer Pk' was likely coined by Gerry Roach and is the name used in his
Rocky Mountain National Park Summits List. Other unofficial names for this peak include 'Jiffy Pop Peak' (the name used by Lisa Foster in her "RMNP The Complete Guide" book) and 'Cloudview Peak' (a name used by SummitPost member Mountain Jim in his
Annotated Never Summer Range Photo).
'Never Summer Peak' is bordered by Sawmill Creek to the north and Big Dutch Creek which runs through Hitchens Gulch to the south. The Grand Ditch flows 1.5 miles to the east. Started in 1890 and completed in 1936, the 14 mile long Grand Ditch delivers water from the west side of the Continental Divide to towns and farms on the east side. The existance and use of the Grand Ditch today remains controversial, with tension between the National Park Service and users of the water such as the town of Fort Collins.
The Continental Divide resides 0.5 miles to the west, 4 miles to the east, and again 40 miles to the west. The Continental Divides snakes in a big "S" pattern here such that water on the east side of the Divide drains into the Pacific and water on the west side of the Divide drains into the Atlantic.
'Never Summer Peak' does not appear on
Mountain Jim's Summits of Rocky Mountain National Park List because the peak does not have an official USGS name. It is the 39th tallest peak on
Gerry Roach's Rocky Mountain National Park Summits List. 'Never Summer Peak' has 458 feet of prominence above the saddle with its parent peak, Lead Mountain.
The summit provides incredible views of massive Mount Richthofen to the north, Lead Mountain to the west, Mount Cirrus to the southwest, Lake of the Clouds to the south, and the great expanse of Rocky Mountain National Park to the east.
Getting There
The easiest approach to 'Never Summer Mountain' involves starting at the
Colorado River Trailhead.
Red Tape
Green Mountain is within
Rocky Mountain National Park. Daily as well as annual passes are available.
Camping
Several
campgrounds are available in the Park, some of which allow reservations.
Backcountry camping is allowed in the Park in pre-defined backcountry campsites. Reservations are recommended, as some backcountry sites become reserved for the entire summer by March.
Seasons
'Never Summer Peak' can be ascended in all seasons.