Information Entries for Blanca Peak
Information Entries for Blanca Peak and Name History
Name History (Blanca Peak)
Title: Naming of Blanca Peak
Entered by: 14erFred
Added: 05/14/2010, Last Updated: 05/14/2010
Sources: Borneman, W.R., & Lampert, L.J. (1978). A climbing guide to Colorado's Fourteeners. Boulder, CO: Pruett Publishing Company. Hart, J.L.J. (1977). Fourteen thousand feet: A history of the naming and early ascents of the high Colorado peaks (Second Edition). Denver, CO: The Colorado Mountain Club.
The name "Sierra Blanca" (Spanish for "white sawtooth mountains") is used to designate the group of peaks that includes Blanca Peak, Little Bear Peak, Ellingwood Point, and Mt. Lindsey. The name probably refers to the snow that perpetually covers the tops of the highest peaks. Sierra Blanca was used to refer to this sub-range of the Sangre de Cristos as early as 1853, when Lieutenant E.G. Beckwith mentioned it in his report of the Gunnison Expedition. Blanca Peak is the name given to the highest summit of this group of mountains.
Name History (Ellingwood Point)
Title: Naming of Ellingwood Point
Sources: Borneman, W.R., & Lampert, L.J. (1978). A climbing guide to Colorado's Fourteeners. Boulder, CO: Pruett Publishing Company.
This summit was named for Albert R. Ellingwood, a pioneering member of the Colorado Mountain Club who was among the first to climb all of Colorado's 14ers. Ellingwood was born in Iowa in 1888, attended high school in Colorado Springs, and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to England's Oxford University, where he learned the skills of technical rock climbing. He was a professor of political science at Colorado College (Colorado Springs), at Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL), and Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). He was an Assistant Dean at Northwestern University until his death in 1934.
Ellingwood made numerous first ascents in Colorado, including those of Kit Carson Peak, Crestone Needle, and Crestone Peak, the last of Colorado's 14ers to be climbed (in July 1916). He also made the first ascent of Lizard Head, Middle Teton, and South Teton, as well as the third ascent of the Grand Teton. In addition, he made the first ascent of Ellingwood Arete on the northeast face of Crestone Needle. Ellingwood Ridge, the spectacular Northwest Ridge of La Plata Peak, was also named for Albert Ellingwood, who made its first ascent solo in 1921.
Name History (Little Bear Peak)
Title: Naming of Little Bear Peak
Sources: Hart, J.L.J. (1977). Fourteen thousand feet: A history of the naming and early ascents of the high Colorado peaks (Second Edition). Denver, CO: The Colorado Mountain Club.
Until 1916, Little Bear was known as "West Peak," because of its location just west of Blanca Peak. The mountain's official name was taken from a creek and lake on its west slopes.