El Diente Peak
El Diente Peak
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El Diente Peak

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El Diente Peak

El Diente Peak is a high summit in the San Juan Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,165-foot (4,317 m) peak is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, 10.5 miles (16.9 km) north by east (bearing 8°) of the Town of Rico in Dolores County, Colorado, United States. "El Diente" is Spanish for "The Tooth", a reference to the shape of the peak.

The topographic prominence of El Diente Peak is only 239 feet (73 m), so by a strict 300-foot (91 m) cutoff rule, it would not be counted as a separate peak from its higher neighbor Mount Wilson. However, the 3/4 mile (1.2 km) connecting ridge is a significant climbing challenge (Class 4/5), making El Diente more independent than its prominence would indicate. Hence, it is often regarded as a full-fledged fourteener.

El Diente is one of the more dramatic peaks in Colorado in terms of local relief and steepness. As a result, it is one of the most challenging climbs among Colorado's fourteeners. All routes involve at least class 3 scrambling on loose talus, and poor route-finding can expose the climber to more difficult and dangerous terrain.

As with all high peaks, El Diente has risks for climbers and mountaineers.

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