The Elk mountains located north of Gunnison is north west of Sawatch Mountains and west of the Mosquito mountain range. The ElK mountains are relatively hard to reach for there are few major cities close by.

There are several outstanding wilderness areas contained or near the Elk mountains. They include Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness, the Raggeds and the West Elks Wilderness. Combined, all three regions provide the perfect introduction into Colorado's spectacular backcountry. These wilderness areas offer plenty of hiking and climbing opportunities for the expert and novice hikers and climbers.

There are two very distinct geological types of rock that are clearly evident in the Elk Mountains, the tertiary intrusives, and the stratified sedimentary. The whitish, gray rock of the tertiary intrusives is responsible for the sweeping, skinny ridges that connect point-to-point, evident in Snowmass Mountain.

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