SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO — The future of Kit Carson Mountain’s name remains uncertain as the Colorado Geographical Naming Advisory Board prepares to revisit the issue at its upcoming meeting on August 26. According to an update from the Center Post-Dispatch, the mountain, standing tall at 14,167 feet in the Sangre de Cristo range, has been at the center of a debate over its name since last year, with no resolution yet in sight.
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The push to rename the mountain stems from growing concerns about honoring Kit Carson, a 19th-century figure known for his violent actions against the Navajo and Apache tribes. Carson, a frontiersman, fur trapper, and U.S. Army officer, played a significant role in the forced relocation of Native American tribes during the westward expansion. His legacy, while prominent in American history, is increasingly seen as controversial, especially by those advocating for the removal of his name from public landmarks.
Kit Carson Mountain is home to three separate peaks, including Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point, and Columbia Point (both named in honor of the two space shuttle disasters and their crews).
The Colorado Geographical Naming Advisory Board, established by Governor Jared Polis in 2020, is tasked with evaluating and making recommendations on name changes, new names, and name controversies for geographic features and public places in the state. Governor Polis emphasized in a 2022 interview that local community input is a critical factor in the decision-making process, stating, “First, we give heavy weight to what local residents want… It starts with local residents” .
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Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
In November 2023, Saguache County Commissioners expressed support for a name change but did not propose a specific alternative. Since then, they have put forward several new names, but none have advanced due to conflicts with existing names in use. The commissioners have since shifted their focus to collaborating with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to uncover the mountain’s original name prior to colonization .
Saguache County Commissioner Liza Marron indicated that progress is being made. “We have been successful with connecting with a Ute representative from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Historic Preservation Office as well as the Assistant Director for Tribal Affairs at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources,” she stated in an August 7 message to the Valley Courier. Marron further shared that the Crestone Town Board is planning to invite Ute representatives to the area to discuss potential new names for the mountain, which she described as a “wish by most parties” to honor the region’s original inhabitants .
The Colorado Geographical Naming Advisory Board’s meeting on August 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. will be crucial in determining whether the mountain’s name will finally change or remain Kit Carson Mountain. The public can view the meeting via Zoom using Meeting ID 885 7290 3329 and Passcode 266179 .
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