CRESTONE, Colo. (KOAA) — A team of surveyors is claiming they've discovered a new 14er in Colorado, potentially upending the records of thousands of mountain climbers who thought they had conquered all of the state's peaks over 14,000 feet.
The discovery centers on Crestone Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, long considered Colorado's seventh tallest peak. But new measurements suggest East Crestone Peak, located just 418 feet away, is actually 3.6 inches (0.3 ft) taller.
Eric Gilbertson, an associate professor at Seattle University who teaches mountain surveying, led the October 5 expedition that took precise measurements of both peaks. Gilbertson, who has a PhD in mechanical engineering from MIT and has climbed 137 of the highest mountains in every country, used specialized surveying equipment to challenge existing data.
"Because East Crestone is actually taller than Crestone, that means East Crestone is a ranked 14er, and Crestone is really just a subpeak," Gilbertson said.
Previous LiDAR data showed Crestone Peak at 14,302.1 feet and East Crestone at 14,297.9 feet. However, Gilbertson's team discovered that LiDAR equipment, which typically takes measurements from aircraft, can have accuracy issues with small, sharp summits like East Crestone's.
Gilbertson also noted how Crestone's LiDAR summit data seemed to indicate there was a spire of some sort on the summit, which he knew wasn't true based on having climbed it previously.
Using surveying devices placed simultaneously on both summits, Gilbertson's team found that Crestone Peak measures 14,299.0 feet, while East Crestone measures 14,299.3 feet.
"They're collecting data at the exact same time, so the atmospheric conditions are exactly the same. That increases the accuracy if you're comparing one to the other," Gilbertson said.
Gilbertson explained the measurements as satellites sending signals down to Earth with each receiver collecting the signals from multiple satellites for an extended period of time. The longer they received data, the more accurate it became.
Read more about his data collecting here.
The team initially intended to use taller antenna rods, but the wind almost blew one off a cliff, so they opted for smaller, one foot antennas instead.
The findings have gained support from some in the mountain climbing community. Chris Tomer, a meteorologist who has climbed and slept on every 14er summit, vouched for Gilbertson's credibility.
"I've known Eric Gilbertson for well over 10 years. I've done a lot of forecasting for Eric. He climbs around the world, but he's also a professor, and this is what he does full-time," Tomer said. "I have 100% confidence. If Eric says that this is legit, that East Crestone is the new 14er in that area, Crestone gets relegated," Tomer said.
In Gilbertson's pursuit of climbing the highest point in every country, he's made other discoveries along the way. In Saudi Arabia, he said his methods determined the official tall point in the country, which was previously disputed.
He's also determined Mount Rainier, the iconic 14er volcano in Washington state, has actually shrunk 22 feet due to glacial melting.
"I think climbing the 14ers, a lot of the things about them have become dogma, and sometimes they get questioned, but not a lot changes," said Tomer. "I think in the world of mountain climbing, things are kind of glacial and they move very slowly. I think this is actually big news. Eric flew in, under the dark of night, went up there with a couple of other guys, and just changed everything with this measurement."
The discovery raises questions about what officially constitutes a 14er. According to Lloyd Athearn, executive director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, the Colorado Mountain Club established a 300-foot rule almost a century ago.
"Between one high point and another high point, you have to drop down 300 feet to the low point of that connecting saddle, and if there's more than 300 feet, those are two separate mountains," Athearn said.
Athearn believes the discovery doesn't add a new 14er but rather shifts which peak gets the official designation.
"I think essentially what it does is say the name Crestone Peak applies to this point, not to that point," he said.
The U.S. Geological Survey and the Board of Geographic Names would likely need to make any official designation change. Gilbertson said with his previous discoveries, the USGS doesn't seem too interested in changing designations because of his work.
Meanwhile, Gilbertson has submitted his findings to a peer-reviewed academic journal. If his data is accepted, he said that's official enough for him.
When asked if other 14ers might face similar scrutiny, Gilbertson expressed confidence in the existing list.
"I don't think any of the main 14ers are gonna change at all. I think this was the only close one," he said.
Though he did point to features like Sunlight Spire in the San Juan Mountains, long held to be over 14,000 feet. Even if it tops the 14,000 foot mark, it still wouldn't be an official 14er he said.
Intriguingly, he did say there are some questionable peaks amongst Colorado's Centennials, which are the 100 tallest peaks in the state, that could end up changing with his methodology.
As for those thousands of peak baggers who've already climbed Crestone Peak and might have to now consider returning for the "true summit," Gilbertson said that probably isn't necessary.
"I think the general policy is to grandfather in any completers. If you already did them all, then you're good," he said. "But going forward, people should use the most accurate information."
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