{{Short description|Mountain in Colorado, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Sayres Benchmark | image = Sayres Benchmark, north.jpg | image_caption = North face in winter | elevation_ft = 13746 | elevation_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn">{{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/157|title=Sayres Benchmark - 13,746' CO|website=listsofjohn.com|access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> | prominence_ft = 968 | prominence_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn"/> | isolation_mi = 1.92 | isolation_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn"/> | parent_peak = La Plata Peak (14,343 ft)<ref name="listsofjohn"/> | country = United States | state = Colorado | region = Chaffee | region_type = County | part_type = Protected area | part = Collegiate Peaks Wilderness | range = Rocky Mountains<br />Sawatch Range<br />Collegiate Peaks<ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger|pid=16704|title=Sayres Benchmark, Colorado|access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> | map = USA Colorado#USA | map_caption = Location in Colorado | coordinates = {{coord|39.009374|N|106.497738|W|type:mountain_region:US-CO_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref =<ref name="pb"/> | topo = USGS ''Mount Elbert'' | rock = | age = | first_ascent = | easiest_route = {{YDS|2}} hiking<ref name="listsofjohn"/> }}
'''Sayres Benchmark''' is a {{convert|13746|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} mountain summit in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States.
==Description== Sayres Benchmark is located {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} east of the Continental Divide in the Collegiate Peaks which are a subset of the Sawatch Range. The mountain is set on the boundary of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness on land managed by San Isabel National Forest.<ref name="listsofjohn"/> The highest peak in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains, Mount Elbert, is {{convert|7.46|mi|km}} north-northeast of Sayres Benchmark, and the fifth-highest, La Plata Peak, is less than two miles to the northeast.<ref name="pb"/> Sayres ranks as the 130th-highest summit in Colorado.<ref name="listsofjohn"/> Precipitation runoff from the mountain's south slope drains into Clear Creek, whereas the north slope drains to Lake Creek, and both are tributaries of the Arkansas River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises {{convert|2950|ft|0}} above North Fork Clear Creek in {{convert|1.5|mi|km}}. An ascent of Sayres involves 10 miles of hiking with 3,500-feet of elevation gain.<ref name=High13>Mike Garratt, Bob Martin (1984), ''Colorado's High Thirteeners'', Johnson Books, {{ISBN|9780917895395}}, p. 39.</ref> In winter the peak offers excellent ski mountaineering on its rugged north face.<ref>Ben Conners, Brian Miller, ''Climbing and Skiing Colorado's Mountains: Over 50 Select Ski Descents'', Rowman & Littlefield (2020), {{ISBN|9781493046737}}, p. 175.</ref>
==Climate== According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sayres Benchmark is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.<ref name=KGcc2007>{{Cite Köppen-Geiger cc 2007}}</ref> Due to its elevation, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.
== Gallery == <div style="max-width: 470px;"> <gallery mode=slideshow> File:Sayres Benchmark.jpg|North face File:Sayres Benchmark, Colorado.jpg|Southeast aspect File:Sayres Benchmark in winter.jpg|Sayres Benchmark in winter </gallery> </div>
==See also== *{{Portal-inline|Mountains|size=tiny}} *{{C|Mountains of Chaffee County, Colorado}} *Thirteener
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=KL0812 National Geodetic Survey data sheet]
{{Geographic Location 2 | Center = Sayres Benchmark | North = Mount Elbert | Northeast = La Plata Peak | East = Mount Blaurock | Southeast = Winfield | South = Winfield Peak | Southwest = Continental Divide | West = Sayres Gulch | Northwest = Star Mountain }} {{Mountains of Colorado}}
Category:Mountains of Chaffee County, Colorado Category:San Isabel National Forest Category:Four-thousanders of the United States