Columbia Point
The Crestone Group as seen from Mount Adams. From left to right: Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak, Columbia Point, Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point.[1]
Elevation	13,980 ft (4,261 m)
Location	Colorado, United States
Range	Rocky Mountains, Sangre de Cristo Range
Coordinates	37°58′44″N, 105°35′51″W
Topo map	USGS Crestone Peak
Easiest route	Difficult class 2

Columbia Point is a 13,980 foot (4261m) subpeak of Kit Carson Peak. It was known informally as Kat Carson, but was officially named Columbia Point in 2003 to honor the seven astronauts who died when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry on February 1, 2003. Crestone Needle is one of the fourteeners of Colorado, in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Range. ... Crestone Peak (elevation 14,294 ft) is the seventh highest mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Kit Carson is one of three Crestone peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. ... Challenger Point is a mountain in the Sangre de Cristo range in southern Colorado. ... A topographical summit is a point on a surface which is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... A mountain range is a group of mountains bordered by lowlands or separated from other mountain ranges by passes or rivers. ... Moraine Lake, and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Banff National Park, British Colombia, Canada The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... The Sangre de Cristo Range is a narrow mountain range of the Rocky Mountains running north and south along the east side of the Rio Grande Rift in southern Colorado in the United States. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... It has been suggested that Topographic profile be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... Southern and northern Mount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. ... In mountaineering and related climbing sports, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that attempts to assess the difficulty and danger of climbing the route. ... Kit Carson is one of three Crestone peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Memorial

The USGS Board of Geographic Names approved the name of Columbia Point in June, 2003. On the weekend of August 7, 2003, a group consisting of family members, astronauts, friends and climbers installed a memorial plaque on the summit. The trip included a dedication service for the memorial, and an F16 flyby in missing man formation. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... A Geographic Names Board is an official body established by a government to decide on official names for geographical areas and features. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a modern multi-role jet fighter aircraft built in the United States and used by dozens of countries all over the world. ... The missing man formation flying over the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii The missing man formation is an aerial salute performed as part of a fly-over of aircraft at a funeral. ...

Today, we name a point in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Colorado in honor of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Seven brave astronauts perished during her final mission on February 1, 2003. Columbia Point is an appropriate honor for this shuttle's last voyage. Those who explore space in the days ahead may gaze back at Earth - and know that Columbia Point is there to commend a noble mission. The point looks up to the heavens and it allows us, once again, to thank our heroes who soared far beyond the mountain, traveled past the sky -- and live on in our memories forever.

—Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton^[2] The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior, concerned with such matters as national parks and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton Gale Ann Norton (born March 11, 1954) is the current 48th United States Secretary of the Interior, serving under President George W. Bush. ...

The plaque reads:

COLUMBIA POINT, 13,980'

In Memory of the Crew of Shuttle Columbia
Seven who died accepting the risk,
Expanding humankind's horizons
February 1, 2003
"Mankind is led into the darkness beyond
our world by the inspiration of discovery
and the longing to understand. Our
journey into space will go on."

President George W. Bush

See Also

• Kit Carson Peak
• Challenger Point

Kit Carson is one of three Crestone peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. ... Challenger Point is a mountain in the Sangre de Cristo range in southern Colorado. ...

References

1. ^ The name Kit Carson Mountain can be used to describe three summits: Columbia Point, Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point. It can also be used to describe the main summit only.
2. ^ http://www.doi.gov/news/030610a.htm Department of Interior Announcement on Columbia Point

External Links

• Information and photos of the memorial installation
• Summitpost.org Columbia Point climbing information