[ad#Google Adsense]There are 637 peaks in Colorado that are higher than 13,000 feet. More than half have no names or names that are not officially recognized by the USGS. In contrast, every peak over 13,000 feet in the Alps has a name. The neat thing is, if you know a peak that has no name, you can be the one to name it! Honest!

The U.S. government has a website with all the rules and regulations and a guideline to help you name any geographical feature (not just the unnamed peaks of Colorado). The Board of Geographic Names is in charge of officially selecting and keeping track of names in the United States.

Names of local features can also be changed, but only under rare conditions, such as derogatory names or duplications. For instance, many people in Phoenix, Arizona, felt the name Squaw Peak was rather insulting to the Native American tribes, of which there are many in the area. In 2008, the peak was renamed Piestewa Peak in honor of Army Specialist Lori Ann Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat in the service of her country.

There are some rules you will have to follow when naming your geographic feature (see the Policies section under Domestic Names)…

Don’t bother trying to name a peak after yourself or anyone living. A person must be dead five years before the government will consider a commemorating the individual and they should have made a significant contribution to the local area or to the geographic feature in question.

Derogatory names and inflammatory language are banned.

Within wilderness areas, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names will not approve proposed names for unnamed features. The purpose of wilderness areas is to minimize human impact. They are basically there to preserve their unique natural, scenic, educational, scientific, and primitive values. So no names unless an overriding need exists, such as for purposes of safety, education or area administration.

An endorsement from a local board or commission or organization is also helpful when submitting a name for approval from the Board. Simply download the sample form as a guideline. When you complete all the information needed, send the form by e-mail or regular mail to:

email: vog.sgsunull@CEXENGB

Mail:
U.S. Board on Geographic Names
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192-0523
(703) 648-4552
Fax: (703) 648-4549

Here’s one more thought for you about why you should look into naming the nameless — people in your area may have been calling a 13,000-footer by a name for years, but it might not be officially recognized by the Board on Geographic Names, so why not fix that and make it official!