Colorado 14er Gets New Name

Mount Blue Sky is the mountain formerly known as Mount Evans, effective immediately

Image: Jim Glab, Adobe Stock

On September 15, 2023, the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) approved the federal use of Mount Blue Sky for the mountain formerly named Mount Evans, a 14,265-foot peak located in Clear Creek County, Colorado (Cheyenne and Ute land). Mount Evans was named after John Evans, the Territorial Governor of Colorado from 1862 to 1865, who is tied to the Sand Creek Massacre, a horrifying event in which U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Native people, many of whom were women and children, on November 29, 1864. 

“Names matter. How we identify our public lands is an important opportunity to be inclusive and welcoming, and to make a lasting impact for future generations,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Michael Brain. 

Six different groups sent proposals to the board in the years leading up to the name change. The support included an official recommendation from Colorado Governor Jared Polis. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes applauded the name change:

“It is a huge step, not only for the Cheyenne and Arapaho people, but also for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Southern Ute Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and other allies who worked diligently to begin the healing process, bringing honor to a monumental and majestic mountain,” said Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Governor Reggie Wassana in a statement.

In recent years, there have been a string of changes from names harmful to Native communities, honoring that Indigenous people have lived on these lands for thousands of years.