Lake. Bruno Rossi and Giuseppe Cocconi were among those involved. In 1965, the Midwestern Universities Research Association began doing high-energy physics experiments on the summit using cosmic rays to explore energies above those accessible with the most powerful particle accelerators of the day. The first experiments were conducted in a semi-trailer, and then in 1966, a temporary laboratory building was erected near the summit. This building was moved to Echo Lake that fall, where research continued until 1972. The University of Denver erected the 0.6m (24 inch) Ritchey–Chrétien telescope in its summit laboratory in 1972. This was used to observe comets Kohoutek and Halley in 1972 and 1986. In 1996, the university finished construction on the Meyer–Womble Observatory, near the site of the A-frame laboratory buildings. At 14,148 feet (4,312 m) this was, from 1972 to 1999, the world's highest optical observatory. It is now the third-highest. Mount Evans has also been the site of significant research in the life sciences. In 1940, for example, it was the site of a significant study of high-altitude physiology. Pioneering studies on the effects of altitude training on track athletes were conducted on Mount Evans in 1966. Mount Evans Road is also noteworthy as a high-altitude vehicle testing venue for auto manufacturers. With full visibility on a public road, most manufacturers' road test teams tend to conceal their designs with various creative styles of camouflage, e.g. wild zebra paint motif, possibly paired with other temporary body coverings. Naming controversy Mount Evans is named after territorial Governor John Evans, instigator of the Sand Creek Massacre, which resulted in the death of between 150 and 500 Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans, most of whom were elderly, women, and children. Attempts have been made to change the name in Colorado due to the history and actions of Governor Evans. In 2020, Governor Polis established The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board, which included Mount Evans for a possible renaming. On November 17, 2022, the panel recommended unanimously that the name be changed to Mount Blue Sky at the request of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. See also List of mountain peaks of North America List of mountain peaks of the United States List of mountain peaks of Colorado List of Colorado fourteeners Mount Evans Scenic Byway — Colorado State Highway 5 Mount Evans Hill Climb References External links Mount Evans on 14ers.com www.mountevans.com Mount Evans on Distantpeak.com