Snowden Mountain
Snowden Mountain is a 6,420-foot-elevation (1,960-meter) mountain summit located in the Brooks Range, in the U.S. state of Alaska.
| Snowden Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Southwest aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,420 ft (1,957 m)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 1,670 ft (509 m)[2] |
| Parent peak | Peak 6450[2] |
| Isolation | 5.64 mi (9.08 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 67°47′51″N 149°41′44″W[3] |
| Geography | |
  Snowden Mountain Location of Sukakpak Mountain in Alaska | |
| Location | Yukon–Koyukuk Alaska, United States |
| Parent range | Brooks Range Philip Smith Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Chandalar D-6 SE |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Cambrian to Ordovician |
| Type of rock | schist, phyllite, marble[4] |
Description
The mountain is situated 13 miles north of Sukakpak Mountain, 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and 200 miles north-northwest of Fairbanks. The peak lies along the east side of the Dietrich River valley, and can be seen from the Dalton Highway which traverses the valley. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 4,700 feet (1,400 meters) above the river in two miles.
The peak is set in the Snowden Mountain Area of Critical Environmental Concern, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This ACEC is extremely rugged and was established to protect Dall sheep habitat on the southern slope of the Brooks Range.
The peak is named in association with Snowden Creek heading on its southeast slope, which in turn was named in 1939 by Robert Marshall for his Eskimo friend and hunting partner, Nutirwik, also known as Harry Snowden.[5] The name has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Snowden Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, winters, and short, cool summers.[6] Winter temperatures can drop below −30 °F with wind chill factors below −50 °F. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains west into the Dietrich River. The months June through August offer the most favorable weather for viewing and climbing.
References
- USGS topographic map
- "Snowden Mountain - 6,420' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- "Snowden Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- William R. Diel, 1993, Riches from the Earth: A Geologic Tour Along the Dalton Highway, Alaska, ISBN 9780930931100, page 65.
- Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Donald J. Orth author, United States Government Printing Office (1967), page 893.
- Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
External links
- Weather forecast: Snowden Mountain
- Harry Snowden photo