Endicott Mountains Explained

Endicott Mountains
Country:	United States
Region:	Alaska
Length Mi:	151
Length Orientation:	East-west
Width Mi:	70
Width Orientation:	North-south
Location:	center of range
Range Coordinates:	68.3667°N -170°W
Highest:	Mount Kiev
Elevation Ft:	7775
Coordinates:	68.3311°N -149.5469°W

The Endicott Mountains are a range of mountains, part of the Brooks Range in northern Alaska. They are located in the middle of the Brooks range and run some 151miles east - west. To the east are the Philip Smith Mountains and to the west are the Schwatka Mountains. The Endicott Mountains are separated from the Philip Smith Mountains by the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River, the Dalton Highway, and Atigun Pass. The Endicott Mountains are separated from the Schwatka Mountains by Walker Lake, the upper reaches of the West Fork of the Kobuk River (Kaluluktok Creek), Akabluak Pass, and the Noatak River. The Endicott Mountains are separated from the mountains north of the Schwatka by Lucky Six Creek, Gull Pass, Gull Creek, a portion of the Alatna River and the Killik River.

From south to north the Endicott Mountains present long, broad glaciated valleys with rounded hills between rising in the center of the range to steep tors and aretes. The northern slopes of the Endicotts are steeper and more heavily incised, before they give way to the Arctic Coastal Plain.

Peaks

Peaks in the Endicott Mountains include the Arrigetch Peaks, and highest to lowest:^[1]

Mount Kiev at 7775feet Thibedeau Mountain at 7539feet Mount Doonerak at 7457feet Cockedhat Mountain at 7410feet Caliban at 7181feet Xanadu at 7160feet Fan Mountain at 7090feet Dan Peak at 7055feet

Wichmann Tower at 6916feet Mount MacVicar at 6693feet Ariel Peak at 6685feet Boreal Mountain at 6654feet Mount Arthur Emmons at 6556feet Rumbling Mountain at 6510feet Iniakuk Peak at 6490feet Mount Stuver at 6286feet

Mayukuit Mountain at 6240feet Sillyasheen Mountain at 6188feet Bluecloud Mountain at 5903feet Gray Mountain at 5783feet Sirr Mountain at 5712feet Frigid Crags at 5501feet Plateau Mountain at 5322feet Natat Mountain at 5141feet

as well as a number of unnamed peaks over 7000 ft.

Geology

Above the crystalline basement PreCambrian and Paleozoic sediments that have undergone partial metamorphosis . Above these are middle Cambrian sediments and the well documented Kanayuk Conglomerate.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} The Kanayuk Conglomerate is a fluvial deposit, made by a river in its flood plain, and can be up to 8000feet thick. The Kanayuk Conglomerate began to be deposited in the Devonian and continued through into the Mississippian (early Carboniferous). It is believed to have formed a huge delta almost 500miles long and 30miles wide.

Further reading

• Handschy, James William (1989) Sedimentology and structural geology of the Endicott Mountains allochthon, central Brooks Range, Alaska PhD Thesis, Rice University, Abstract

External links

• "Endicott Mountains" from Peakbagger.com

Notes and References

1. These peaks may all be found at Peakbagger.com as well as on the Chandler Lake, Killik River, Survey Pass and Wiseman topographic maps of the United States Geological Survey.
2. Nilsen, T. H. and Moore, T. E. (1982) "Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the Kanayuk Conglomerate, Central and Western Brooks Range, Alaska—Report of the 1981 Field Season" United States Geological Survey Open file Report OF 82–674
3. Nilsen, T. H. and Moore, T. E. (1984) "Stratigraphic Nomenclature for the Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian(?) Kanayuk Conglomerate, Brooks Range, Alaska" U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1529-A, pp. Al-A64
4. Nilsen, T. H.; Moore, T. E.; Balin, D. F. and Johnson, S. Y. (1982) "Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the Kanayut Conglomerate, Central Brooks Range, Alaska—Report of 1980 Field Season" United States Geological Survey Open file Report OF 82–199
5. Nilsen, T. H.; Moore, T. E.; Brosgé, W. P. and Dutro, J. T., Jr. (1981) "Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the Kanayut Conglomerate and Associated Units, Brooks Range, Alaska: Report of the 1981 Field Season" United States Geological Survey Open file Report OF 81–506
6. Nilsen, T. H.; Moore, T. E.; Dutro, J. T., Jr.; Brosgé, W. P. and Orchard, D. M. (1980) "Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the Kanayuk Conglomerate and Associated Units, Central and Eastern Brooks Range, Alaska: Report of the 1978 Field Season" United States Geological Survey Open file Report OF 80–888
7. Harris, Ann G. et al. (2004) Geology of National Parks (6th edition) Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa, page 380,