Odakota Mountain Explained

Odakota Mountain
Elevation Ft:7,198
Elevation Ref:[1]
Range:Black Hills
Location:Pennington County, South Dakota, US
Map:USA South Dakota
Map Size:200
Coordinates:43.9236°N -103.7544°W

Odakota Mountain is a mountain in western Pennington County, South Dakota, about west of Hill City. It is the 2nd highest point in the Black Hills and in South Dakota.

Until 1969, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names listed no name for this peak, though the Black Hills National Forest supervisor stated its name was Murphy Mountain. At that time, Evelyn Loretta Bradfelt bought a ranch near the mountain and petitioned the Board on Geographic Names to name it Odakota Mountain. She believed this word was an indigenous word meaning "establishment of peace". Professor Harvey Markowitz verified "Odakota" is a Dakota variant of Lakota words "olakota" and "wolakota", which carry the meaning of "friendship" or "alliance" or "peaceful relationship".

In May 2019, a professional surveyor found the mountain's highest point to be 7,197.70 feet above sea level on the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88) by taking precise GNSS measurements. The highest point and surrounding area is a flat area in the trees a short distance west of an outcropping of limestone which is slightly lower. A bench mark disk was set in concrete with a sign indicating the highest point.[2] [3]

References

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eight Over Seven: No. 2, Odakota Mountain. Tupper. Seth. Rapid City Journal. October 2, 2019. July 22, 2017.
  2. Web site: Odakota Mountain-The Elevation of South Dakota's 2nd Highest Point. October 8, 2019. penryfamily.com/odakotamountain/main.html. October 8, 2019.
  3. Web site: Surveyor: Odakota Mountain’s elevation lower than thought. June 3, 2019. KELOLAND.com. October 2, 2019.