Snowden Mountain Explained

Snowden Mountain
Elevation Ft:6420.
Elevation Ref:[1]
Prominence Ft:1670.
Prominence Ref:[2]
Isolation Mi:5.64
Range:Brooks Range
Philip Smith Mountains
Parent Peak:Peak 6450
Location:Yukon–Koyukuk
Alaska, United States
Map:USA Alaska
Label Position:left
Coordinates:67.7976°N -149.6956°W
Coordinates Ref:[3]
Topo:USGS Chandalar D-6 SE
Rock:schist, phyllite, marble[4]

Snowden Mountain is a 6420feet mountain summit located in the Brooks Range, in the U.S. state of Alaska.

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 4700abbr=offNaNabbr=off 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.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. USGS topographic map
  2. Web site: Snowden Mountain - 6,420' AK. listsofjohn.com. 2021-12-04.
  3. 1409834. Snowden Mountain. 2021-12-04.
  4. William R. Diel, 1993, Riches from the Earth: A Geologic Tour Along the Dalton Highway, Alaska,, page 65.
  5. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Donald J. Orth author, United States Government Printing Office (1967), page 893.
  6. Peel, M. C. . Finlayson, B. L. . McMahon, T. A. . 2007 . Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification . Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. . 11 . 1027-5606.