Capitol Butte

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Capitol Butte
Capitol Butte.jpg
West aspect
Highest point
Elevation 6,355 ft (1,937 m) [1] [2]
Prominence 1,455 ft (443 m) [1]
Parent peak Wilson Mountain (7,122 ft) [1]
Isolation 3.36 mi (5.41 km) [1]
Coordinates 34°53′10″N111°48′26″W / 34.8861582°N 111.8071347°W / 34.8861582; -111.8071347 [3]
Geography
USA Arizona relief location map.svg
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Capitol Butte
Location in Arizona
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Capitol Butte
Capitol Butte (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State Arizona
County Yavapai
Protected area Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness
Parent range Colorado Plateau [4]
Topo map USGS Wilson Mountain
Geology
Rock age Permian
Rock type(s) Coconino Sandstone
Schnebly Hill Formation
Climbing
Easiest route (class 3) [1] Southwest ridge

Capitol Butte is a 6,355-foot-elevation (1,937-meter) summit in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States.

Contents

Description

Capitol Butte is located three miles immediately northwest of Sedona in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness, on land managed by Coconino National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Lost Wilson Mountain 3.1 miles (5 km) to the north-northeast. [1] [4] Precipitation runoff from this feature drains to Oak Creek which is part of the Verde River watershed. [4] Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 1,700 feet (518 meters) above West Sedona in 0.6 mile (1 km). Capitol Butte is composed of light-colored Coconino Sandstone overlaying reddish Schnebly Hill Formation. [5]

Etymology

The landform's toponym was officially adopted in 1971 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. [2] It is unknown how the butte came to be called "Capitol," [6] however it does resemble a capitol dome in appearance. [7] Previous variant names for the landform included Capital Butte, Gray Mountain, Grayback Mountain, and Judge Oteys Tombstone. [3] Locals call it "Thunder Mountain." [8]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Capitol Butte is located in a temperate semi-arid climate zone. [9] Climbers can expect afternoon rain and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Capitol Butte - 6,355' AZ". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  2. 1 2 United States Board on Geographic Names, Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States, Decision List No. 7102, 1971, page 1.
  3. 1 2 "Capitol Butte". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Capitol Butte, Arizona". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ↑ Bruce Grubbs, Hiking Northern Arizona: A Guide to Northern Arizona's Greatest Hiking Adventures, Rowman & Littlefield, 2021, ISBN   9781493053384, p. 195.
  6. ↑ Will Croft Barnes, Arizona Place Names, University of Arizona Press, 2016, ISBN   9780816534951, p. 76.
  7. ↑ Wayne Ranney, Sedona Through Time: Geology of the Red Rocks, Red Lake Books, 1993, ISBN   9780961167899, p. 83.
  8. ↑ Bruce Grubbs, Best Easy Day Hikes Sedona, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, ISBN   9781493041169, p. 79.
  9. ↑ 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.
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