Cerro Castellan

Cerro Castellan
West aspect
Highest point
Elevation	3,294 ft (1,004 m) [1] [2]
Prominence	955 ft (291 m) [1]
Isolation	3.07 mi (4.94 km) [3]
Coordinates	29°08′41″N103°29′51″W / 29.1446418°N 103.4973938°W / 29.1446418; -103.4973938 [4]
Geography
Cerro Castellan Location of Cerro Castellan in Texas Show map of Texas Cerro Castellan Cerro Castellan (the United States) Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Brewster
Protected area	Big Bend National Park [1]
Parent range	Chisos Mountains [1]
Topo map	USGS Cerro Castellan
Geology
Rock age	Oligocene
Mountain type	Butte
Rock type	Igneous rock
Climbing
Easiest route	class 4 [3]

Cerro Castellan is a 3,294-foot-elevation (1,004-meter) summit in Brewster County, Texas, United States.

Description

Cerro Castellan is part of the Chisos Mountains where it is set in Big Bend National Park and the Chihuahuan Desert. The top of the butte is a caprock composed of Burro Mesa Rhyolite which formed 29 million years ago during the Oligocene period. ^[5] The next lower layer of volcanic rock is composed of Wasp Spring Tuff of the Burro Mesa Formation, followed by Chisos Tuff and Bee Mountain Basalt of the Chisos Formation. ^[6] Based on the Köppen climate classification, the mountain is located in a hot arid climate zone with hot summers and mild winters. ^[7] Any scant precipitation runoff from the peak's slopes drains to the Rio Grande which is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the southwest. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 1,000 feet (305 m) above Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in one-half mile (0.8 km). The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on March 15, 1939, by the United States Board on Geographic Names. ^[4] The Spanish name Cerro Castellan may translate to "ruler of a castle on a hill," ^[8] or "castle-warden's hill" where castellan is the caretaker of a castle. ^[9] The iconic landmark is also known as Castolon Peak, and the former village of Castolon took its name from the nearby butte. ^{[8] [10]}

See also

• List of mountain peaks of Texas
• Geography of Texas

Gallery

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  West aspect
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  West aspect
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  East aspect
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  West aspect
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  Northwest aspect
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  North aspect

References

1. "Cerro Castellan, Texas". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
2. "Cerro Castellan, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved 2024-11-10.
3. "Cerro Castellan - 3,293' TX". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
4. "Cerro Castellan". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2024-11-10.
5. Gray, J.E., Geological, Geochemical, and Geophysical Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey in Big Bend National Park, Texas, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1327, p. 35, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
6. Crouching Mule - Hidden Canyon: A Trip Down the Maxwell Scenic Highway, Francis Redfern, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
7. 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.
8. Edward Callary, Texas Place Names, University of Texas Press, 2020, ISBN   9781477320662.
9. Cerro Castellan, Texas State Historical Association, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
10. Louis F. Aulbach, The Great Unknown of the Rio Grande, 2007, ISBN   9780976521358, p. 21.

External links

• Cerro Castellan: Weather