John Harvey Butchart was an American hiker and mathematican who was well known for his exploits in and around the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States. Beginning in 1945, Butchart explored the Grand Canyon's backcountry on foot. He wrote extensively about his adventures and influenced generations of canyoneers.
Excalibur is a formation on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Coconino County, Arizona. It was named by cartographer and geologist François E. Matthes in 1908 for Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur which was given to him by the Lady of the Lake. Other features in the area include the Holy Grail Temple, King Arthur Castle, Guinevere Castle, Elaine Castle, and Galahad Point whose names refer to the Arthurian legend. The name probably refers to a spire near the summit of the promontory which might resemble the handle of Excalibur.
Wotans Throne is a 7,721-foot-elevation (2,353-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County, Arizona, US. It is situated one mile immediately southwest of the Cape Royal overlook on the canyon's North Rim, 1.7 miles west-southwest of Freya Castle, two miles west-northwest of Vishnu Temple, and five miles east of Zoroaster Temple. It rises 5,200 feet above the Colorado River.
Holy Grail Temple is a 6,711-foot-elevation (2,046-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated seven miles north-northeast of Havasupai Point, and two miles west-northwest of King Arthur Castle, within the Shinumo Amphitheater. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 4,500 feet above the Colorado River in three miles. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Holy Grail Temple is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining south to Shinumo Creek, which flows west to the Colorado River.
Gunther Castle is a 7,199-foot-elevation (2,194-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated three miles northwest of Chuar Butte, between Kwagunt Valley to the north, and Chuar Valley to the south. Topographic relief is significant as it rises nearly 4,500 feet above the Colorado River in three miles.
Steamboat Mountain is a 7,410-foot-elevation (2,260-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated four miles northwest of Holy Grail Temple, and 2.5 miles west-southwest of Timp Point on the North Rim. George Wharton James described it as a "majestic butte", nearly encircled by Galloway and Saddle Canyons. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 5,400 feet above the Colorado River in three miles. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Steamboat Mountain is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining west to the Colorado River via Tapeats Creek and Stone Creek. This feature's name was officially adopted in 1932 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Freya Castle is a 7,288-foot-elevation (2,221-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated one mile southeast of the Cape Royal overlook on the canyon's North Rim, 1.5 mile north of Vishnu Temple, and 1.7 mile northeast of Wotans Throne. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 3,400 feet above the Unkar Valley in one mile.
Diana Temple is a 6,683-foot-elevation (2,037-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated nine miles northwest of Grand Canyon Village, and immediately northeast of Mescalero Point. Pollux Temple is one mile northwest, Marsh Butte one mile east-northeast, and Vesta Temple is one mile south. Topographic relief is significant as Diana Temple rises nearly 4,300 feet above the Colorado River in less than two miles. Diana Temple is named for Diana, the goddess of the hunt and the moon according to Roman mythology. Clarence Dutton began the practice of naming geographical features in the Grand Canyon after mythological deities. The U.S. Geological Survey applied the name, and this geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1908 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. In the early 1900s this mesa was sometimes called "No Mans Land". According to the Köppen climate classification system, Diana Temple is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone.
Geikie Peak is a 5,005-foot (1,526 m)-elevation summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is situated nine miles (14 km) northwest of Grand Canyon Village, immediately north of Diana Temple, and south of Scorpion Ridge which lies across the opposite side of Granite Gorge. Access is via the Tonto Trail which traverses 270 degrees around the base of the peak. Topographic relief is significant as Geikie Peak rises over 2,600 feet (790 m) above the Colorado River in one-half mile (0.80 km). According to the Köppen climate classification system, Geikie Peak is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone.
Newberry Butte is a 5,105-foot-elevation (1,556-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated 4.5 miles north of the South Rim's Grandview Point, three miles southwest of Vishnu Temple, and 2.5 miles south of Wotans Throne. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 2,500 feet above the Colorado River and Granite Gorge in one mile. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Newberry Butte is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone.
Solomon Temple is a 5,121-foot-elevation (1,561-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, USA. It is situated four miles north of Moran Point, 3.5 miles east of Newberry Butte, and 1.5 mile southeast of Rama Shrine, its nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 2,500 feet above the Colorado River in less than one mile.
Alsap Butte is a 7,494-foot-elevation (2,284-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon in Coconino County of northern Arizona, Southwestern United States. It is situated two miles north of the Roosevelt Point on the canyon's North Rim, where it towers 3,700 feet above Nankoweap Canyon. Its nearest higher neighbor is Brady Peak, one mile to the southwest, with Hancock Butte and Mount Hayden set to the northwest, and Colter Butte two miles to southeast. Alsap Butte is named after John T. Alsap, a pioneer and politician of the Arizona Territory who served as the first mayor of Phoenix, and is known as "Father of Maricopa County". The geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Alsap Butte is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone. Alsap Butte is composed of Pennsylvanian-Permian Supai Group overlaying cliff-forming Mississippian Redwall Limestone, which in turn overlays slope-forming Cambrian Tonto Group. Precipitation runoff from this feature drains northeast into the Colorado River via Nankoweap Creek.
Butchart Butte is a 7,602-foot (2,317 m)-elevation summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is situated on the North Rim, midway between Gunther Castle and Siegfried Pyre, and between the Chuar and Kwagunt Valleys. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above the Colorado River in five miles.
King Arthur Castle is a 7,344-foot-elevation (2,238-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated one-half mile northwest of Guinevere Castle, one mile west of Excalibur, and two miles east-southeast of Holy Grail Temple, within the Shinumo Amphitheater. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 5,100 feet above the Colorado River in 4.5 miles (7.2 km). According to the Köppen climate classification system, King Arthur Castle is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining west to the Colorado River via Shinumo Creek.
Lyell Butte is a 5,362-foot (1,634 m) elevation summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is situated six miles (9.7 km) east of Grand Canyon Village, immediately east of and below Shoshone Point, and 1.5 mile southeast of Newton Butte, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as Lyell Butte rises 2,800 feet (850 m) above the Colorado River in 1.5 mile. Access is via the Tonto Trail which traverses the base of the peak. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Lyell Butte is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining northeast to the Colorado River via Grapevine and Boulder Creeks.
Sinking Ship is a 7,344-foot (2,238 m) elevation summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. This butte is situated 1.7 miles (2.7 km) southeast of the Grandview Point overlook on the canyon's South Rim, and 1.25 miles (2.01 km) southwest of Coronado Butte. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 4,800 feet (1,500 m) above the Colorado River in 4 miles (6.4 km). According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sinking Ship is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone.
Fan Island is a 5,092-foot-elevation (1,552-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated two miles south of Dutton Point, 2.5 miles west-northwest of Dox Castle, and 1.6 miles south-southwest of Masonic Temple. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 2,900 feet above the Colorado River in one mile (1.6 km). Fan Island was so named because the flat top resembles an unfolded hand fan. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Fan Island is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining south to the Colorado River via Hakatai Canyon from the west aspect, and Burro Canyon from the east aspect. This butte is an erosional remnant composed of Redwall Limestone overlaying the Tonto Group.
Masonic Temple is a 6,242-foot-elevation (1,903-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. Set below Dutton Point on the Powell Plateau, and overlooking the Shinumo Amphitheater, it is situated three miles west of Holy Grail Temple, 2.7 miles northwest of Dox Castle, and 1.6 miles north-northeast of Fan Island. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 4,000 feet above the Colorado River in four miles (6.4 km). According to the Köppen climate classification system, Masonic Temple is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, with precipitation runoff draining south to the Colorado River via Hakatai Canyon from the west aspect, Burro Canyon from the south aspect, and Muav Canyon from the east aspect. This butte is an erosional remnant composed of strata of the Pennsylvanian-Permian Supai Group overlaying the conspicuous cliffs of Mississippian Redwall Limestone, in turn overlaying the Cambrian Tonto Group.
Guinevere Castle is a 7,281-foot-elevation (2,219 meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated one-half mile southeast of King Arthur Castle, one mile west of Excalibur, and 2.5 miles northeast of Evans Butte, within the Shinumo Amphitheater. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 5,000 feet above the Colorado River in 4.5 miles, and 2,600 feet above Gawain Abyss in one mile. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Guinevere Castle is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone.
Elaine Castle is a 7,431-foot-elevation (2,265 meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated three miles north-northwest of King Arthur Castle near the head of Shinumo Creek, and immediately southwest of Lancelot Point. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 2,800 feet above Merlin Abyss in one mile. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Elaine Castle is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone.
