Freya Castle

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Freya Castle
Freya Castle and Vishnu Temple.jpg
North aspect, from Angels Window Overlook
(Vishnu Temple upper right)
Highest point
Elevation 7,288 ft (2,221 m) [1]
Prominence 688 ft (210 m) [1]
Parent peak Wotans Throne (7,740 ft) [2]
Isolation 1.42 mi (2.29 km) [2]
Coordinates 36°06′40″N111°56′11″W / 36.1111594°N 111.9364970°W / 36.1111594; -111.9364970 Coordinates: 36°06′40″N111°56′11″W / 36.1111594°N 111.9364970°W / 36.1111594; -111.9364970 [3]
Geography
USA Arizona relief location map.svg
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Freya Castle
Usa edcp relief location map.png
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Freya Castle
Location Grand Canyon National Park
Coconino County, Arizona, US
Parent range Kaibab Plateau [1]
Colorado Plateau
Topo map USGS Cape Royal
Geology
Type of rock Coconino Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent 1962
Easiest route class 4 climbing [2]

Freya Castle is a 7,288-foot-elevation (2,221-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. [3] 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 (1,000 meters) above the Unkar Valley in one mile.

Contents

Freya Castle is named for Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr. [3] This name was applied by geologist François E. Matthes, in keeping with Clarence Dutton's practice of naming geographical features in the Grand Canyon after mythological deities. [4] [5] This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1906 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. [3]

The first ascent of the summit was made by Harvey Butchart and Allyn Cureton on June 24, 1962. [6] According to the Köppen climate classification system, Freya Castle is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone. [7]

Geology

The summit of Freya Castle is composed of cream-colored Permian Coconino Sandstone. [8] The sandstone, which is the third-youngest of the strata in the Grand Canyon, was deposited 265 million years ago as sand dunes. Below the Coconino Sandstone is soft, slope-forming, Permian Hermit Shale, which in turn overlays the Permian-Pennsylvanian- Supai Group. Further down are strata of Mississippian Redwall Limestone, Cambrian Tonto Group, and finally Proterozoic Unkar Group at creek level. [9] Precipitation runoff from Freya Castle drains south into the Colorado River via Vishnu Creek on its west side, and Unkar Creek on the east side.

See also

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From Cape Royal, directly southeast can be seen the massif and highpoint of Freya Castle, and southeasterly is massive Wotans Throne, which is a surviving section of the North Rim, with a Ponderosa Pine, forested, flat prominence. The cliffs of Cape Royal are composed of Kaibab Limestone, on erodible Toroweap Formation, upon white cliffs of Coconino Sandstone. The watershed drainage from Cape Royal, overlooks the Unkar Creek and Canyon to the south into the Colorado River, about 6 miles distant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manu Temple</span> Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

Manu Temple is a 7,184-foot-elevation (2,190-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is situated one mile south of the North Rim's Widforss Point, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of parent Buddha Temple, and three miles southwest of the North Rim's Bright Angel Point. Topographic relief is significant as it rises nearly 3,600 feet in two miles above Bright Angel Canyon to the east, and 2,200 feet in less than one mile above Haunted Canyon to the immediate west. Its neighbors include Brahma Temple and Deva Temple to the east on the opposite side of Bright Angel Canyon. From the South Rim of the canyon it may be difficult to discern Manu Temple from the walls of the Kaibab Plateau one mile behind it, but when the lighting and atmosphere are favorable, this butte of great proportions can be seen clearly defined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vesta Temple</span> Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

Vesta Temple is a 6,299-foot-elevation (1,920-meter) summit located in the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, US. It is situated eight miles west-northwest of Grand Canyon Village, and immediately northeast of Mimbreno Point. Marsh Butte is one mile northeast, Eremita Mesa immediately southeast, and nearest higher neighbor Diana Temple is one mile north. Topographic relief is significant as Vesta Temple rises 3,900 feet above the Colorado River in 2.5 miles. Vesta Temple is named for Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, home, and family according to Roman mythology. Clarence Dutton began the practice of naming geographical features in the Grand Canyon after mythological deities. This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1908 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Vesta Temple is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Arthur Castle</span> Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinking Ship (Grand Canyon)</span> Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guinevere Castle</span> Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

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.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 "Freya Castle – 7,288' AZ". Lists of John. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Freya Castle". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  4. Stephen J. Pyne, Voyager: Seeking Newer Worlds in the Third Great Age of Discovery, 2010, Penguin Group.
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