Roberts Mountain

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Roberts Mountain
Roberts Mountain.jpg
Southeast aspect (skyline, center)
Highest point
Elevation 12,774 ft (3,894 m) [1]
Prominence 1,588 ft (484 m) [1]
Parent peak Lizard Head Peak (12,847 ft) [1] [2]
Isolation 9.99 mi (16.08 km) [1]
Coordinates 42°54′55″N109°17′45″W / 42.9152045°N 109.2958711°W / 42.9152045; -109.2958711 [3]
Naming
Etymology Reverend John Roberts
Geography
USA Wyoming relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Roberts Mountain
Location in Wyoming
Usa edcp relief location map.png
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Roberts Mountain
Roberts Mountain (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State Wyoming
County Fremont
Protected area Wind River Roadless Area
Parent range Wind River Range [4]
Topo map USGS Roberts Mountain
Geology
Type of rock granitic gneiss [5]
Climbing
Easiest route class 2 [1]

Roberts Mountain is a 12,774-foot-elevation (3,894-meter) summit in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. [3]

Contents

Description

Roberts Mountain is located 2.5 miles east of the Continental Divide in the remote Wind River Range. It is the highest point in the Wind River Indian Reservation as well as the central portion of the range, [4] and it ranks as the 55th-highest in Wyoming. [1] Neighbors include Mount Lander, 2.54 miles to the south-southwest, and Pronghorn Peak 3.61 miles to the southwest. [4] Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 2,000 feet (610 meters) above Roberts Lake in 0.75 mile (1.2 km) and 2,700 feet (823 meters) above Lake Polaris in 0.75 mile (1.2 km). Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains to the Little Wind River. In August 1978, Fred Beckey, Doug Randall, and Mark Meng climbed a 1500-foot route on the mile-wide east face of this mountain. [5] This landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. [3] Reverend John Roberts (1853–1949) was a missionary to the Shoshone and Arapahoe peoples of the Wind River Indian Reservation area and he was the first principal of the reservation's school. [6]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Roberts Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers. [7] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer.

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. [8] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures. [9]

Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993, [10] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), [11] 2015 [12] and 2018. [13] A 54-year-old climber from Durango fell 400–800 feet to his death from Steeple Peak in 2017. [14] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near Squaretop Mountain in 2005, [15] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. [16] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wind River Range</span> Mountain subrange of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, United States

The Wind River Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately 100 mi (160 km). The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,802 ft (4,207 m), is the highest peak in Wyoming; and also Fremont Peak at 13,750 ft (4,191 m), the third highest peak in Wyoming. There are more than 40 other named peaks in excess of 12,999 ft (3,962 m). With the exception of the Grand Teton in the Teton Range, the next 19 highest peaks in Wyoming after Gannett are also in the Winds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cirque of the Towers</span> Landform in Wyoming, US

The Cirque of the Towers is located in the Wind River Range Wyoming, U.S., part of which is in the Bridger Wilderness in Bridger-Teton National Forest, while the remainder is in the Popo Agie Wilderness in Shoshone National Forest. Located in the southern section of the Wind River Range, the cirque is a very popular destination for technical rock climbers. Climber Orrin Bonney gave the area its current name in 1941 after his survey of the cirque. Prior to this, few if any visitors had ventured into the cirque due to the remote location. The cirque is an almost circular hole or valley carved by a glacier that retreated over 8,000 years ago. As is true with the rest of the Winds, the mountains are composed almost entirely of granite. The Continental Divide spans the crest of the main peaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizard Head Peak</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

Lizard Head Peak is in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated in Shoshone National Forest, Lizard Head Peak is the northeasternmost peak in the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area. Lizard Head Glacier is just WNW of the peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Helen (Wyoming)</span> Mountain in the American state of Wyoming

Mount Helen is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the fourth highest peak in the range and the fifth tallest in Wyoming. The summit is located in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, immediately west of the Continental Divide. The eastern flanks of the mountain are covered in snowfields and glaciers, including Helen and Sacagawea Glaciers, all of which are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

Turret Peak is the sixth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the fifth-highest in the Wind River Range. The Dinwoody Glacier is located on the northwest slope of the mountain, while the Helen Glacier is to the south. Turret Peak is estimated to be between 13,606 to 13,646 feet high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Sacagawea</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Mount Sacagawea is the eighth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the seventh-highest in the Wind River Range. It was named after Sacagawea, the young Lemhi Shoshone woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an interpreter and guide. The Upper Fremont Glacier is located southeast and the Sacagawea Glacier is northeast of the mountain. Straddling the Continental Divide, Mount Sacagawea is one mile (1.6 km) northwest of Fremont Peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson Peak (Fremont County, Wyoming)</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

Jackson Peak 13,523 feet (4,122 m) is the eighth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the seventh-highest in the Wind River Range. The Bull Lake Glacier is located immediately north and east of the mountain. Situated on the Continental Divide, Jackson Peak is .75 miles (1.21 km) southeast of Fremont Peak.

Three Waters Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Three Waters Mountain straddles the Continental Divide and is in both Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests. The mountain receives its name from being the triple point between the watersheds of the Colorado, Columbia, and Mississippi Rivers.

Downs Mountain is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Downs Mountain is the 15th highest peak in Wyoming. The summit is on the Continental Divide in both Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. The East Torrey Glacier is on the northern slopes of Downs Mountain, while Continental Glacier lies to the west and north and the Downs Glacier is 1 mi (1.6 km) to the south.

Shale Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Shale Mountain straddles the Continental Divide and is in both Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests. Shale Mountain is 5 mi (8.0 km) north of Downs Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchell Peak (Wyoming)</span> American mountain

Mitchell Peak is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mitchell Peak is on the southern side of the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area. Mitchell Peak sits along the Continental Divide, less than 1 mi (1.6 km) northwest of Dog Tooth Peak. The peak was named after Finis Mitchell a respected forester and mountain climber of the Wind River Range. In recognition of his many accomplishments, the U.S. Congress named the peak after Mitchell while he was still living.

Mount Chauvenet is a mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mount Chauvenet is 1.5 mi (2.4 km) northeast of Cathedral Peak in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Mount Chauvenet was one of the earliest peaks climbed by white explorers to the Wind River Range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squaretop Mountain</span> Mountain in the American state of Wyoming

Squaretop Mountain is an 11,695-foot-elevation (3,565-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haystack Mountain (Wyoming)</span> Mountain peak in Wyoming, US

Haystack Mountain is an 11,978-foot-elevation (3,651-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schiestler Peak</span> Mountain in the country of Canada

Schiestler Peak is an 11,624-foot-elevation (3,543-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeple Peak</span> Mountain in the country of Canada

Steeple Peak is a 12,040-foot-elevation (3,670-meter) summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spider Peak</span> Mountain in the American state of Wyoming

Spider Peak is a 12,234-foot-elevation (3,729-meter) mountain summit located in Fremont County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bollinger Peak</span> Mountain summit in Wyoming, USA

Bollinger Peak is a 12,232-foot-elevation (3,728-meter) mountain summit located on the shared border of Sublette County and Fremont County in the state of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladd Peak</span>

Ladd Peak is a 12,967-foot-elevation (3,952-meter) mountain summit in Sublette County, Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobbs Peak (Wyoming)</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States of America

Hobbs Peak is an 11,663-foot-elevation (3,555-meter) mountain summit in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Roberts Mountain - 12,774' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  2. ↑ "Roberts Mountain, Peakvisor.com" . Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  3. 1 2 3 "Roberts Mountain". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  4. 1 2 3 "Mount Roberts, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  5. 1 2 North America, United States, Wyoming, Mount Roberts, East Face, Wind River Range, Fred Beckey, 1979, American Alpine Journal, americanalpineclub.org
  6. ↑ Warren Murphy, The Reverend John Roberts, Missionary to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, Wyohistory.org, November 8, 2014.
  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. ↑ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org . Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  11. ↑ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  12. ↑ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  13. ↑ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ Nick Learned, Climber Falls to His Death in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, August 31, 2017, k2radio.com
  15. ↑ Staff (July 22, 2005). "Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  16. ↑ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
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