Sheep Rock (Arches National Park)

Last updated
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock - Arches NP.jpg
East aspect
Highest point
Elevation 4,564 ft (1,391 m) [1]
Prominence 254 ft (77 m) [1]
Parent peak Tower of Babel (4,655 ft) [1]
Isolation 0.20 mi (0.32 km) [1]
Coordinates 38°38′22″N109°36′22″W / 38.6394252°N 109.6062297°W / 38.6394252; -109.6062297 [2]
Geography
USA Utah relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Sheep Rock
Location in Utah
Usa edcp relief location map.png
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Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State Utah
County Grand
Protected area Arches National Park
Parent range Colorado Plateau [3]
Topo map USGS The Windows Section
Geology
Rock age Jurassic
Mountain type Butte
Rock type Entrada Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent 1986
Easiest route class 5.8 climbing [1]

Sheep Rock is a 4,564-foot-elevation (1,391-meter) pillar in Grand County, Utah. It is located within Arches National Park and like many of the rock formations in the park, it is composed of Entrada Sandstone, specifically the Slick Rock Member overlaying the Dewey Bridge Member. [4] The tower is 440 feet tall, [5] and is approximately 0.15 mile (0.24 km) from the main park road. Sheep Rock is believed to be a remnant abutment of an ancient fallen arch. [6] Precipitation runoff from Sheep Rock drains to the nearby Colorado River via Courthouse Wash. This landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names. [2]

Contents

Climbing

The first ascent of the summit was made October 2, 1986, by Charlie Fowler and Kyle Copeland via the class 5.9 Buggers Banquet route on the west face. [5] [7] Another route is the class 5.8 Virgin Wool, first climbed in November 1986 by Jim Bodenhamer and Sandy Fleming. [8]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sheep Rock is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers. [9] Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to experience Arches National Park, when highs average 60 to 80 °F (15 to 25 °C) and lows average 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C). Summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F (40 °C). Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C), and lows averaging 0 to 20 °F (−20 to −5 °C). As part of a high desert region, it can experience wide daily temperature fluctuations. The park receives an average of less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sheep Rock - 4,564' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  2. 1 2 "Sheep Rock". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  3. ↑ "Sheep Rock, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  4. ↑ Stanley William Lohman, The Geologic Story of Arches National Park, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975, p. 65.
  5. 1 2 Desert Climbing, Eric Bjørnstad, American Alpine Journal, 1987, americanalpineclub.org
  6. ↑ Utah's National Parks, Ron Adkison, Wilderness Press, 2001, ISBN   9780899972428, p. 206.
  7. ↑ First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  8. ↑ Virgin Wool, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  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 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi: 10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 . ISSN   1027-5606. S2CID   9654551.
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