Squaretop Mountain

Last updated
Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain, WY.jpg
Squaretop Mountain, northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation 11,695 ft (3,565 m) [1]
Prominence 655 ft (200 m) [1]
Parent peak Peak 11830 [2]
Isolation 2.17 mi (3.49 km) [2]
Coordinates 43°13′25″N109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°W / 43.22361; -109.79083 [3]
Geography
USA Wyoming location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Squaretop Mountain
Location in Wyoming
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain (the United States)
Location Sublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent range Wind River Range
Topo map USGS Squaretop Mountain
Geology
Type of rock Migmatite [4]
Climbing
First ascent < 1921 by William Stroud [1]
Easiest route class 2 hiking [2] SE ledges

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

Contents

Geography

The peak is the emblematic geographical feature of the remote Wind River Range and is set seven miles west of the Continental Divide. [5] It is situated in the Bridger Wilderness on land managed by Bridger-Teton National Forest. Topographic relief is significant as the northeast aspect rises 3,700 feet (1,100 meters) above the Green River in one-half mile. The iconic view of Squaretop and Green River Lakes has been on the Wyoming license plate since 2016.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Squaretop Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers. [6] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north into the Green River.

Climbing

The first ascent of Squaretop was made sometime before 1921 by William John Stroud (1854–1946), via the class 2 southeast ledges. Fred Beckey and Layton Kor climbed the Northeast Face in 1960. [7]

Other established climbing routes on Squaretop's walls: [8]

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. [9] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures. [10]

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, [11] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), [12] 2015 [13] and 2018. [14] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain [15] in 2005, [16] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. [17] 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">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.

<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">Pingora Peak</span> Granite peak in Wyoming, USA

Pingora Peak is a prominent granite peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is one of the pinnacles that forms the Cirque of the Towers. Pingora Peak is in the Popo Agie Wilderness and part of the Wind River Range within the greater Shoshone National Forest. The Northeast Face route on Pingora Peak is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.

Flagstone Peak is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the 12th highest peak in Wyoming. The summit is located on the Continental Divide and is in both Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. The Flagstone Peak-Southeast Peak lies .25 mi (0.40 km) to the southeast.

Torrey Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Torrey Peak is in Shoshone National Forest near the southern end of Upper Ross Lake.

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

Klondike Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 4 mi (6.4 km) north of Gannett Peak, Klondike Peak is within the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and west of the Continental Divide. The summit of Klondike Peak is partially capped by a small glacier and the northwest flank of the peak is the origination point of J Glacier, while Sourdough Glacier lies just to the northeast. Klondike Peak is the 26th tallest peak in Wyoming.

Knife Point Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 2.7 mi (4.3 km) southeast of Fremont Peak, Knife Point Mountain is on the Continental Divide. North of Knife Point Mountain is the origination point of Knife Point Glacier, while Harrower Glacier lies just to the west. Knife Point Mountain is the 32nd tallest peak in Wyoming.

Bow Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 1 mi (1.6 km) west of American Legion Peak, Bow Mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. Stroud Glacier lies just to the north of the peak. Bow Mountain is the 29th tallest peak in Wyoming.

Brown Cliffs North is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Brown Cliffs North is the 18th tallest peak in Wyoming. The summit is at the northwestern end of a ridge known as Brown Cliffs which are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

Harrower Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming, and it is the 28th tallest mountain in the state. Harrower Peak is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and the Harrower Glacier is less than .50 mi (0.80 km) northeast of the peak.

Split Mountain is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Split Mountain is the 22nd highest peak in Wyoming. Split Mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and is about .70 mi (1.13 km) northwest of Twin Peaks and 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of Mount Whitecap. Mammoth Glacier is on the northeast slopes of the peak while the smaller Baby Glacier flows down from a spur to the northwest.

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

Raid Peak is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, 1.25 mi (2.01 km) west of the Continental Divide and .85 mi (1.37 km) south of Mount Bonneville. The east face of Raid Peak has one of the most spectacular cliff faces in the Wind River Range, rising almost 2,000 ft (610 m) above an unnamed lake with 1,700 ft (520 m) of that being a nearly sheer wall which is rated at class 5.8 and Grade IV-V. Most ascents up this face take at least a day if not two days.

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

Mount Hooker is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mount Hooker was named for Joseph Dalton Hooker, the prominent 19th-century British botanist and explorer. The north and east slopes of Mount Hooker present some of the tallest and steepest vertical cliffs in Wyoming, and the peak is also remote, being more than 20 mi (32 km) from a road. The formidable 1,800-foot (550 m) north face of Mount Hooker was first climbed in 1964 by Yosemite Valley climber Royal Robbins, along with Dick McCracken and Charlie Raymond, who took over three days to scale the cliff face. In 2013, a team free climbed one pitch rated at class 5.14a, grade VI during a multiple-day ascent requiring five other pitches rated above 5.12.

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

Atlantic Peak is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Atlantic Peak sits along the Continental Divide, less than 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of West Atlantic Peak.

Big Sandy Mountain is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Big Sandy Mountain sits along the Continental Divide, less than 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of Dog Tooth Peak.

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">White Rock (Wyoming)</span> Cliff in the American state of Wyoming

White Rock is a cliff with an 11,284-foot-elevation (3,439-meter) 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">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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Squaretop Mountain, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  2. 1 2 3 "Squaretop Mountain - 11,695' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  3. 1 2 "Squaretop Mountain". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN   9781493001354, page 33.
  5. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN   9781493001354, page 37.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Fred Beckey, 1961, North America, United States, Wyoming—Wind River Range, Northeast Face, Squaretop Americanalpineclub.org
  8. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN   9781493001354, pages 110–115, 419.
  9. ↑ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  10. ↑ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  11. ↑ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  13. ↑ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  14. ↑ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  15. ↑ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  16. ↑ Staff (July 22, 2005). "Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain". PineDaleOnline News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  17. ↑ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.