Block Tower
Block Tower | |
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![]() Watch Tower, Block Tower (centered), Sharks Nose, Overhanging Tower | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 12,215 ft (3,723 m)[1] |
Prominence | 90 ft (27 m)[1] |
Coordinates | 42°46′31″N 109°14′12″W / 42.77528°N 109.23667°WCoordinates: 42°46′31″N 109°14′12″W / 42.77528°N 109.23667°W[2] |
Geography | |
![]() ![]() Block Tower Location in Wyoming | |
Location | Fremont and Sublette Counties, Wyoming, U.S. |
Parent range | Wind River Range |
Topo map | USGS Lizard Head Peak |
Block Tower is a (12,215-foot (3,723 m)) mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Block Tower is on the west side of the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area and is just northwest of Watch Tower and immediately south of the peak known as Sharks Nose.[3] Block Tower is situated on the Continental Divide.
Hazards[]
Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[4] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[5]
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,[6] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[7] 2015[8] and 2018.[9] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near Squaretop Mountain[10] in 2005,[11] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[12] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.
References[]
- ^ a b "Block Tower, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- ^ "Block Tower". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- ^ Lizard Head Peak, WY (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- ^ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- Mountains of Wyoming
- Mountains of Fremont County, Wyoming
- Mountains of Sublette County, Wyoming
- Bridger–Teton National Forest
- Shoshone National Forest
- Wyoming geography stubs