Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain | |
---|---|
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″N 109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°WCoordinates: 43°13′25″N 109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°W[3] |
Geography | |
Squaretop Mountain Location in Wyoming | |
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]
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 (1,128 meters) above the Green River in one-half mile. The iconic view of Squaretop and Green River Lakes has been on the Wyoming licence 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]
- West Gully – 1937 – class 3 – H. H. Bliss
- East Face Center – 1958 – (IV 5th) – Bill Byrd, Dave Dingman, Roland Wyatt
- North Buttress – 1960 – (III 5.7) – Ed Cooper, Ron Niccoli
- East Face Right – 1965 – (V 5.8) – Fred Beckey, Jerry Fuller
- Southeast Face – 1971 – (II 5.6) – Vince Lee, E. Park, M. Stephens, C. Zukowski
- West Couloir – 1972 – (II 5.5) – Vince Lee, Bo Beckham, Greg Smith
- West Face Dihedral – 1974 – (V 5.10) – Greg Lowe, Jeff Lowe, Kent Christensen
- East Face Left – 1984 – (V 5.10d) – Jeff Lowe, Renato Casarotto
- West Face Right – 1992 – (IV 5.9 A2) – Scott Cole, John Malken
- AC/DC – 1998 – (IV 5.10) – Andy Carson, Dan Carson
- Miscreant Line and Conveyor Belt (East Face) – 2001 – (V 5.10d) – Tod Anderson, Skyler Crane, James Donnell, Ernest Moskovics
- Marginally Orange – 2009 – (IV 5.10) Norm Goltra, Steve Walker
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.
Gallery[]
See also[]
- List of mountain peaks of Wyoming
References[]
- ^ a b c "Squaretop Mountain, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ^ a b c "Squaretop Mountain - 11,695' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ^ a b "Squaretop Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493001354, page 33.
- ^ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493001354, page 37.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Fred Beckey, 1961, North America, United States, Wyoming—Wind River Range, Northeast Face, Squaretop Americanalpineclub.org
- ^ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493001354, pages 110–115, 419.
- ^ 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. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
External links[]
- Squaretop Mountain rock climbing: Mountainproject.com
- Weather forecast: Squaretop Mountain
- Bridger–Teton National Forest
- Mountains of Sublette County, Wyoming
- Mountains of Wyoming
- North American 3000 m summits