Squaretop Mountain

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Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain, WY.jpg
Squaretop Mountain, northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation11,695 ft (3,565 m)[1]
Prominence655 ft (200 m)[1]
Parent peakPeak 11830[2]
Isolation2.17 mi (3.49 km)[2]
Coordinates43°13′25″N 109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°W / 43.22361; -109.79083Coordinates: 43°13′25″N 109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°W / 43.22361; -109.79083[3]
Geography
Squaretop Mountain is located in Wyoming
Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain
Location in Wyoming
LocationSublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent rangeWind River Range
Topo mapUSGS Squaretop Mountain
Geology
Type of rockMigmatite[4]
Climbing
First ascent< 1921 by William Stroud[1]
Easiest routeclass 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[]

Main articles: Hazards of outdoor recreation and Mountaineering § 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[]

  • Squaretop Mountain.jpg

  • from Green River Lakes

  • Squaretop Mountain blue sky.jpg

  • from Green River Lakes with White Rock on left, "Tabletop" on right

  • from Green River Lakes

  • from Green River Lakes

  • 2020 Wyoming license plate featuring Squaretop Mountain with Green River Lakes

  • White Rock (left), Squaretop Mountain (right) reflected in Green River Lakes.
    White Rock is a dolomite and limestone cliff that rises 3,300 feet above the lake.

See also[]

  • List of mountain peaks of Wyoming

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Squaretop Mountain, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  2. ^ a b c "Squaretop Mountain - 11,695' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  3. ^ a b "Squaretop Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 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. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  10. ^ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  11. ^ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  13. ^ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  14. ^ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  15. ^ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.

External links[]

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