Lions Head Mountain

Lions Head Mountain is a 5,400+ ft (1,650+ m) mountain summit located in the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The peak is situated in the Kakuhan Range, 46 mi (74 km) northwest of Juneau, and 3 mi (5 km) east of Lynn Canal, on land managed by Tongass National Forest. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since Lions Head Mountain rises 5,400 feet above the Berners River Valley in less than three miles. The peak's descriptive name was applied in 1867 by George Davidson, geographer with the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, because its serrated profile resembles a lion couchant.[5][6] This name was published in the 1869 Coast Pilot, and officially adopted in 1929 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[5]

Lions Head Mountain
Lions Head Mountain, south aspect
Highest point
Elevation5,400+ ft (1,650+ m) [1]
Prominence1,200 ft (370 m) [1]
Parent peakPhoebe (5,552 ft)[2]
Isolation1.6 mi (2.6 km) [2]
Coordinates58°52′40″N 135°03′50″W [1]
Geography
Lions Head Mountain
Location of Lions Head Mountain in Alaska
LocationTongass National Forest
Juneau Borough
Alaska, United States
Parent rangeCoast Mountains
Boundary Ranges
Kakuhan Range[3]
Topo mapUSGS Juneau D-4
Geology
Age of rockTriassic
Type of rockmetabasalt, greenstone[4]
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 5.0 [2]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Lions Head Mountain has a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and cool summers.[7] Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Coast Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports glaciers on the north side of this mountain. The months May through July offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing Lions Head Mountain.

See also

References
Lion Couchant
  1. "Lions Head Mountain, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  2. "Lions Head Mountain - 5,450' Alaska". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  3. "Lions Head Mountain". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  4. Arthur Ford and David Brew, Geologic Studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1992. US Government Printing Office, 1993, page 202.
  5. "Lions Head Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  6. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Donald J. Orth author, United States Government Printing Office (1967), page 579.
  7. 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.
  • Lions Head Mountain: weather forecast
  • Photo of Phoebe, Lions Head Mountain, and Alaska Marine Highway System ferry
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.