Granite Peak, at an elevation of 12,807 feet (3,904 m) above sea level,[1] is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of Montana, and the tenth-highest state high point in the nation.[3] It lies within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Park County, very near the borders of Stillwater County and Carbon County. Granite Peak is 10 miles (16 km) north of the Wyoming border and 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Columbus, Montana.
| Granite Peak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,807 ft (3,904 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 4,759 ft (1,451 m)[2] |
| Listing | U.S. state high point 10th |
| Coordinates | 45°09′48″N 109°48′27″W / 45.163426647°N 109.807456247°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Granite Peak | |
| Parent range | Beartooth Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Granite Peak |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1923 by Elers Koch |
| Easiest route | Southwest Couloir (class 3 scramble) |
Granite Peak is often considered the second most difficult state high point to climb after Denali in Alaska, due to technical climbing, poor weather, and route finding.[4][5] Granite Peak's first ascent was made by Elers Koch, James C. Whitham, and R.T. Ferguson on August 29, 1923, after several failed attempts by others. It was the last of the state high points to be climbed.[5] Today, climbers typically spend two or three days ascending the peak, stopping over on the Froze-to-Death Plateau, although some climbers choose to ascend the peak in a single day. Another route that has gained popularity in recent years is the Southwest Couloir route, a non-technical route from the south starting near Cooke City; climbers generally take two days to complete it.
Climate
| Climate data for Granite Peak 45.1650 N, 109.8158 W, Elevation: 12,192 ft (3,716 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 17.8 (−7.9) | 16.9 (−8.4) | 21.7 (−5.7) | 27.2 (−2.7) | 36.5 (2.5) | 46.3 (7.9) | 56.6 (13.7) | 56.0 (13.3) | 47.1 (8.4) | 34.2 (1.2) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 17.0 (−8.3) | 33.4 (0.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 8.5 (−13.1) | 6.8 (−14.0) | 10.9 (−11.7) | 15.6 (−9.1) | 24.4 (−4.2) | 33.5 (0.8) | 42.5 (5.8) | 42.0 (5.6) | 33.9 (1.1) | 22.8 (−5.1) | 13.8 (−10.1) | 8.1 (−13.3) | 21.9 (−5.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −0.8 (−18.2) | −3.4 (−19.7) | 0.2 (−17.7) | 4.0 (−15.6) | 12.2 (−11.0) | 20.7 (−6.3) | 28.4 (−2.0) | 27.9 (−2.3) | 20.7 (−6.3) | 11.5 (−11.4) | 4.6 (−15.2) | −0.9 (−18.3) | 10.4 (−12.0) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.87 (174) | 6.61 (168) | 6.59 (167) | 6.24 (158) | 5.44 (138) | 4.55 (116) | 3.23 (82) | 2.68 (68) | 2.88 (73) | 4.53 (115) | 6.52 (166) | 7.50 (191) | 63.64 (1,616) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[6] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
External links
- "Granite Peak". United States Forest Service.
- "Granite Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- "Friends of Granite Peak". Archived from the original on 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2019-05-29, An organization dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of Granite Peak in Montana.