The Henrys Lake Mountains, highest point Sheep Point, el. 10,609 feet (3,234 m),[1] (See also [2]) are a small mountain range northwest of West Yellowstone, Montana, in Madison County, Montana. These mountains are also referred to as the Lionhead Mountains, and straddle the Continental Divide along the Idaho-Montana border. On the northwest corner of these mountains is Quake Lake, created when the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake caused a massive landslide and dammed the Madison River. Nine subalpine lakes sit in high cirques in the higher reaches, with several peaks topping 10,000'.[1] Coffin Lake is the largest and most popular, on the Montana side.[1] About 32,000 acres are roadless in the Montana portion, with an unknown amount in Idaho.[1] Dense forests, pristine streams, rolling tundra, and grassy parks provide year-round habitat for grizzly bears, elk, and bighorn sheep.[1] Rocks and soils are inherently unstable, a factor in the landslide that caused much loss of life in 1959.[1] The instability exists because the range is basically limestone blocks sitting on top of shale and Yellowstone volcanic rocks.[1]
| Henrys Lake Mountains | |
|---|---|
  Henrys Lake Mountains Location in Montana | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Sheep Point |
| Elevation | 10,609 ft (3,234 m) |
| Coordinates | 44°46′52″N 111°24′00″W / 44.78111°N 111.40000°W |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Cunningham, Bill (1990). Montana Wildlands. Helena, MT: American Geographic Publishing. p. 73. ISBN 0-938314-93-9.
- ^ "Henrys Lake Mountains". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.