Ice Cream Cone Mountain is an 8,675-foot-elevation (2,644-meter) mountain summit located 22 miles (35 km) east of Palmer, in the northern Chugach Mountains of Alaska. This peak is visible from the Glenn Highway near Mile 70 west of Kings Mountain. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's north slope drains into Carpenter Creek, a tributary of the Matanuska River, whereas the south slope drains into Metal Creek, a tributary of the Knik River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 5,200 feet (1,585 meters) above Metal Creek in 1.5 mile (2.4 km) and 5,675 feet (1,730 meters) above Carpenter Creek in 1.9 mile (3 km). The first ascent of the summit was made on July 3, 1967, by David P. Johnston, John Samuelson, and Hans Van der Laan via the Northeast Ridge.[4][5] This mountain's local descriptive toponym has not been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, so it is only marked as "8675" on USGS maps. Some climbers in Anchorage call this peak the "Sky Buster" which was the name applied by mountaineer Vin Hoeman.[6]
| Ice Cream Cone Mountain | |
|---|---|
 North aspect, from Glenn Highway | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,675 ft (2,644 m)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 2,825 ft (861 m)[3] |
| Parent peak | Peak 8785[3] |
| Isolation | 11.78 mi (18.96 km)[3] |
| Coordinates | 61°38′08″N 148°28′07″W / 61.63556°N 148.46861°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Ice Cream Cone Mountain Location in Alaska | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Matanuska-Susitna[3] |
| Parent range | Chugach Mountains[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Anchorage C-4 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1967[2] |
Climate
editBased on the Köppen climate classification, Ice Cream Cone Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[7] Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports small unnamed glaciers on its slopes. The months of May through June offer the most favorable weather for climbing or viewing.[8]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c "Ice Cream Cone Mountain, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ a b "Ice Cream Cone Mountain". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ a b c d "Ice Cream Cone Mountain - 8,675' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ David P. Johnston, North America, United States, Alaska, "Ice Cream Cone Mountain", Chugach Range, American Alpine Journal, 1968, americanalpineclub.org, Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ Dave Johnston, Scree, July 1967, p. 4–6.
- ^ American Alpine Journal, 2000, The American Alpine Club, p. 216.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Denali FAQ, American Alpine Institute, alpineinstitute.com, Retrieved 2024-01-08.
External links
edit- Weather forecast: Ice Cream Cone Mountain
- Account of the first ascent: Scree