Ptarmigan Peak is a 2,972-foot-elevation (906-meter) mountain summit in Alaska, United States.
| Ptarmigan Peak | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Northeast aspect, from Big Port Walter | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,972 ft (906 m)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 622 ft (190 m)[3] |
| Parent peak | Peak 3250[3] |
| Isolation | 0.98 mi (1.58 km)[3] |
| Coordinates | 56°22′00″N 134°46′15″W / 56.3665361°N 134.7708029°W[4] |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Ptarmigan |
| Geography | |
  Ptarmigan Peak Location of Ptarmigan Peak in Alaska | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| City and Borough | Sitka |
| Protected area | Tongass National Forest |
| Parent range | Alexander Archipelago |
| Topo map | USGS Port Alexander B-3 |
Description
editPtarmigan Peak is located on Baranof Island and 9.4 miles (15.1 km) north-northwest of Port Alexander, Alaska.[4] It is set on land managed by Tongass National Forest.[3] Precipitation runoff from the mountain's east slopes drains to Port Walter, whereas the west slopes drain to Big Branch Bay. Although modest in elevation, topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,972 feet (906 m) above tidewater of Big Branch Bay in 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and 1,400 feet (427 m) above an unnamed lake to the north in 0.35 mi (0.56 km). The peak's local name was recorded in 1951 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[1]
Climate
editBased on the Köppen climate classification, Ptarmigan Peak is located in a subpolar oceanic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool summers.[5] Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Winter temperatures can drop to 10 °F with wind chill factors below 0 °F.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, page 780.
- ^ National Geodetic Survey Data Sheet, Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ a b c d "Ptarmigan Peak - 2,972' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ a b "Ptarmigan Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ 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.
External links
edit- Ptarmigan Peak: Weather forecast
- National Geodetic Survey Data Sheet
