Medicine Bow Peak
| Medicine Bow Peak | |
|---|---|
 Southern extent of Medicine Bow Peak rising above Lake Marie. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,018 ft (3,663 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 3233[1] |
| Coordinates | 41°21′35.99″N 106°19′11.99″W / 41.3599972°N 106.3199972°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Albany and Carbon counties, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Parent range | Medicine Bow Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Medicine Bow Peak (WY) |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | quartzite |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Medicine Bow Peak (12,018 ft (3,663 m)) is the highest peak in the
Medicine Bow National Forest and is the highest point in southern Wyoming. The summit lies in extreme western Albany County, but the mountain's lower reaches stretch westward into eastern Carbon County. The summit is 12,018 feet (3,663 m) high and is visible from Snowy Range Pass, elevation 10,847 ft (3,300 m), on Wyoming Highway 130
, a Wyoming Scenic Byway. The most commonly used trail to the peak is a four-mile hike featuring switch-backs and a great deal of loose rock. The trails to the peak are usually open from early June to mid October.
The mountain is usually covered with snow from October to late June. During winter the peak can be reached by snowshoe or by skiing. Summer conditions can be extreme, with frequent thunderstorms and hail during the afternoons.
Geology
The peak is part of a
Periglacial polygons, also known as "stone nets", are located above the timberline. Several glacial lakes
are located at the base of the peak.
Geologic publications have suggested that the
unconformably on gneissic basement rock, has been analyzed for traces of Precambrian life.[3] The findings may be pseudofossils.[3]
Climate
| Climate data for Medicine Bow Peak 41.3570 N, 106.3242 W, Elevation: 11,644 ft (3,549 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 21.4 (−5.9) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
34.0 (1.1) |
43.8 (6.6) |
54.9 (12.7) |
62.9 (17.2) |
61.0 (16.1) |
52.6 (11.4) |
39.5 (4.2) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
39.3 (4.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 12.1 (−11.1) |
12.1 (−11.1) |
18.2 (−7.7) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
32.7 (0.4) |
42.6 (5.9) |
50.1 (10.1) |
48.5 (9.2) |
41.1 (5.1) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
12.2 (−11.0) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.8 (−16.2) |
2.0 (−16.7) |
7.5 (−13.6) |
12.7 (−10.7) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
37.3 (2.9) |
36.1 (2.3) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
10.6 (−11.9) |
3.1 (−16.1) |
17.8 (−7.9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.05 (154) |
5.00 (127) |
5.07 (129) |
6.18 (157) |
5.17 (131) |
2.48 (63) |
1.79 (45) |
1.74 (44) |
2.66 (68) |
3.96 (101) |
5.27 (134) |
5.65 (144) |
51.02 (1,297) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[4] | |||||||||||||
History
Little is known of the mountain's history before the
,Ute, and Eastern Shoshone were known to have either inhabited the surrounding lowlands or used nearby canyons and mountain passes as travel routes.[5]
In 1955,
United Airlines Flight 409
crashed into the side of the mountain; there were no survivors. Engines and other fragments of the plane are still present at the base of the cliff. During the recovery process, several additional access routes were established, which are still in use today.
A memorial stone and plaque were placed near the crash site, known as "Disaster Wall", in August 2001.
Ecology
harebell. The peak is located in a Special Botanical Area.[6]
Mammals inhabiting the peak and its immediate surroundings include
dwarf shrew
.
Maps
- Medicine Bow Peak page at peakbagger.com
- TopoQuest.com Topographic map of Medicine Bow Peak
- Medicine Bow Peak Trail Review from Trails.com
- Photos of the peak and its access trails
- US Forest Service Medicine Bow - Routt National Forests
References
- ^ a b "Medicine Bow Peak, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2001RM/finalprogram/abstract_6228.htm Geology of the Snowy Range
- ^ JSTOR 1304516.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking Coordinates (under Location); copy Latitude and Longitude figures from top of table; click Zoom to location; click Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click 30-year normals, 1991-2020; click 800m; click Retrieve Time Series button.
- ^ "History and geology of the Medicine Bows" (PDF). fs.fed.us. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "-State Species Abstract--Wyoming Natural Diversity Database" (PDF). University of Wyoming. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2009-12-02.