Mount Geist

Mount Geist
Northeast aspect, centered
(Mt. Balchen left and Mt. Skarland right)
Highest point
Elevation10,716 ft (3,266 m)[1]
Prominence1,663 ft (507 m)[2]
Parent peakMount Balchen (11,205 ft)[3]
Isolation1.34 mi (2.16 km)[3]
Coordinates63°38′30″N 146°52′12″W / 63.6417981°N 146.8699622°W / 63.6417981; -146.8699622[1]
Naming
EtymologyOtto W. Geist
Geography
Mount Geist is located in Alaska
Mount Geist
Mount Geist
Location of Mount Geist in Alaska
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
Census AreaSoutheast Fairbanks
Parent rangeAlaska Range
Hayes Range[4]
Topo mapUSGS Mount Hayes C-6
Climbing
First ascent1974

Mount Geist is a 10,716-foot-elevation (3,266-meter) mountain summit in Alaska, United States.

Description

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Mount Geist is a glaciated mountain located in the Hayes Range which is a subrange of the Alaska Range.[4] This remote peak is situated 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west-northwest of Mount Hayes and 87 miles (140 km) south-southeast of Fairbanks.[1] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north to East Fork Little Delta River → Little Delta River → Tanana River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,500 feet (1,067 m) above the Hayes Glacier in 0.6 mile (1 km). The first ascent of the summit was made on May 2, 1974, by Dusan Jagersky and Bill Sumner via the Northeast Face.[5][6]

Etymology

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South aspect of Mt. Balchen centered. Mt. Giddings to left, Mt. Skarland to right, and part of Mt. Geist behind Balchen.

The mountain was named by Troy L. Péwé for Otto W. Geist (1888–1963), University of Alaska, pioneer researcher in paleontology, archeology, and glaciology in Alaska, whose glacier work was centered near this area.[7] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1965 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[8] Geist worked with Ivar Skarland who also has an adjacent peak named after him (Mt. Skarland).[9] Geist and Skarland were personal friends of Bernt Balchen, who also had an adjacent peak (Mt. Balchen) named after him.[10]

Climate

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Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Geist is located in a tundra climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool summers.[11] This climate supports the Hayes and Gillam glaciers surrounding this peak. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °F with wind chill factors below −30 °F. The months May through June offer the most favorable weather for climbing or viewing.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mount Geist". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  2. ^ "Mount Geist, Peakvisor.com". Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  3. ^ a b "Geist, Mount - 10,720' Alaska". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  4. ^ a b "Mount Geist". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  5. ^ Guy Wilson, Mt. Geist (3,269M/10,720'), Northeast Face, Possible New Route, American Alpine Journal, 2012, americanalpineclub.org, Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  6. ^ American Alpine Journal, 1975, The American Alpine Club, p. 36.
  7. ^ Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, page 363.
  8. ^ United States Board on Geographic Names, Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States, Decision List No. 6504, (1966), page 2.
  9. ^ "Mount Skarland". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  10. ^ The Norseman, 1974, p. 79.
  11. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606.
  12. ^ Denali FAQ, American Alpine Institute, alpineinstitute.com, Retrieved 2024-01-08.
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