Granite Peak
Highest point
Elevation12,807 ft (3,904 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence4,759 ft (1,451 m)[2]
ListingU.S. state high point 10th
Coordinates45°09′48″N 109°48′27″W / 45.163426647°N 109.807456247°W / 45.163426647; -109.807456247[1]
Geography
Parent rangeBeartooth Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Granite Peak
Climbing
First ascent1923 by Elers Koch
Easiest routeSouthwest Couloir (class 3 scramble)

Granite Peak, at an elevation of 12,807 feet (3,904 m) above sea level,[1] is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of Montana, and the tenth-highest state high point in the nation.[3] It lies within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Park County, very near the borders of Stillwater County and Carbon County. Granite Peak is 10 miles (16 km) north of the Wyoming border and 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Columbus, Montana.

Granite Peak is often considered the second most difficult state high point to climb after Denali in Alaska, due to technical climbing, poor weather, and route finding.[4][5] Granite Peak's first ascent was made by Elers Koch, James C. Whitham, and R.T. Ferguson on August 29, 1923, after several failed attempts by others. It was the last of the state high points to be climbed.[5] Today, climbers typically spend two or three days ascending the peak, stopping over on the Froze-to-Death Plateau, although some climbers choose to ascend the peak in a single day. Another route that has gained popularity in recent years is the Southwest Couloir route, a non-technical route from the south starting near Cooke City; climbers generally take two days to complete it.

Climate

Climate data for Granite Peak 45.1650 N, 109.8158 W, Elevation: 12,192 ft (3,716 m) (1991–2020 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 17.8
(−7.9)		 16.9
(−8.4)		 21.7
(−5.7)		 27.2
(−2.7)		 36.5
(2.5)		 46.3
(7.9)		 56.6
(13.7)		 56.0
(13.3)		 47.1
(8.4)		 34.2
(1.2)		 23.0
(−5.0)		 17.0
(−8.3)		 33.4
(0.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 8.5
(−13.1)		 6.8
(−14.0)		 10.9
(−11.7)		 15.6
(−9.1)		 24.4
(−4.2)		 33.5
(0.8)		 42.5
(5.8)		 42.0
(5.6)		 33.9
(1.1)		 22.8
(−5.1)		 13.8
(−10.1)		 8.1
(−13.3)		 21.9
(−5.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) −0.8
(−18.2)		 −3.4
(−19.7)		 0.2
(−17.7)		 4.0
(−15.6)		 12.2
(−11.0)		 20.7
(−6.3)		 28.4
(−2.0)		 27.9
(−2.3)		 20.7
(−6.3)		 11.5
(−11.4)		 4.6
(−15.2)		 −0.9
(−18.3)		 10.4
(−12.0)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 6.87
(174)		 6.61
(168)		 6.59
(167)		 6.24
(158)		 5.44
(138)		 4.55
(116)		 3.23
(82)		 2.68
(68)		 2.88
(73)		 4.53
(115)		 6.52
(166)		 7.50
(191)		 63.64
(1,616)
Source: PRISM Climate Group[6]


Froze-to-Death Plateau, on the slope leading to the summit

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Granite Peak". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce.
  2. ↑ "Granite Peak, Montana". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  3. ↑ "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. April 29, 2005. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  4. ↑ "Granite Peak, Montana". SummitPost.org. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  5. 1 2 Winger, Charlie; Winger, Diane (2002). Highpoint Adventures: The Complete Guide to the 50 State Highpoints. Colorado Mountain Club Press. pp. 140–141.
  6. ↑ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. 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.
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