The Watchman (Utah)
| The Watchman | |
|---|---|
 The Watchman, northwest aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,545 ft (1,995 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 785 ft (239 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Stevens Peak (6,555 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 0.79 mi (1.27 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 37°11′05″N 112°58′47″W / 37.184701°N 112.979614°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  The Watchman Location in Utah  The Watchman The Watchman (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Washington County |
| Protected area | Zion National Park |
| Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS Springdale East |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Jurassic |
| Type of rock | Navajo sandstone |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1973 by Jeff Lowe, Mike Weis[3] |
| Easiest route | class 4 scrambling[2] West Face |
The Watchman is a 6,545-foot (1,995 m) sandstone mountain summit located in Zion National Park, in Washington County of southwest Utah, United States.[4]
Description[edit]
The Watchman is located immediately east of Springdale, towering 2,600 feet (790 meters) above the town and the floor of Zion Canyon. Zion's park headquarters, the park's south entrance, and Watchman Campground are situated immediately north-northwest of the mountain, which makes it one of the photographic icons of the park. The Watchman is wedged between the North and East Forks of the Virgin River which drain precipitation runoff from this mountain. Its neighbors include Mount Kinesava directly across the canyon to the west, Bridge Mountain, 1.66 mi (2.67 km) to the north-northeast, and The West Temple is positioned 2.9 mi (4.7 km) to the northwest.[1] This feature's name was officially adopted in 1934 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[4] It is believed to be so named because it stands as a watchman guarding the south entrance to the park. It is unclear where the name may have originated; some believe it was Methodist Minister Frederick Vining Fisher. Early pioneers referred to this peak as Flanigan Peak because the Flanigan family homestead was set at the base of this feature.[5] This mountain is composed of Navajo Sandstone, with a red shale outcropping of the Kayenta Formation along the lower slopes.[6]
Climate[edit]
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit The Watchman. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.[7]
Gallery[edit]
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The Watchman and North Fork Virgin River from the north -
West aspect seen from Springdale, Johnson Mountain to right. (very large file) -
A dusting of snow at The Watchman -
The Watchman and North Fork Virgin River -
-
from park headquarters -
From Springdale, Watchman (right), Bridge Mountain (left) -
The Watchman at sunset -
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "The Watchman, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ a b c "Watchman, The - 6,545' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
- ^ American Alpine Journal, Vol. 20, 1975
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: The Watchman
- ^ National Park Service nps.gov/zion
- ^ "The Watchman".
- ^ "Zion National Park, Utah, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on January 27, 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
External links[edit]
- Zion National Park National Park Service
- Weather: The Watchman
- The Watchman Rock Climbing: mountainproject.com