Goat Mountain (Alaska)

This article is about the mountain near Girdwood. For the mountain near the Copper River, see Goat Mountain (Cordova).
Goat Mountain
West aspect, from Jewel Mountain
Highest point
Elevation6,450 ft (1,966 m)[1]
Prominence100 ft (30 m)[2]
Parent peakSouth Raven Peak[1]
Coordinates61°02′55″N 149°03′27″W / 61.04861°N 149.05750°W / 61.04861; -149.05750[1]
Geography
Goat Mountain is located in Alaska
Goat Mountain
Goat Mountain
Location in Alaska
Map
Interactive map of Goat Mountain
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
BoroughAnchorage
Protected areaChugach National Forest
Parent rangeChugach Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Anchorage A-6

Goat Mountain is a 6,450-foot (1,966 m) mountain summit located in the Chugach Mountains, in Anchorage Municipality in the U.S. state of Alaska. The peak is situated in Chugach National Forest at the head of Glacier Creek Valley, 30 mi (48 km) east-southeast of downtown Anchorage, and 8 mi (13 km) north-northeast of the Alyeska Resort and Girdwood area. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1932.[3] On August 4, 2019, a small airplane crashed on the mountain claiming all four lives on board.[4]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Goat Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[5] Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −10 °F with wind chill factors below −20 °F. This climate supports the massive Eagle Glacier on the east aspect of the peak, the Milk Glacier on the western slope, and the Raven Glacier to the northwest.

  • South aspect, from Alyeska ski area
    South aspect, from Alyeska ski area

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Goat Mountain, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2019-05-26.
  2. ^ Goat Mountain, listsofjohn.com
  3. ^ "Goat Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  4. ^ Anchorage Daily News
  5. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.