Three Penguins

Three Penguins
West aspect
Highest point
Elevation4,488 ft (1,368 m)[1]
Prominence120 ft (37 m)[2]
Isolation0.65 mi (1.05 km)[2]
Coordinates38°37′09″N 109°37′05″W / 38.6192228°N 109.6179263°W / 38.6192228; -109.6179263[1]
Geography
Three Penguins is located in Utah
Three Penguins
Three Penguins
Location in Utah
Three Penguins is located in the United States
Three Penguins
Three Penguins
Three Penguins (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountyGrand
Protected areaArches National Park
Parent rangeColorado Plateau[3]
Topo mapUSGS Moab
Geology
Rock ageJurassic
Rock typeEntrada Sandstone[4]
Climbing
First ascent1976
Easiest routeclass 5.10a climbing[2]

Three Penguins is a 4,488-foot-elevation (1,368-meter) summit in Grand County, Utah, United States.

Description

Three Penguins is located within Arches National Park and it is the first notable rock feature to greet visitors as they enter the park on the main road.[5] Like many of the rock formations in the park, it is composed of Entrada Sandstone, specifically the Slick Rock Member overlaying the Dewey Bridge Member.[4][6] The tower is 140 feet tall,[7] and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 350 feet (107 meters) above Moab Canyon in 0.15 miles (0.24 km). Precipitation runoff from Three Penguins drains to the nearby Colorado River via Moab Canyon. This landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[1]

Climbing

The first ascent of the summit was made in November 1976 by Larry Bruce, Molly Higgins, and Michael Kennedy via the class 5.10 Center Chimney.[8][9]

Other rock-climbing routes on Three Penguins:

  • Right Chimney - class 5.10+ - Michael Kennedy, Molly Higgins - (1976)[10]
  • Anorexia - class 5.10a - Alan Nelson, Alan Bartlett[11]
  • Petrified Bear's Dick - class 5.10 - Todd Gordon, Margie Floyd, Maryann Loehr - (1998)[12]

The Right Chimney is considered one of the best rock-climbing routes in the park.[7]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Three Penguins is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers.[13] Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to experience Arches National Park, when highs average 60 to 80 °F (15 to 25 °C) and lows average 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C). Summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F (40 °C). Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C), and lows averaging 0 to 20 °F (−20 to −5 °C). As part of a high desert region, it can experience wide daily temperature fluctuations. The park receives an average of less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually.

See also

  • West aspect
    West aspect
  • East aspect
    East aspect
  • Three Penguins from Arches National Park Road
    Three Penguins from Arches National Park Road
  • East aspect
    East aspect
  • South aspect
    South aspect

References

  1. ^ a b c "Three Penguins". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Three Penguins - 4,540' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  3. ^ "Three Penguins, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  4. ^ a b Pages of Stone, Lucy Chronic, The Mountaineers Books, 2004, ISBN 9781594853180, p. 44.
  5. ^ Fodor's National Parks of the West, Fodor's Travel Publications, 2004, ISBN 9781400013296, p. 360.
  6. ^ The Geologic Story of Arches National Park, Stanley William Lohman, US Geological Survey, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975, p. 57, 59.
  7. ^ a b Stewart M. Green, Best Climbs Moab: Over 150 Of The Best Routes In The Area, Rowman & Littlefield, 2020, ISBN 9781493039364.
  8. ^ First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  9. ^ North America, United States, Utah, Three Penguins, Arches National Park, Michael Kennedy, 1977, Publications.americanalpineclub.org
  10. ^ Right Chimney, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  11. ^ Anorexia, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  12. ^ Petrified Bear's Dick, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  13. ^ 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): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. S2CID 9654551.
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