Andy Simons Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andy Simons Mountain |
|
|---|---|
Southwest aspect, summit to right
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,407 ft (1,953 m) |
| Prominence | 4,507 ft (1,374 m) |
| Isolation | 19 mi (31 km) |
| Parent peak | Isthmus Peak |
| Geography | |
 Andy Simons Mountain
Location in Alaska
|
|
| Location | Chugach National Forest Kenai Peninsula Borough Alaska, United States |
| Parent range | Kenai Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Seward B-7 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1963 |
| Easiest route | Exposed Scrambling |
Andy Simons Mountain is a really tall mountain in Alaska. It stands about 6,407 feet (1,953 meters) high. This makes it one of the highest peaks on the Kenai Peninsula.
The mountain has two main tops, and the highest one is about 1.3 miles west of the other. It is part of the Kenai Mountains and is located inside the Chugach National Forest. You can see it from the Seward Highway and the Alaska Railroad. Water from the mountain flows into Kenai Lake.
A Mountain's Name: Andy Simons
The first people to climb Andy Simons Mountain reached the top on May 18, 1963. This group was from the Mountaineering Club of Alaska. They wanted to name it "Big Bad Wolf Peak." This was a fun idea because there was already a "Mother Goose Glacier" nearby!
But in the same year, a different idea came up. The people in Seward, Alaska, wanted to name the mountain after a special person. His name was Andrew Adrian Simons (1882-1962).
Who Was Andy Simons?
Andy Simons was an early settler in Alaska. He was a famous guide for big-game hunting. For 27 years, he worked on the Alaska Game Commission. His job was to help protect and share information about Alaska's amazing wildlife.
Andy lived for over 30 years in a home near a lake, which was called Lakeview. From his home, he could see this mountain every morning. He would look for goats or mountain sheep on its slopes.
Andy's Life and Work
Andrew Simons was born in Närpes, Finland, in 1882. He came to Alaska in the early 1900s looking for gold. Around 1908, he settled in Seward.
In 1910, he became the very first licensed hunting guide in Alaska. He held license number one until he passed away in 1962. Many people thought he was the best guide in the world. His stories were even shared in popular magazines like The Saturday Evening Post.
The United States Geological Survey officially adopted the name "Andy Simons Mountain" in 1963.
Mountain Climate
Andy Simons Mountain is in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are usually mild.
Temperatures can drop below -20 °C (which is -4 °F). With the wind, it can feel even colder, sometimes below -30 °C (-22 °F). Because of this climate, you can find spruce and hemlock trees growing on the lower parts of the mountain.
