Begich Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Begich Peak |
|
|---|---|
Begich Peak and Boggs Peak (left) seen from Turnagain Arm
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,623 ft (1,409 m) |
| Prominence | 1,181 ft (360 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Chugach National Forest Anchorage Municipality, Alaska United States |
| Parent range | Chugach Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Seward D-5 |
Begich Peak is a 4,623-foot (1,409 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, 2.5 mi (4 km) north of Portage Lake, 5 mi (8 km) northwest of Whittier, Alaska, 1.8 mi (3 km) east of Portage Peak, and 1.24 mi (2 km) southwest of Boggs Peak.
The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1976 by the United States Geological Survey to commemorate Alaska Congressman Nick Begich (1932-1972), who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives when he disappeared along with House majority leader Hale Boggs and two others on October 16, 1972, during an airplane flight from Anchorage to Juneau. Neither the plane's wreckage nor the pilot's and passengers' remains were ever found. The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is located at Portage Lake.
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Begich Peak is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. May and June are the best months for climbing in terms of catching favorable weather. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of Portage Creek and Twentymile River before emptying into Turnagain Arm.
