Frenchman Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frenchman Mountain |
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Frenchman Mountain
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,056 ft (1,236 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,972 ft (601 m) |
| Geography | |
 Frenchman Mountain
Location in Nevada
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| Location | Clark County, Nevada, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Frenchman Mountain, NV |
Frenchman Mountain is a cool mountain located just east of Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada. It looks like a sharp triangle because of how it was formed. This mountain is special because it shows us some of the oldest rocks on the North American continent!
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About Frenchman Mountain
This mountain is a landmark near Las Vegas. It stands about 2,000 feet (about 610 meters) above the valleys around it.
How Frenchman Mountain Formed
Frenchman Mountain is made of rocks that are similar to those found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Long ago, the ground moved and broke along lines called faults. This movement pushed up and tilted the rocks that make up the mountain.
After the rocks were pushed up, wind and water slowly wore them away. This process is called erosion. Erosion helped shape the mountain into its sharp, triangular look.
Ancient Rocks
Frenchman Mountain is a great place to see something called the Great Unconformity. This is a special spot where very old rocks meet much younger rocks, with a big gap in time between them.
Here, you can see tilted rocks from the Paleozoic Era (an ancient time period). These rocks are called Tapeats Sandstone. Below them are even older rocks, about two billion years old! These super old rocks are called Vishnu Schist. They are some of the oldest rocks found anywhere on the North American continent.
Where is it?
Frenchman Mountain is part of a long ridge that runs from north to north-northeast. It's about 2,000 feet higher than the nearby valleys.
Another mountain, Sunrise Mountain, is about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) to the northeast. It's close to Nellis Air Force Base. The McCullough Range is about 12 miles (19 km) to the south and runs in a similar direction. The River Mountains are to the southeast.
A road called Nevada State Route 147 crosses the northern part of Frenchman Mountain. To the southeast, there's a geologically interesting area called Rainbow Gardens. You can also find a rock formation called Lava Butte there.
What's in a Name?
Frenchman Mountain probably got its name from an old mine called the "Frenchman Mine." People thought the mine was owned by a French person, but it was actually a Belgian immigrant.
Sometimes, people mistakenly call Frenchman Mountain "Sunrise Mountain." This is because the sun appears to rise over it when viewed from some parts of Las Vegas. The area near Cheyenne Avenue, Boulder Highway, and Lamb Boulevard is even known as Sunrise Manor.
